When your family is your life, you will do everything you can to protect them. Learn what questions to ask a family attorney before you hire.
When Looking For a Family Attorney, You Need To Know What To Look For
If you currently face complicated divorce or other family law issues in El Paso County, you undoubtedly have many questions to ask a family attorney. You not only want to know what you should do now and what to expect next, but you also want to understand the process, your rights, and your options. But for any of those answers to matter, you also need confidence that the family attorney answering your questions has the right experience and is the person you want guiding you through what may be one of the most consequential and challenging experiences of your life.
You Are Conducting Job Interviews For The Biggest Hire Of Your Life
To get that confidence, you’ll want to start by asking questions about the law and the lawyer. Choosing a family attorney is essentially the same as looking for the right candidate to hire for a job. You are trying to find an attorney who will be working for you on matters that will profoundly impact your life, your children, and your future. This is not a decision you should rush or take lightly.
As is the case for any job, the hiring process for a family attorney near you involves conducting interviews. In these interviews, you can learn about the lawyer’s experience, qualifications, talents, and approach to their work. You should treat your initial meetings with any Colorado Springs family attorney as an opportunity to get a sense of them, how they handle family law cases, and what you can expect during your attorney-client relationship. You need to know the right questions to ask a family attorney during this interview process.
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Job Interview Questions To Ask a Family Attorney
Here are some questions to ask a family attorney to learn whether the person you are speaking with is the person you want handling your case:
- How long have you been practicing law in Colorado Springs?
- How much of your practice focuses on family law?
- Do you handle other types of cases?
- How long have you worked on family law matters?
- Will you personally handle my case, or will I be working with another attorney in your practice?
- How many open family law cases are you working on right now?
- How many family law hearings or trials have you had in the past year?
- Do you represent both men and women? Why or why not?
- How long will my matter take?
- Will I need to pay you an up-front retainer, and if so, how much?
- How often will you bill me?
- How long after you bill me is payment due?
- Do you have an estimate of what my matter will cost?
- What are the terms of your fee agreement?
- Do you accept credit cards or offer payment plans?
- If I need to speak with you and you are not available, is there someone else in your office I can call?
- If I must leave a message, how long before I hear back from you for urgent matters? For general questions?
A Question To Ask Yourself
In addition to asking the lawyer plenty of questions, you need to ask yourself this critical question: “Do I trust this lawyer and feel comfortable entrusting my case, and this important part of my life, to them?”
Trust is the foundation of any good attorney-client relationship, especially in personal, sensitive, and important matters such as divorce and family law issues. You should have confidence in your lawyer’s word and abilities and feel at ease asking questions and expressing your concerns. If you meet with a lawyer who appears to be in a hurry to end your conversation or seems distant or disinterested, that should be a sign to look elsewhere.
You can supplement your meetings with online research about Colorado Springs family lawyers, including testimonials and reviews and the information on the lawyer’s website.
After conducting your interviews and obtaining answers to your questions, you will hopefully have found a family attorney you trust and are comfortable with; one whose abilities inspire confidence and bring you peace of mind.
Call Colorado Springs Family Law Attorney Bryson Perkins Today
If you need an experienced and compassionate family attorney in Colorado Springs to help you through a divorce or other family law matter, I welcome the opportunity to assist you. Together, we will find a way forward.
