Hiring An Attorney
There are a lot of unpleasant surprises that can come up in a divorce case, finding out you hired the wrong attorney shouldn't be one of them. There are a lot of attorneys out there who will take your case, and probably do a fine job for you. But if you want great, you need to do a little research. To help you out, here are some questions you might want to ask yourself and your lawyer.
How much is this likely to cost?
This is a biggie. It is important to understand how you will be charged for your lawyer's services. What is the fee schedule? How much does the lawyer charge? Will you be charged for phone calls? Do they "flat rate" anything? We offer reasonable rates and a payment plan to make our services affordable.
What kind of outcome can the lawyer project for you?
A good family law lawyer knows the court, knows the judges and knows the other lawyers. I have been practicing family law in Houston for 18 years and I'm pretty accurate in my ability to assess your situation and predict what will happen in court. We won't give you "pie in the sky" promises. We will give you an impartial, clear headed assessment of what you can realistically expect.
Can you communicate with this person?
You could have the best lawyer in the world, but if you can't understand a thing that comes out of her mouth, if she is just telling you what you want to hear or she never quite gets around to answering your questions, you should find someone else. We are known for straight talk and straight answers, in plain English. We do a reality check with each client to make sure you are prepared and that you have realistic expectations. We want to be sure that you understand the process and know what is going on at all times. We will send you copies of everything, and we will call you back when you have questions.
Can you trust this person?
Trust between an attorney and client in a divorce case goes both ways. Your attorney needs to know EVERYTHING about the divorce, even the messy, embarrassing, awful parts. You need to feel like you can tell her all the details. On the other side, you are not hiring an attorney to be your friend. There won't always be good news. You need to trust that your lawyer will be straight with you and not try to sugarcoat the truth.
What about office hours?
We try to make it easy for our clients to meet with us. In addition to our regular office hours, we can arrange to meet with you in the evenings when it is convenient for you.
What else does the lawyer do?
If you wouldn't hire a bike mechanic to fix your car, you probably shouldn't hire a general practice lawyer to handle your divorce. They might do a fine job, but can you be sure? Our practice is dedicated exclusively to divorce and family law. Divorce, child custody, child support, spousal support, visitations, paternity, adoptions, domestic violence, enforcements, contempt, post-divorce modification... its all we do, day in and day out. And this office has been doing it for 18 years.
What's the 'buzz' on the lawyer?
Can your lawyer give concrete examples of their reputation among other attorneys and judges? For example, I am frequently appointed as an amicus attorney to represent children in family law cases. This gives you an idea of the respect judges have for me and their faith in my abilities.
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