Family lawyers are very common, but what should you know about hiring one? This guide lists 5 things to know about hiring a family law attorney.
According to the latest data, there are more than 63,000 family law practices in the United States. Are you thinking about hiring a family attorney to help you with your case?
Before you go ahead and recruit the services of the first person you find online, remember that there are some crucial things to consider when hiring a family law attorney. Listed below are five of the most important factors to keep in mind during your search.
1. What Does a Family Lawyer Do?
What is family law? What do family lawyers do? These are common questions, so don’t feel bad if you’re still unsure about whether or not a family attorney is an appropriate person to assist with your case.
Put simply, family lawyers take on cases that have to do with family-related problems. Some common issues that these lawyers handle include the following:
- Divorce
- Division of marital property
- Child custody
- Child support
- Alimony
- Prenuptial and postnuptial agreements
In some cases, family lawyers will also handle cases related to domestic violence, adoption, guardianship, juvenile delinquency, and child abuse. If your case involves any of these matters, there’s a good chance a family lawyer can help you.
2. Benefits of Hiring a Family Lawyer
There are lots of reasons why you might want to hire a family lawyer. Even if your situation is fairly amicable (your spouse isn’t objecting to any of your requests during the divorce process, for example), having a family attorney on your side is still a good idea.
Here are some specific benefits they bring to the table:
Knowledge of Family Law
Family lawyers, of course, have extensive knowledge of all matters related to family law. They can explain situations to you and ensure you’re being treated fairly and aren’t being taken advantage of.
Knowledge of Procedural Issues
Family lawyers also have plenty of experience of everything from going through court proceedings to drafting documents and meeting with other lawyers. They can walk you through these processes, help you know what to expect, and help you feel more confident.
Impartial View
A family lawyer can look at your case from an objective standpoint and let you know, in their professional opinion, where you stand. They can also provide you with honest feedback to help you decide how to proceed.
Emotional Support
Dealing with any kind of family law issue can be stressful and emotionally taxing. Having a lawyer on your side can help to take some of the weight off of your shoulders, though. You’ll be able to rest easy knowing you have a professional on your side who understands the way things work and is advocating for you.
3. Does Hiring a Lawyer Increase Your Chances of Winning?
This isn’t necessarily a “yes or no” question. Your chances of winning your case and getting the outcome you desire depend on a lot of factors, including the overall strength of your case, the amount of time your lawyer has to prepare, and more.
In general, though, you’ll have a stronger case and a greater chance of seeing your desired outcome if you hire a lawyer. Having a lawyer on your side shows the other party or parties involved that you’re serious and that you’re not to be taken advantage of. This works in your favor more often than not.
4. How Much Do Family Lawyers Charge?
The cost of hiring a family lawyer will also depend on a lot of factors. These factors include your location, the depth of your case, and the amount of time it takes to get your case wrapped up.
Many family lawyers charge by the hour for their services. Rates can range anywhere from around $85 an hour to several hundred dollars per hour. In most cases, the lawyer will also require a retainer, which is like a deposit, before they get started.
The good news is that there are options for you even if you don’t have a lot of money at your disposal. Some family lawyers will offer services at a discounted rate or might even work pro bono if you explain your case. Others might be willing to set up a payment plan for you to make their services more affordable.
Don’t let a lack of funds stop you from seeking a lawyer’s assistance. There are programs in place to help you even if you’re short on cash. You might have to do a bit more digging to find the right lawyer, but don’t give up hope altogether.
5. Not All Family Lawyers Are Created Equal
As any family law guide will tell you, not all family lawyers are created equal. When you starting trying to find a family lawyer, it’s important to know what to look for. Otherwise, you could end up hiring someone who’s not equipped to handle your case.
Here are some key factors to keep in mind when comparing different lawyers:
- Where did they go to school?
- How long have they been out of school and practicing law?
- Do they specialize in a specific type of family law (adoption, custody, child support, etc.)?
- Can they provide you with references?
- What do their references have to say about them?
- How much do they charge for their services?
- Do they have any programs in place to help clients who might not be able to afford their services?
Pay attention to your gut feeling, too. Do you feel comfortable talking to this lawyer? Do they seem like they have your best interests in mind?
At the end of the day, go with your gut. Your intuition won’t lead you astray and will help you ensure you’re working with the right person for the job.
Find a Great Family Law Attorney Today
Now that you know more about what a family law attorney can do for you, are you ready to go ahead and hire one? Keep the information outlined above in mind (especially the tips on finding a qualified lawyer) and you’ll have no trouble bringing on someone who can help you win.
Do you want to learn more about family lawyers or family law in general? If so, we have plenty of resources on our site that can help you stay informed. Check them out today.
Comments 27
I appreciate how you noted how stressful and draining dealing with family law can be. As you said, having legal representation can relieve some of your burdens. After they chose to get a divorce, my aunt is having a hard time with her marriage. I think having a lawyer can guide her through everything and would be an advocate for her. I’ll be sure to share this with her and ask about hiring an expert to assist her.
Working with an attorney to determine child custody could really make a huge difference. This way, you have a legal expert backing you up and allowing you to have some form of argument that the child should be under your care. If I can find a child custody attorney, I’ll make sure my family knows about them so they can call them when needed.
