WHAT YOU SHOULD CONSIDER BEFORE HIRING A FAMILY LAWYER.

Article By Patrick Mansfield | Best Rated Law Firms | 02/03/2023

When you're faced with a family issue that can't be solved amicably, you may need to go to family court to resolve the situation. While you might know that hiring an attorney to help you handle the matter is important, you may not realize that it's also important to find the right lawyer to handle your type of case. There are several things to consider as you look for the best attorney to represent you.

Look for Experience

When you read recommendations to hire an experienced lawyer, they're not just talking about general experience working in the legal field. You want to find a lawyer with experience specific to your situation. For instance, if you need to pursue child support issues, you will want an attorney with experience specific to support laws in your area. An attorney who has previously handled many child support cases will have the expertise relevant to handling your case.

Look at the Attorney's Credentials

Believe it or not, there are frauds in the legal field, just as there are frauds in any profession. When you consider hiring an attorney, look into his credentials to ensure they're valid and up to date. You can do this by contacting the organization responsible for issuing the credentials. Additionally, research the attorney to find out if he has ever been disciplined for unethical conduct, or find out if he has ever been sued for legal malpractice.

Look Up Previous Client Reviews

There are many resources available online for looking up reviews of law firms and individual lawyers. By looking over the reviews left by previous clients, you can get a better idea of how the lawyer handles his cases. While a few negative reviews are to be expected, an overwhelmingly high number of negative reviews may be reason for caution. If you get a bad feeling from reading the attorney's reviews, it may be wise to look for someone else.

Find Out How You Will Be Charged

Each attorney charges his or her fees differently. The typical methods for charging clients include:

• Contingency
• Hourly rate
• Flat rate
• Retainer

A contingency fee usually applies strictly to personal injury lawsuits, allowing the client to obtain legal services in exchange for a percentage of the future award or settlement. Family law cases may be charged an hourly rate or flat fee, depending on the types of services involved. If it's just a standard legal filing, the attorney will likely charge a flat fee, but something more complex may require an hourly rate to be charged.

Some lawyers may simply charge a retainer. This is a base fee that will typically cover the basics of handling your case. When there are more complexities involved in handling the case, or you need additional services, you may be billed amounts in addition to the retainer fee. In this case, it's very important to understand the terms of the payment plan, and under what conditions you would be charged additional fees.

Look for a Likable Attorney

It may sound silly, but you should also consider your personal feelings for the attorney. Keep in mind that you will have to share some deeply personal information with the attorney. While the lawyer is bound to keep the information confidential, this is still a stranger to you. You won't be able to trust someone that you dislike, so make sure you feel comfortable talking to the attorney.

Taking these factors into consideration can help you find the right attorney to handle your case. While it's difficult to say that one attorney is the best among all of them, you can use these tips to determine which one is the best for you. By evaluating your needs and finding the attorney who can best meet those needs, you can make sure you're doing the best you can to arrive at a favorable outcome in your case.

Approximately how much time will it take to resolve the case?

When you’ve been injured, you’ll probably have medical expenses. Depending on the nature of the injury and whether it prevents you from working, the costs involved can become exorbitant and problematic. You'll probably want to know how fast you'll be compensated for your injuries. It’s a good idea to ask the lawyer about the likely timeframe of the case. Navigating the court system can be time consuming, and sometimes it takes longer than anticipated. However, you can ask for an estimated timeframe based on the lawyer’s prior experience.

Do you have any references from past clients?

To avoid any major disappointments concerning the abilities of the lawyer, you should ask for references. In most instances, your lawyer should be able to provide you with references from prior clients concerning their performance. There’s also a good chance that you can find this type of information online with a simple Google search.