Is a "Free" Divorce Consultation Worth It or a Waste of Time?

Free Consultation Or Paid Strategy Session for Your Divorce?

Divorce and family law attorneys often advertise free consultations. This is a common practice and can be seen on numerous websites. But have you ever considered what a "free consultation divorce" actually entails? Is it an opportunity to receive advice or merely a chance for the attorney to sell their services and quote their fees?

The Reality Behind Free Consultations for a Divorce

The answer may vary depending on the divorce attorney you consult. Here's a breakdown of what lawyers typically offer during a free consultation. You might be surprised to learn that sometimes you won't even speak to an actual attorney.

Common Practices in Free Consultations

• Initial Contact: You reach out for help.
• Financial Inquiry: They immediately ask about your ability to pay their fees.
• Appointment Setting: They set an appointment if you can afford their fees.
• Brief Discussion: During the "free consultation," they generally (and sometimes vaguely) discuss your situation, specifically discuss their fees, and request you to sign a retainer agreement if you can actually afford them.

Evaluating the Value of Free Consultations

What do you gain from such a "free consultation" for your divorce? Was it worth it? Or was it a waste of your time?

I am sure there are lawyers out there who provide quality consultations for free. Our experience has been that this is not common. We know that because we talk to many people who pay for a strategy session with us and tell us how much more they learned from the discussion with us than from the prior free consultations they had.

Our Approach to Consultations

At our law firm, we handle initial consultations differently. Instead of a standard free consultation, we usually offer a paid strategy session.

Yes, there is a charge for it. But after we lay out what it includes, you tell us if you think it is worth it.

Comprehensive Paid Strategy Session

• You Speak to an Experienced Attorney: The strategy session is with an experienced family law attorney.
• Detailed Information Gathering: During the session, we collect information about your marriage, separation, custody and parenting issues, financial issues, child support, spousal support, property division, and anything relevant to your divorce.
  
• We Answer Your Questions: This is not some vague, general discussion. You ask us questions, and we answer them. If there is a question we cannot answer fully because we need more information, we will tell you what we need.
• A Detailed Discussion About Options: You need to know what your options are and what choices to make. You will likely not tell us about a situation we have not handled before. We draw on our extensive experience and let you know your legal options. And if we need more information from you to discuss additional options, we tell you that.
• Goal-Oriented Discussion: We discuss your reasonable goals and expectations.
• Customized Fee Discussion: We discuss not just our fees but also your budget for a divorce case like yours, considering the complexity of your situation.

Why Our Strategy Sessions Are Often Better

Our approach fundamentally differs because we prioritize you as a person, not just a case.

We offer a supportive and understanding environment from the moment you contact us. We focus on facts and the law and ensure you are making good choices with your head, not based on emotions.

Ready for Your Strategy Session?

We are here to help you navigate this challenging time. Contact us today to schedule your strategy session. Prefer to reach us by email? Fill out the Contact Us form on our website.