What To Look For In A Divorce Lawyer

ByGoodblatt • Leo Hours Categories Divorce, Family Law

Divorce is a time when even the best among us need assistance.  The complexity of the law means that you will require a good lawyer, but we must also remember that an lawyer has specific jobs to perform, and you must find a lawyer you feel comfortable with.  If you are lawyer shopping, it is imperative that you understand what type of personality will give you the type of service you want and deserve.

Respect and Realism

An ideal divorce lawyer respects her clients.  This means, as one might expect, that your lawyer will treat you with respect not only when you are a prospective client, but also once she has your business.  This also means that you are not the only one she will treat with respect – an lawyer who is rude to support staff or court officials is not one you want on your side.   The reputation of your lawyer in the Court System will reflect on you and your case.

Respect also extends to using your time wisely, and making you feel like your business is valuable, rather than just another file.  Messages should be returned promptly, if not by your lawyer, then by someone working closely with her.  You should receive regular communications, including copies of emails, correspondence and pleadings.  No ‘bait and switch’ tactics are employed – you should meet and know the people in the office who will be doing the bulk of the work on your case.  You are entitled to know if an associate lawyer or a paralegal will assist the lawyer you hired.  In many cases, this is a benefit to you both in cost savings and in having multiple people familiar with your situation, in the event your primary lawyer is unavailable when you need her; but this should be explained to you up front.

Honesty Is The Best Policy

Above all else, it is imperative to find an lawyer who will be honest with you at all times.  Even so-called ‘white lies’ do matter.  The role of a lawyer is to provide legal advice to the best of their ability, and to put your interests first.  However, this also means that an honest lawyer will tell you if what you are asking for is realistic.

Keep in mind your lawyer’s specific role in your legal proceeding. Lawyers are not psychiatrists or counselors; their job is to obtain the best divorce settlement possible for you and your children.  A good lawyer may tell you that you will save time and money by engaging a therapist and an lawyer, instead of one or the other.

A Good Divorce Lawyer Will Help You

Above all, a competent Florida divorce lawyer will work hard to keep her clients informed.  The Orlando family lawyers at the firm of Goodblatt · Leo put our clients first, and will do our best to ensure your divorce is handled quickly and appropriately in all respects.  We work as a Team to make sure that you always have a legal professional you know, and who knows your case, available to help you.  Contact us today at 407-228-7007 to set up an appointment.

Goodblatt & Leo
+ posts

Our attorneys, Amy E. Goodblatt and Tatiana Leo, have more than 55 years of combined legal experience. They are directly involved in each case and stay focused on the issues that matter most to you.

Similar Posts

  • How is Child Support Calculated?

    ByGoodblatt • Leo Hours Categories Child Support, Divorce, Family Law

    Child support is the money paid from one parent to the other to cover the expenses that come with raising a child, such as the need for a home with enough space for the child, utilities for that home, food and household items, and the child’s needs like clothing and school supplies. The court uses a formula that considers the number of children to be supported, each parent’s income, and the amount of time the children spend with each parent to determine an appropriate child support amount to require.  In some cases, special circumstances like a child’s medical needs may be considered, causing the amount of child support ordered to deviate five percent or more or less from the amount that would be ordered for…

  • Make your Teen’s Transition to College Painless as a Divorced Parent

    ByGoodblatt • Leo Hours Categories Divorce, Family Law, Parenting Plans

    Although your son or daughter is no longer a child, you are not finished being his or her parent. After your divorce, you learned how to co-parent effectively.  Now, as your child finishes high school and moves on to college, you and your former spouse have new challenges to face. Issues to Work Out If your child headed off to college in the fall, make it a point to talk to your former partner about it. There are multiple issues you should have a game plan to address such as: Who will take your child to campus on move-in day and how will holidays be shared; Who will pick your child up at the end of the semester; How you will handle costs that arise…

  • What Kind of Mediator is the Best Fit for Your Divorce?

    ByGoodblatt • Leo Hours Categories Divorce, Mediation

    When you divorce through mediation, you choose to work with a neutral third party to reach an appropriate divorce settlement through a series of guided, productive discussions with your spouse. Not all mediators approach these discussions the same way; some are far more “hands on” than others. Whether you and your spouse would benefit from a more hands-on mediator or one who takes a more passive role depends on your personalities and how much guidance you need to make productive decisions about your divorce settlement. The Active/Passive Scale Mediators are gauged according to where they fall on the active/passive scale. More active mediators take deliberate steps to facilitate specific settlements, whereas more passive mediators are primarily messengers, leaving the bulk of the work toward a…

  • Can I Legally Read my Spouse’s Email During the Divorce Process?

    ByGoodblatt • Leo Hours Categories Divorce

    No. This is an invasion of privacy. In fact, you cannot read your spouse’s emails, text messages, or other correspondences without his or her consent at any time. If a correspondence is protected by a password or it is conducted using a device owned by an individual’s employer, you cannot search through it without your spouse’s consent. Even when a device like a cell phone or a laptop is shared property or uses a shared data plan, accessing your spouse’s private accounts may be deemed to be an invasion of his or her privacy. When you are going through a divorce, you might feel tempted to search through your spouse’s accounts. This could be to find evidence to show the court that he or she…

  • Why Should I Write a Postnuptial Agreement?

    ByGoodblatt • Leo Hours Categories Divorce, Family Law

    Do not be afraid of the idea of signing a postnuptial agreement. A postnuptial agreement, like a prenuptial agreement, is a document that outlines how a couple’s assets are to be divided in the event of their divorce or one party’s death. It can also clarify how assets are to be used, acquired, and designated during the marriage. Although it can be easy to think that signing such an agreement is admitting that you do not have faith in your marriage, this cannot be further from the truth. Instead, think of this type of document like you think of your automobile insurance: you do not want to get into a situation where you have to use it, but if you do find yourself in one,…

  • Dispelling Three Myths About Florida Marriage Annulment

    ByGoodblatt • Leo Hours Categories Annulment, Divorce, Family Law

    When it comes to marriage and divorce, there are many myths and misconceptions, especially on the internet. One of the biggest areas of confusion is marriage annulment. Myths abound regarding when, how, and why a person may annul his or her marriage. Here, we will look at three of the most common myths and explain what annulment is and is not. MYTH #1: I can get my marriage annulled within the first year of marriage without going through a full divorce. If only this were the case, we might hear a united sigh of relief from many. Unfortunately, the law does not have any such wiggle room. Once you get married, you are married. In Florida, even if you are only married for 24 hours,…