How To Choose The Right Charleston Divorce Lawyer

You are making one of the bigger decisions of your life.

You want to know: Who is the right divorce lawyer for me?

You can answer that question by doing what brought you here. Review closely the websites of Charleston, Mt. Pleasant, and Summerville divorce lawyers. As you read those websites, rank the divorce lawyers on the basis of the five questions that I outline below.

After you have identified who may be the right divorce attorney for you, call the attorney to discuss your alimony, child custody, child support, divorce, legal separation, prenuptial agreement, or property division problem. If the phone interview goes well, you have probably found the right Mount Pleasant family law attorney for you.

Five Key Questions To Ask In Choosing Your Divorce Lawyer

As you read the pages on this website and other divorce lawyer websites in Charleston, Daniel Island, Goose Creek, Isle of Palms, Mt. Pleasant, Summerville, or West Ashley, you should ask five questions. The answers to those questions will go a long way in helping you decide which divorce attorney you should hire.

1. Does the divorce lawyer understand what you are going through

You are passing through an emotionally and financially difficult phase of your life. As you look for help, you need a divorce lawyer who understands the stress you are experiencing and the fears that are plaguing you. You need to hire a divorce attorney who knows what happens in a divorce.

If you make the mistake of hiring a divorce lawyer who does not understand the challenges in your life, it will be virtually impossible for that attorney to represent you effectively in your divorce. Resist the temptation to hire the attorney just because the lawyer’s office is close to your house or because someone at work recommended the lawyer. You need a divorce lawyer who can understand and help you when it matters the most in your child custody dispute or complex property division of your home, retirement plans, investments, and business.

2. Can the divorce attorney understand the questions you have

When you look at a divorce lawyer’s website, you should read closely to see whether the website focuses on:

(a) Providing answers to your questions; or

(b) Promoting the lawyer’s family background, credentials, and education.

Is the lawyer’s website devoted to a description of how the divorce lawyer will serve your needs? Alternatively, is the attorney more focused on trying to impress you with his professional qualifications?

You should hire a Mt. Pleasant divorce attorney who will be focused on your questions and your needs. You need a divorce lawyer who will listen to you, not one who will talk down to you.

3. Can the divorce attorney help you with the legal aspects of your problems

You should hire a divorce lawyer who understands your legal problems and can provide you with solutions. Doing that requires the divorce attorney’s personal commitment to use his or her knowledge of the law for your benefit in divorce settlement negotiations and in the courtroom.  It takes experience and knowledge of the law to ask the right questions at trial, obtain a favorable property division or settlement, and get you the best possible child custody order.

Search each lawyer website for specific illustrations of how the divorce attorney has served clients in the past and will serve you in the future. It’s not enough to just know divorce law. You need a divorce lawyer who will apply that knowledge in innovative ways to avoid mistakes and obtain the best possible alimony, child custody, property division, and divorce settlement for you.

Look critically at each website. What useful legal and practical tips has the divorce attorney shared? If the website tells you more about the attorney’s accomplishments than it tells you about divorce and family law subjects, you probably need to look for a different divorce lawyer. You want to hire a Mount Pleasant family law attorney who knows how to solve your specific legal problems through negotiation of a fair settlement agreement or through litigation, if necessary.

4. Can the divorce lawyer help you get your life turned around

Your divorce does not have to define the rest of your life. Family law allows you to hit a “restart” button, which is called “divorce.” When you are ready to hit the “restart” button, look for a divorce lawyer who will be focused on helping build a better life for you and your children.

You are facing many difficult decisions inside and outside of the legal system. You need a compassionate divorce lawyer who will understand your non-legal needs as well as your court matters. You should hire a divorce lawyer who has had real life experience that he can use to help you get a fresh start in life.

5. How much will it cost

You should get value for the fee you pay your divorce attorney. Don’t just look for the least expensive divorce lawyer. Choose the best lawyer that you can afford. You will be glad for many reasons that you did. Be wary of “bargain” prices, flat rates, and cheap hourly rates.

In reviewing divorce lawyer websites, look for the following information about what your divorce may cost:

• Does the divorce lawyer acknowledge the concern that most clients have regarding costs? If the answer is “no,” what does that tell you about the lawyer?
• Is the lawyer willing to accept credit cards? By using credit cards, you may be able to pay for an attorney that you might not, otherwise, be able to afford.
• Will the lawyer seek your approval before making a major financial decision on your behalf?  You should be in control of the cost of your divorce.
• Is the lawyer willing to discuss with you the amount of the retainer, hourly rate, and range of fees that may be charged? You want to hire a divorce lawyer who will explain how you will be charged and alternative budgets for the work to be performed on your behalf.

CONCLUSION

In choosing the right divorce lawyer, you have many choices. Ultimately, your decision will depend on your answer to a single question:

Will my divorce case matter to this lawyer?

If the answer to that question is “no” for a particular divorce lawyer, you should click immediately to the next website. You should continue searching for your divorce lawyer until the answer to that question is “yes.”

Recommendations for Additional Reading

How Is Property Divided in a Charleston Divorce?

SC Divorce Guide: When Is The Right Time to File for a Divorce or Legal Separation?

4 Types of Financial Documents You Will Need For Your Charleston Divorce