Family lawyers are professionals who can help you in many cases: divorce, separation, custody of minors, marriage agreements, maintenance, alimony, compensatory allowance, adoption, the rights of the grandparents related to minors… The list of situations is extensive, but all of these cases have a one thing in common: it’s a sensitive subject as it’s intimately linked to the personal sphere.
In cases related to Family Law it is necessary, perhaps more than in any other case, to have a trusted professional who you would feel really comfortable with and who you can trust. It is also essential to have all the attention of your lawyer and know that he or she will be by your side throughout the process, informing you promptly about each step. If, in addition, if your case includes an international circumstance, it will reduce your list of candidates to the minimum: you should only choose someone who knows about private international law.
For all this, in this post, I will give some advice when choosing a lawyer for your case on Family Law.
If you need further advice, don’t hesitate to contact me. At my law firm, all lawyers have extensive experience in cases such as applications for changes of residence of minors, international child abduction, parenting plans, joint custody, cross-border visitation rights, etc.
How to choose a family lawyer?
Here are some tips to help you find the right family lawyer for your case:
Find an experienced lawyer
There are situations in life where it is not advisable to place yourself in the hands of an inexperienced lawyer: Family Law cases are very important in people’s lives, and the consequences of incomplete counselling can be negative. The advice usually given in these cases is not to tempt fate or skimp on expenses, since what is at stake is very important: your sentimental and inheritance situation, or even the custody of your children. Bad decisions can come out much more expensive than a good family lawyer. That’s why we recommend to hire a professional with extensive experience, who would know how things work and who would be decisive.
Find an empathetic lawyer who would meet your needs
It is important that you understand yourself well with the professional who will be in charge of your case. It is the key to everything to go well: you have to be able to trust the person you will hire and know that this person listens to you, understands you and thinks about what is best for you. Unfortunately, this level of professionalism is not always there. Don’t settle for less, don’t hesitate to demand to be heard and make sure to understand all the details: make very clear your goals for the process and give all the necessary information, making sure that your lawyer is really involved. In my professional practice, I have met many clients who didn’t know how their case was going, and even that their lawyer wouldn’t give them the draft of their claim and court notifications. It is very important that the client is informed of their case.
Choose specialization
Normally, it is better to opt for a lawyer specialized in the specific area that corresponds to your claim, so that their specialization could help – a lot – your case come out exactly as you need it. However, in some cases, it is necessary to include several dissimilar subjects, but in such cases, it is important that your lawyer has a multidisciplinary support network that would allow them to offer you a comprehensive solution. It seems obvious, but many times, we forget the importance of specialized training: in Law – and even if we narrow the circle to Family Law exclusively – it is impossible to know everything.
Choose a realistic lawyer
It is not right that the lawyer assures you that everything will be fine, if in reality, it is most likely not to be so. Your lawyer should be honest and realistic about your possibilities, without generating false expectations. Situations as complex as those that Family Law encompasses don’t deserve less: a good lawyer will speak frankly about your chances of success in what you want to achieve.