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Most divorcing people hire legal counsels to help them prepare their legal divorce documents, negotiate with their partners and their lawyers, look for hidden assets, etc. Some opt to get more information on a family lawyer’s blog where there are updates on the law, trends, and newest court decisions. Finding an expert, who is well versed in the legal system and can help with your particular case, can require you much time and effort. However, don’t fall into despair and better treat your every meeting like an interview that will help you get a real pro.
How are These Consultations Conducted?
For a legal backup that you regularly get during the entire divorce process, you will be charged either on an hourly basis or a fixed rate. However, for every prospective client who is looking for a lawyer, law firms offer initial consultations. The latter may either be given for free or may cost a few hundred what varies from one business to another. Also, this type of service is of great importance for lawyers as it allows them to decide if they can help a particular client or not before they get hired. So, initial consultations are just as important for the clients to find a perfect match as they are for the lawyers to find perfect clients.
This sort of consultations is supposed to have a legal counsel and his or her client sitting at one table, discussing case-related issues, and exchanging general questions. Usually, clients get very personal with attorneys. Some lawyers even offer their prospective clients consultations over the phone if one of the parties cannot meet face to face.
How Does an Initial Consultation Can Help You?
Today, many reputable law firms offer initial consultations on a FOC basis so that you can find out whether a particular lawyer can help you or not without paying a dime. Even though most of them are free of charge, it makes sense to prepare for every meeting in advance so that you can get your lawyer as soon as possible.
Before you reach out to your potential attorney for the first time, make sure that you are well-prepared. Below, there are a few ways how an initial consultation can help your case:
1. Get all your questions answered
All cases are different. A productive meeting with your potential lawyer will help you get an idea about your particular situation and realize what kind of life is waiting for you in the future. Most probably, you and your “almost” ex will have to share your assets, make some custody arrangements, decide on the amount of spousal support, and so forth.
When people decide to end up their marriage on paper, going through litigation is only one of a few possible ways to break up legally. During your first meeting with a lawyer, you can learn more about your case and what an ideal way to resolve it is. Moreover, you can learn more about mediation and amicable divorce and see what suits your situation better. Just don’t be shy of asking anything that you are concerned about.
2. Decide on your strategy
During an initial consultation, you can make up your mind about your route plan. Depending on your particular case, you may want to take some actions long before online divorce filing is completed. Let us say, if your spouse is the only person who brings home beckon, then you would probably want to get a job first. This will help you make living in the future.
It is crucial to ask yourself how you are going to live post-divorce. Depending on this, you may want to hold off your decision until better days. For instance, if you cannot get full custody over your minor kids, maybe it makes sense to wait until they are on their own and only then get divorced.
3. Decide on the type of a family lawyer you need
Depending on how well you and your mate agree, you may want to get a mediator, an attorney who specializes in court appearances, or one who focuses on solving cases out of court to help you obtain an simple divorce in NC. So, who you need in very deed?
Arrange an appointment with your potential lawyer and ask him or her questions that you have prepared in advance. Ask this person about his or her work experience, fee rates, and anything else that you think might impact your decision.
4. Review your final decision
Making relevant appointments doesn’t mean that you have to break up with your mate immediately. Instead, you may even want to reconsider your decision. Probably, after you get an idea about your situation and future life, you may even want to fix what is broken. Or you may decide to wait for a while and only then file docs. Nobody knows how everything will go.
If you are desperately looking for a DIY divorce kit, make sure that you a well-informed about the next steps you are supposed to take. However, if you don’t feel like you can handle everything without outside help, don’t neglect to schedule a preliminary consultation with a legal counsel. The latter will help you decide on what to do next, as well as settle your issues.
Authors Bio
Greg Semmit has years of experience working with different types of legal documents and writing about Family Law for educational purposes. Currently, he is working at OnlineDivorcer company, where he writing blog articles about divorce and divorce cases. In his free time, he likes roaming the streets of New York with his Olympus taking photos of the best spots in the city.
