If you are in need of legal help, some types of law have higher stakes than others.
The field of family law is worth $11 billion, by far making it one of the biggest areas of law. This area of law is so major because it deals with issues like dissolving a marriage, exercising parental rights, filing for custody, and negotiating child support.
Before hiring a pro, make sure that you schedule a consultation with an attorney in your area. This advice will help you learn what questions to ask a family lawyer before hiring them.
1. What Is Your Outlook for My Case?
Before anything else, talk to the lawyer about the details, what you’re up against, and your desired outcome. From here, the lawyer will be able to provide insight into what you can expect during a family lawyer meeting.
Before hiring a family lawyer, they’ll offer you a forecast for how your case might play out, along with advice on how they’d handle it. It might take a handful of these types of consultations before you find a lawyer that you are comfortable with.
2. What Experience Do You Have?
Always find out how much experience the attorney has so that you have no problem trusting them to handle business for you and win your case.
Ask them how long they’ve been in family law, and when they started practicing law in general. You will likely will more comfortable with a lawyer that has several years of experience.
Learn where they attended law school, and research all of the attorneys that work at the firm. Figure out which lawyer you feel most comfortable handling your case, and ask about their availability.
Find out how long they have been part of the New York State Bar Association, and review any information you can about them.
3. How Much Do You Charge?
Make sure to ask the lawyers about their rates and fees. Doing this will let you understand how much you need to budget, and whether their rates are affordable.
This is another reason to discuss your case with as many lawyers as possible before hiring them.
4. How Can You Help After the Initial Action?
Many clients don’t think far ahead of the initial point that the lawyer helps them with. After the divorce decree, custody arrangement, prenuptial agreement, or other action is finalized, you might assume that all of your business with the lawyer is done.
Think again because there are always situations that might necessitate follow-ups, appeals, or hearings in front of a judge. Work with an attorney that you trust not only now but also to represent you in the future.
Work With a Qualified Family Lawyer
These four questions will serve you whenever you’re getting ready to hire a family lawyer. It’s a sensitive area of law that will require all hands on deck and the assistance of a skilled pro.
Miller Zeiderman LLP staffs a team of trustworthy lawyers that can help you with all of your legal needs. We have offices in New York, White Plains, and Greenwich.
If you’d like to reach out to us, contact us online or call one of our branches to get help.