Woman Seeking Divorce: A Guide to Finding and Hiring a Divorce Attorney Without Going Crazy

No one wants to believe their marriage will end with a divorce. However, the statistics are everywhere and they are sobering. The reality is that a married woman will likely find herself in need of an attorney to help navigate the waters of marriage dissolution. The question is, how to go about finding the attorney that is right for you and who will be the best advocate for your rights and those of your children.

Facing the end of a marriage is never easy. There are legal, emotional, financial and personal implications that will affect all parties for years to come. Over time, many of these issues can be dealt with, but first things first: a woman needs to find the best legal advice and representation she can. This is not the place to look for a bargain. Sure, rates and retainers are important considerations, but what is most important is that you will hire the person or firm that will be your best advocate in the courtroom.

Having an attorney represent you means that this is the person you trust to speak for you. You are putting your faith in this person to argue for everything you have a right to, for your rights as a spouse and a parent, and for your children’s right to being well cared for and supported. Look at all of your friends and think about the qualities each has. How many of them would you pay to carry this responsibility? How do you find the best attorney to represent you? Following are 10 steps you can take to ensure you make good choices:

When to start:

 Ideally, you start your search for an attorney before your spouse. When you contact an attorney to discuss representation, they will take your name and your spouse’s name and then put you on hold while they conduct a quick search of their records. As long as they have not spoken with your spouse, they will entertain your call and answer your questions. As you can see, if you live in a small town, you could quickly run out of options if your spouse has already talked to all the lawyers in town. Start early and be proactive.

Talk with friends:

Most everyone knows someone who has recently gone through a divorce. Now is the time to contact those friends and meet for coffee. Ask about their process and who represented them. Ask for a recommendation and clearly understand whether they would choose to use the same attorney again if they had to do it over. Get not only the good report but ask about the negatives so that you are fully aware of the lawyer’s strengths and weaknesses.