Introduction
You can get quality legal advice in many ways. You might be able to go online and find answers to your questions, you might ask friends or family members for recommendations—or maybe even just look at their experience with the law. But if you want a family lawyer who knows what they’re doing, it might be best to work with someone who’s been practicing family law for years and has plenty of experience dealing with issues like yours. So how do you find that person?
Ask a friend for a referral
When choosing a family lawyer, ask a friend or family member for a referral. Good lawyers are often busy, so it is important to ask someone who has used them before.
Ask your friends and family if they know any lawyers that they might recommend. You may also want to check out online reviews of different lawyers in your area.
Ask your neighbors or coworkers if they know anyone who specializes in this type of case or has dealt with similar situations and how their experience was with the attorney involved.
Check for disciplinary action
To see if your lawyer has had any disciplinary action taken against them, look on the Law Society of British Columbia website.
You can also check out the lawyer’s profile on Avvo.com, FindLaw.ca, and Martindale.com (the last two are both law-related websites).
Be wary of free consultations
Free consultations are a good way to test the waters, but they’re often limited in scope.
● They may only last 15 or 20 minutes. Don’t let this be an excuse to cut your time short with your attorney, though. If you’re just getting started, you’ll want the full hour so that you can talk about your goals and expectations for the future.
● They might not include everything on your mind. You might be thinking about other things on top of child custody and spousal support that could impact how the divorce plays out (e.g., property division), so make sure any questions related to those topics get answered before signing off on anything else!
● Their advice may not apply to every situation or every case type (at least not without further research). This means it’s important not just for attorneys but also their staffs/secretaries/associates—everyone involved in providing legal services—to double-check facts before giving advice based on them.”
Get the names of three previous clients
When choosing a lawyer, you should ask for the names of three previous clients. You can also ask for references and cases they’ve handled in the past.
This will give you a good idea of whether they have experience representing people who are like you. And if they don’t have any experience dealing with your type of situation, then it may be better to find someone else who does.
Talk about fees upfront
You should also be aware of the difference between an hourly fee and a flat fee. An hour-based lawyer’s fees are calculated based on the time spent on your case, while a flat fee is a set amount that doesn’t change regardless of how many hours they work.
● If you’re working with an hourly attorney, make sure to discuss this issue fully so there are no surprises when it comes time for payment. This type of lawyer may be more expensive at first because they will charge by the hour until their services are complete, but if you end up needing less time than anticipated (or if your case goes quicker than expected), then that’s great news for both parties involved! On the other hand, if you need them to work longer than expected because things aren’t going well or if something unexpected happens during proceedings—like missing documents from another party—then those extra hours could mean paying more money overall depending on how long things take before resolution occurs.*
● With flat-rate lawyers there’s no need for discussion about payments since all fees are predetermined beforehand so there won’t be any surprise costs down the road*
Visit the office, and talk to the staff
● Look around. Is the office clean and professional? Are there pictures of happy families on the walls, or do they look like they were taken at a garage sale? Does it seem like the
staff knows what they’re doing, or are they confused when you ask questions? These are all important things to consider before choosing a lawyer to trust with your family’s future.
● Ask about their experience. In any field, it’s always good to go with someone who has done something similar before—and even better if that person has won cases in your particular situation! So ask them how many divorces they’ve handled, and how many custody battles (if applicable). Do they think this case is going to be hard? If so, why do you think that is? How will this case be different from others like it?
● Ask about their approach. What methods does your attorney use for negotiating settlements between two parties who disagree about how much time each parent should have with their children after divorce or separation? Does he/she take a collaborative approach where he/she helps couples find mutually beneficial options together instead of just pushing his/her own agenda onto clients by ordering them around like soldiers during war times; or does he/she prefer litigation over negotiation because “that’s just what lawyers do nowadays” regardless of whether either party wants such an aggressive approach (or even needs one)?
A good lawyer will have a lot of experience with family law issues and has worked with them before and will be willing to answer your questions
● The lawyer should have experience with your type of case. It’s important to find a lawyer who has worked on cases similar to yours before.
● Ask about the lawyer’s experience in the court where you will be filing your case. Some courts are more difficult than others, so you want an attorney who knows how to navigate these waters and can guide you through them successfully.
● Ask about the lawyer’s experience with people involved in or affected by your case (such as employers, ex-spouses, and children). If they’ve represented clients like this before and understand what makes them tick, then they’ll be able to give you better advice about how best to deal with them in court.
Conclusion
We hope this article has helped you to find a family lawyer that is right for you. If you have any questions or would like some more information, please contact us today!
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