How To Choose The Right Divorce Lawyer

A divorce, even when amicable, can be a significant and life-altering event. How you proceed with the divorce and who you choose to handle it can have a big impact on the overall process. The right attorney can support you in handling your divorce in a way that meets your immediate needs and is aligned with your longer-term goals. However, it can be hard to know how to find the right attorney for you. In this article we will outline some key considerations and questions to ask when selecting an attorney. This article is not intended to be comprehensive, but rather to give you a starting point. If you would like personalized advice regarding your divorce, schedule a consultation with one of the experienced attorneys at Peeples Law.

• Ask for personal recommendations. If you have friends or family members who have gone through a divorce in the same state as you, it can be really helpful to talk to them about their experience. Even if they wouldn’t recommend their attorney, it can be helpful to hear about what did or didn’t work for them or, having gone through the process, what they would now look for in a lawyer. When having these conversations, it’s important to consider how similar their divorces were to yours and whether you shared similar outcome goals. For instance, if your friend had a highly litigious high-asset divorce, their attorney may not be a good fit for you if you are seeking a collaborative divorce with minimal assets. The more similar the situations, the more apt the advice will be.
• Get clear on your goals. Before talking to an attorney, it’s important to know what you want to get out of the divorce. Take some time to get clear on your intentions. If your goal is to maintain a healthy, calm, and collaborative relationship with your spouse and to conserve your shared assets as much as possible, it’s important to prioritize a cost-effective lawyer who takes a more holistic approach to divorce, rather than seeing it as a “winner” and “loser” situation. Additionally, the more clarity you have about your desired outcome, the easier it will be to sidestep possible conflicts and stay focused, which will also reduce the overall cost of the divorce.
• Schedule a consultation. Before deciding to retain an attorney, schedule a consultation to ensure that they are a good fit for your budget and needs. Don’t be afraid to ask questions and make sure to be honest about your goals and desired outcome.
• Don’t over-attorney. Divorce can feel scary and overwhelming. It’s understandable that many people’s knee-jerk reaction is to hire the most well-known and high-priced litigator that they can find. However, in the majority of divorces this is not necessary, and can create an unreasonable amount of financial hardship, often leaving few assets to be divided. If you believe you and your spouse can come to an agreement (even through negotiation) on asset division and child custody, you can likely save a lot of money and time by avoiding the scare tactics and hiring a lawyer more closely in your budget who can meet these needs.

Schedule a Consultation

If you are considering a divorce or looking for representation, contact the experienced Birmingham divorce lawyers at Peeples Law and schedule a consultation today.