| Deciding which you should have represent you in | | | | attorney. The fact is that some attorneys are |
| your family law case is an extremely important | | | | simply better at satisfying their clients than others |
| decision and one that can be the difference | | | | and the only certain way to find this out is to |
| between getting a fair result or a poor one. | | | | hear from previous clients. |
| Here are some criteria that will allow you to | | | | A Plan for Handling Your Case |
| improve your chances of hiring the best attorney | | | | It is usually an error in a family law case for a |
| for your case. | | | | lawyer to apply a "one-size-fits-all" approach. In |
| Experience and State Bar Board Certification | | | | other words, some lawyers use the exact same |
| There is no substitute for experience when it | | | | approach on every single case, disregarding the |
| comes to divorce attorneys and you should only | | | | facts or nuances of your particular situation. This |
| consider hiring an attorney who is very | | | | is generally a mistake. What you want is a |
| experienced in the field of family law. Frequently | | | | lawyer who, at the outset of the case, creates a |
| people will hire a general practitioner, thinking that | | | | personalized plan for how your case will be |
| divorce cases are routine and uncomplicated and | | | | handled. You wouldn't use a shotgun if you were |
| that any lawyer will do. This kind of thought is a | | | | trying to kill a mosquito and you wouldn't use a |
| major error. Ideally, you want a lawyer who is | | | | flyswatter if you were trying to kill a bear. You |
| board certified in family law by the State Bar. | | | | would use the best tool for the given situation. |
| This is a certification held by attorneys who have, | | | | Your case should be handled in this same way. |
| by experience and knowledge, established that | | | | Are You Comfortable with the Attorney? |
| they are worthy of acknowledgment as experts | | | | Last but not least, you should be comfortable |
| in the area of family law. In most states this is | | | | with and have a good relationship with the |
| an highly difficult certification for a lawyer to | | | | attorney. If for any reason you sense that you |
| obtain. | | | | cannot communicate effectively with the |
| Satisfied Previous Clients | | | | attorney, then this is not the right lawyer for you |
| The best way to decide which lawyer is right for | | | | and you should keep looking until you encounter |
| you is to hear from that lawyer’s past | | | | the right attorny for your situation. It is of the |
| divorce clients. If you know someone who has | | | | utmost importance that you employ an attorney |
| been a client of a particular lawyer they can tell | | | | that inspires your confidence and that you are |
| you what it was like to be represented by that | | | | certain will keep your best interest at heart. |