If you are facing down a divorce for the first time then there is likely a lot you have to learn. The reality is that while you do need to hire the right divorce attorney, you also need to know where the boundaries are. When you work with an experienced associate like Kendall Gkikas & Mitchell, this will not be a concern for you as we pride ourselves on treating our clients professionally. However, if you are working with someone else then we recommend carefully consider the following.
Do not forget why you hired an attorney
When you hire an attorney, you are likely to have certain expectations about what they will offer you. You want legal advice. You want someone who will take care of legal tasks so that you don’t have to. You want an attorney who can discover the facts of the case and help you understand the law. They are not there to be your friend or your therapist. We suggest not ranting about your spouse and instead sticking to the facts. Resist the urge to ask for advice unless it is relevant to the case.
Undercover the best communication options
You may prefer to communicate with your family law attorney via email and they may prefer to communicate via phone call – or vice versa. Some people prefer scheduled calls while others are fin waiting for a person to have time to call. Either way, it is simply important to communicate with your attorney about what you can expect. If you want to be informed on a regular basis, then let your attorney know that. If you do not want weekly updates, let them know that too.
Go to your lawyer’s office alone
Many people feel the need to bring a family member or friend with them to the lawyer’s office. It may seem as though this would be helpful as support, but in reality it can actually be distracting. There is likely some information about your marriage or impending divorce that you would like to keep private. These are things you will need to discuss with your lawyer but will probably not want to discuss in front of family or friends. Likewise, keep your children out of meetings as they may distract you and it could be upsetting for them to be involved in the divorce.
Talk to your attorney honestly and openly
If you want your divorce attorney to offer you the best possible assistance then you must be willing to speak to them openly and honestly. If you have been unfaithful to your spouse or if there are other similar issues that may be used against you during negotiations, then your attorney needs to know. We can prepare a defense for these issues if we know about them in advance but will be helpless if it comes up during negotiation with no warning.
If you are ready to talk to an attorney about your possible divorce then we urge you to contact Kendall Gkikas & Mitchell at 909-482-1422 to set up a consultation.
