I talked to a client today. She is looking for the right divorce lawyer in Orange County. She is looking for what she perceives to be the best divorce lawyer for her case. She has interviewed many lawyers. Our law firm is one of the several interviews.
I was happy to hear she has interviewed divorce lawyers. It is something I suggest to anyone who is undecided. That is because I don't "sell". I don't believe in it. Instead, me and all of our divorce lawyers have the same motto and it is a strict one.
We provide prospective clients with information. We listen and we discuss options. We educate. We don't persuade. "Persuasion" is our job in court and when dealing with the other lawyer. With our prospective clients and actual clients, our Orange County divorce lawyers share knowledge with you…and as the sign says, knowledge is power.
So you search for a divorce lawyer just like she did, right? Do you know what you are looking for? What you want? I bet if you answered out loud, you would say, "I just looking for a divorce lawyer that I can trust."
That is the magic word.
Trust. How do you gain it? Here are some tips…
1. Listen to the questions you ask and the answers the divorce lawyer in Orange County gives you
Direct. To the point. That is how your questions should be answered. If the divorce lawyer you talk to can't answer your questions at the consultation or doesn't want to, then you are wasting your time and, if you hire him or her, you are wasting your money. "Answering" your question means that you got information you can use to make a decision. It doesn't mean the divorce lawyer told you what you want to hear. That brings us to number 2.
2. Be careful of divorce lawyers in Orange County who act like your cheerleader
Divorce lawyers aren't hired guns and they are not paid to tell you what you want to hear. They are not "cheerleaders." We don't carry a pom-pom and we don't b.s. you. If we believe you are not asking for enough, we tell you. If we believe your expectations are unrealistic, we tell you that to. If we think you are right on, we confirm that and give you some other options to think about. Why? Because we represent good people and good people aren't dissuaded by being told the truth. The fact is that there is no way to predict a result in a family law case. There is "discretion" in many family law code sections and laws. The best divorce lawyers in Orange County know this and they tell you. That doesn't mean you won't know what the possible results may be or which ones are more likely than others. We can tell you that when the facts support it.
3. Price is important. Ask the divorce lawyer in Orange County what he or she charges and how he or she bills
The hourly rate, the initial deposit, how billing is handled, reasonable estimates for the beginning of the case, events that may occur during the case that can cause fees to go up or down, whether or not you have a fair chance to recover fees from your spouse or if you have an exposure to a fee order against you, these are all important questions. You should get answers to them before you hire the divorce lawyer for your Orange county case. Guarantees? No. Nobody ethical will give you a guarantee regarding your fees. But facts and information, factors and options, the best divorce lawyers can.
Did this article help you? Do you have more questions? That is why we are here. One phone call away or complete our contact us form and we will get back to you immediately. Our divorce lawyers look forward to speaking with you.