|
Questions to ask to a Divorce Lawyer
Questions to ask to a divorce lawyer regarding experience and expertise
- Do you collaborate consistently with experts outside your firm like counselors, psychologists, accountants etc?
- Does your law firm have additional expertise like accountants?
- Do you have any certification or special training in Divorce and Family Law, due to which you may be considered as a divorce specialist?
- Out of the gross cases that you handle, what percentage are Divorce and Family Law cases?
- For what period till date, have you handled divorce and family law cases?
- Have you benefited from courtroom experience?
- For what period till date, have you practiced in this county or state?
- In the previous year, what number of cases went to trial?
Questions to ask to a divorce lawyer regarding management style or philosophy
- Can you throw light on your usual philosophy while managing a divorce case?
- In what situations do you advise mediation for the client?
- Have you undergone any training in collaborative law?
- In what situations do your divorce cases reach the trial stage?
- What is your opinion regarding the spouses maintaining direct contact?
Case Management Questions
- At present, is there a heavy caseload? Will you be able to find time for my case?
- What is your opinion regarding the duration that will be required for me to get the divorce?
- In your law firm, except you, which other people like associate lawyers, paralegals etc would assist in my case?
- Who would be responsible to negotiate my divorce case?
- As the divorce case proceeds, will I have frequent interaction with you or your assistants?
- Is it possible that I will be able to directly contact you? If yes, then how? (phone, fax, email)
- Does your law firm have any policy regarding the duration in which client calls have to be returned?
- Would I get copies of all correspondence and legal documents from your law firm?
- Is your law firm having malpractice insurance?
Expenditure questions
- What is the hourly rate of fees?
- In what mode are the hourly fees charged? i.e. in blocks of five, ten minutes or by the exact number of minutes?
- If the case reaches trial stage, is the client supposed to pay additional fees for the days in court?
- Is a retainer payable? If yes, how much?
- Other than your law firm, which other professionals (private investigators, child psychologists, property appraisers, accountants etc) may I have to pay? How much are the fees of these professionals?
- Which are the office expenses that your clients have to pay? (phone calls, photocopying, faxes etc)
- How much amount will be charged from your law firm for other services like trusts, deeds, property appraisal, new will etc?
- Does your law firm offer a written agreement about the fees and expenditures?
- Overall, what will be the expenditure in my divorce case? Please offer a likely range or minimum cost or a best case scenario
| |
