Family law attorneys work on issues that impact families. They handle family-related concerns such as domestic violence, divorce-related issues, child custody, and child support. They also draft wills, custody agreements, prenuptial agreements, and other family documents.
Planning to meet a family dispute lawyer for the first time can be fearsome. But, you don’t have to feel overwhelmed. What matters most is that; you take time to reflect on your entire situation and focus on what you want to achieve. It helps to have complete information on every relevant requirement right from the beginning.
Once you engage with your family dispute lawyer, you’ll realize their main goal is to help you through the difficult phase. That’s why you need to stay well-armed with all the necessary information.
Staying armed with every vital information will allow the attorney to thoroughly assess your family law matters in line with the legal framework. You must be fully prepared to share your story in detail. Doing this will enable the family lawyer to advise you appropriately on the most applicable option for your case.
By telling the correct facts, the legal expert will also inform you whether what you’re looking to achieve is possible.
Things You Should Reflect on Before Meeting A Family Lawyer
When going for the first meeting with your family attorney, you should get ready to inform the legal expert about three things: your dispute, your budget, and your preferred time frame.
Before you meet with the lawyer, ensure you ask yourself important questions like:
- What do I want to achieve?
- Why is the matter important to me?
- What is the most significant priority for our children?
- What are the short and long-term family goals?
- What worries me/us as a family most?
Fundamentally, the lawyer should understand your answers to the above questions. The answers you give will help the legal practitioner to tailor the actions toward resolving the matter. The legal professional will also manage to put your desired outcome at the forefront while guiding you appropriately.
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What You Must Know Before You Contact a Family Lawyer
The following things will help you when you want to make the initial contact with your family attorney:
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Find the Right Lawyer in Line with Your Family Case
It is always best to hire a lawyer specializing in the specific law field you’re seeking help in. So, for this case, the more experience a family attorney has, the more skilled they become. For example, if you speak with a lawyer but you feel that they may not fully understand your issues, it’s best to continue looking until you find a reliable lawyer.
Aside from that, If you were a victim of domestic violence. Professional help for such concerns is available from an experienced domestic abuse attorney. A family law expert can provide you with dependable support throughout the entire process, and they are able to handle all legal matters for you on your behalf and make you feel at ease throughout the whole process.
Such attorneys are there to help you genuinely. They know that being involved in family issues can be a challenging, stressful journey. Thus, experienced legal practitioners are willing to guide you. They want to help you achieve the most desired outcome possible.
The family dispute attorney will help you in areas like:
- Domestic violence
- Divorce
- Child custody
- Child support
- Division of assets
- Drafting wills
- Adoption and more
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Have Your Documents Ready
To understand your case best, lawyers often require all the applicable documents. For example, if you are handling an inheritance issue, the family attorney will ask to see a copy of the deceased’s will or trust.
So, ensure you prepare all the essential documents. Remember to scan them to have an electronic version that you can quickly email to the law firm.
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Research the Elements of Your Case
Every form of legal claim has certain elements that must be proven to triumph in the case. For example, if you are bringing an undue influence claim, you must be sure that the victim was vulnerable.
Researching the elements of the type of case you’re seeking help with is fundamental. It allows you to give the essential details when communicating with the lawyer.
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You May Not Get Connected to the Lawyer Immediately
Lawyers are often very busy people. They attend to matters like:
- Conferences
- Court hearings
- Mediations
- Depositions
- Client meetings
They also draft all forms of briefs, pleadings, briefs, and agreements. When you contact a law firm, you’re likely to first speak with the legal support staff. Such can include a paralegal or legal assistant. The support staff help by taking your details and passing the information to the lawyer.
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Do Not Seek the Advice of Legal Support Staff
Legal advice entails a formal law-related opinion about a particular factual situation. Such advice often concerns analyzing several facts. You receive counsel to take a specific course of action that aligns with the applicable law.
Only a licensed attorney can offer legal guidance. The legal support staff should only communicate the details of your case to the lawyer. But, they shouldn’t give you any legal advice. Offering such counsel without a license is an unauthorized practice of law.
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Don’t Provide Too Much Information
You could be very emotional whenever you reach out to a law firm. As a result, you may want to share with the attorney all the situation’s details. Perhaps you’re doing this because you want the lawyer to understand everything you are going through.
But, you don’t have to give too many details right away. That way, the family dispute attorney may not be able to analyze your legal claim step by step and adequately.
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Answer the Attorney’s Specific Questions
Your attorney will often ask you particular questions to establish the elements present in your case. If a lawyer asks you a question, they need that information to determine best whether the matter is viable.
Thus, try to answer those specific questions. If the attorney establishes that they can represent you, you’ll have the chance to get further into details.
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Good Communication With Your Lawyer is Crucial
The relationship you build with your family law lawyer matters most throughout the processes involved. That’s why during the Covid season, there was a lot of focus on value addition to client-lawyer relationships.
Communication issues create challenges in all relationship types, including that between you and your attorney. If you don’t understand what’s happening in your lawsuit, you might think you have a bad lawyer. But, in a real sense, your lawyer could be doing a great job.
Note that your attorney should often communicate the case’s progress. Failure to do this will invariably increase your stress. This explains why effective communication skills are significant for lawyers.
Key Takeaways
A family lawyer works by finding out more about your family-related legal claims. They also analyze whether your possible courses of lawful action might work out. It helps to find the right lawyer in line with your family case.
Before contacting the attorney, remember to research every element of your case. Also, have all the necessary documents ready. It helps to also wait for the lawyer’s advice and not seek counsel from the legal support staff.
Once you’re ready with every detail, be patient in case you speak to the support staff, and you’re not redirected to the attorney immediately. Meanwhile, stay well-armed and ensure you know all your duties and responsibilities throughout the process.
The discussion above should guide you on everything you need to know before meeting your family law lawyer. All the best in handling your family-related case!