Picking the right professional for you

Any family law process (divorce, separation, child custody, etc.) is a deeply personal and often highly emotional process. Plus, if you opt to hire a professional such as an attorney, a mediator, and/or a financial expert, it can also be expensive.

If you opt to use a professional, it’s best to make sure the professional is the right fit for you before paying a retainer. But how do you best determine the right fit for you? There is no one right answer.

Along with doing your due diligence of web searching and asking friends or colleagues for recommendations, we suggest you find out more about how the professional actually practices before signing an engagement agreement and paying a deposit for services. Some professionals have this info on their website, or you can ask questions at an initial screening or consult.

Some examples of good questions to ask, include what are the working hours? Work days? Is someone always available on the phone? How does s/he expect to get documents? How much does s/he charge? How are you billed? How often? What kind of payment methods are accepted?  How often do you need to meet? How will your meetings occur? In-person? Virtual? How are you informed of tasks and appointments? What are ways to communicate? Text? Phone? Email? What’s the professional’s style- aggressive, assertive, collaborative, offensive, defensive, other?

Most people seeking professional help are often so overwhelmed and want help immediately s/he/they forget to ask the necessary questions to ensure the right professional is picked; and the right professional is someone who can be there to the end of your needed services.

Here’s just one example of why finding this information out sooner is for the best.  What happens if you hire an attorney only to discover s/he only meets in person and only meets from the hours of 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and you work those hours? It’s not possible.

At our firm, we have a “good fit” questionnaire where prospective clients can go through our list of questions to see if we would be a good fit even before calling our firm. Check it out and let us know your thoughts.

Picking the right process and the right professional are two of the biggest choices you have the most control over in a family law matter, so be sure to pick the right option and right professional for you!