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Looking for the Right Person
Who you retain to help you with your divorce is an important decision, perhaps almost as important as the decision to get a divorce. Your attorney can have a significant impact on both the process and the final result of your case, so it’s important to look for someone who will meet your needs.
To help with your search, here are some key qualities you should look for in a divorce attorney.
Experience
Perhaps most obviously, you would want a divorce attorney to have experience working through divorce cases with a certain degree of success. Should you have the opportunity to schedule an initial consultation with a divorce attorney, it may be prudent to ask about their experience, including how long they have practiced law and what types of results they have seen in past cases.
Composed
Divorce can get heated at times, and this tension is not just limited to the parties seeking to dissolve their marriage. The process can be frustrating at various points throughout, and you should want your attorney to be your rock in the midst of a turbulent storm. While they may feel frustrated at times, the right attorney will never act out of that emotion and will reassure you that you can overcome any obstacle.
Communicative
Communication is one of the most important keys to any successful relationship, including the relationship you have with your divorce attorney. The right divorce attorney should not only be able to keep in touch with you on the progress of important steps in your case, but they should also be able to adapt their communication style to match various scenarios that can happen over time. For example, your attorney will likely communicate in court in a manner very different from how they communicate with you.
Adaptive communication is not the only quality, however. The right attorney should be able to clearly inform you of progress and be able to explain complicated matters in terms that can be understood. To put it bluntly, the right attorney should be able to demystify legal terminology in a way that anyone can understand and use.
Negotiator
Many divorces do not involve lengthy court battles but instead are resolved via a negotiated settlement agreement. In order to avoid a settlement that is unfair to you in any way, the right divorce attorney should be skilled in negotiation and should remain unwavering when defending your rights and needs. By communicating your needs with your attorney early on in the process, you can be sure that they will keep those in the back of their mind as they work to achieve the best possible settlement for you.
Honest
This quality is incredibly important when proceeding through a divorce. The right attorney should be transparent in communicating proper expectations about the future and the possible outcome; they should not get your hopes up for a lofty settlement or paint an unrealistic picture of life after divorce. The right attorney should be honest with you about your prospects and should help you plan for the future.
Ethical
Along a similar line, the right attorney should work in a way that is ethical. They should follow the right procedures without taking shortcuts in any way. How an attorney conducts themselves throughout a divorce is important, and you should know if they have ever faced any discipline from the State Bar Association for any misconduct.
Work with the Right Attorney
Not just any attorney will do in a divorce; you need the right attorney to guide you throughout the process. At Verner Brumley Mueller Parker, our team is made up of the right attorneys who will help you work through this challenging time in your life to get you started on a new path.
Learn more about divorce in Texas or schedule your consultation by calling us at (214) 225-6766 or by visiting us online.