It’s nice that you pointed out how a family lawyer could look at their client’s case from an objective standpoint and let them know, in their professional opinion, where they stand. I was listening to the local news on the radio last night and I heard some news that concerned about child support. It seems child support cases could be a bit messy sometimes, so having a lawyer is a must.
It’s good to know that a lawyer can give you honest feedback! My cousin was at my house for dinner last night, and she was telling me about how she wants to look into getting a divorce from her husband and was wondering if hiring an attorney would be a good idea. I’ll make sure to pass this information along to her so that she can know the advantages of hiring a family lawyer.
I would like to hire a family lawyer that will be able to help them out because I can’t seem to obtain my child’s custody. Thank you for sharing here as well the importance of comparing the lawyer’s experiences. Thank you for sharing here as well the importance of asking whether they have handled something in court.
You make a great point about making sure that attorneys provide references. That way you can track their success record. I’ll have to hire a lawyer to help defend my sister in court.
Thanks for pointing out that an attorney can help you with child custody issues if you’re getting divorced. I want to make sure that I can see my son after my wife and I get divorced this year, so I’m thinking about hiring an attorney to help me. I’m going to look for a good divorce attorney in the area that I can hire.
Thank you for discussing how family lawyers handle divorce and child situations. I am getting a divorce this fall. I will find a great family lawyer locally.
My friend wants to get a divorce with his wife, but he’s not sure how to go about it. It makes sense that he would want to get a good divorce lawyer to help out with that. I’ll make sure he knows to get one that has a lot of experience with that kind of thing.
I like that you mentioned that it often works in your favor to have a lawyer. My sister is hiring a lawyer for her divorce but her husband isn’t. I really hope that that will tip the scales in her favor and she gets custody of the kids.
I’m glad you mentioned working with a family lawyer helps you gain an impartial look at your legal issues. My sister wants to get a divorce, and she’s not sure if she needs a lawyer. I think that having a lawyer by your side for any legal situation it’s an advantage. That’s why I think my sister needs to read your article, and maybe it’ll help change her mind. I appreciate your information about why hiring a family attorney is a must.
The points expressed in the post would be helpful before hiring a family law attorney. Keep sharing such a useful post.
All of the points you made about hiring a family law attorney were super interesting to learn. I appreciate that you said how having a lawyer on your side of a family or custody issue can lift some of the weight off of your shoulders during an emotional and stressful time. I would think that finding a reputable firm that has a good track record of successful cases could be even more beneficial.
It is certainly worth it due to the fact that family legal matter are either guided by county or state laws, and these laws different from one county or state to another. Therefore, you must hire a family lawyer licensed to practice in your state. The lawyer will possess an understanding of the proceedings and guidelines that may affect your case. Along, with that local regulations may also insist on mediation before taking the family dispute to court
Thanks for pointing out that adoption is a specific branch of family law that I have to find a specialist for. My husband and I are thinking about adopting a child soon so we would like to get some legal advice for it. Hopefully, the process would be fast and would not require too much paperwork.
I’m glad that you talked about how stressful and emotionally draining it is to deal with family law issues. My husband and I are thinking of filing for divorce but we can’t settle on child custody and property matters. Maybe seeking assistance from an expert in local laws would help us solve things faster.
Thank you for elaborating on how a family law attorney can help guide you through the process of getting divorced. My wife and I decided to separate last week, so I’m considering hiring a family law attorney. I’m going to search for a reputable family law attorney in the area that I can use.
It’s valuable that you point out that you are more likely to reach a favorable outcome in a divorce if you hire a lawyer. I’d like to make sure that I get custody of my son when I get divorced from my wife this year, so I’m considering hiring a family law attorney to represent me. I’m going to search for a reputable family law attorney in my area that handles divorce cases.
My cousin has been thinking about getting a divorce from her husband because she is unsatisfied with how their relationship is going. She would really like to get some help from a professional in order to be more effective. I liked what you said about how they will be able to advocate for her, and give honest feedback on how things work.
My cousin has been thinking about getting a lawyer to help her with the problems that she has in her family and husband. Making sure that she has a professional to explain everything that she should know about the legal process could be really useful. I liked what you said about how they should make sure that she is being treated fairly and help her be more confident dealing with court proceedings.
My sister is planning to hire a lawyer that will help her with divorce proceedings because she can no longer live with her husband. Well, you’ve made a pretty good point about the importance of hiring a family lawyer because this type of professional specializes in divorce and child custody cases. I appreciate that you also shared here that the rates may cost $85 an hour.
My husband and I have decided that we are going to be divorcing and we are looking to know how much we´ll need to spend on a lawyer. It´s interesting to know that their rates may vary depending on your location and the depth of your case but range from $85 an hour to several hundred. I will talk to him about this so we are on the same page and are prepared for what is coming when it comes to charges.
Thanks for explaining how some lawyers have more years, or schooling, and they should specialize in the types of law that they need while being affordable. My mom is having some problems with dad and she would really like to get a divorce now that the youngest has moved out. Getting some help from a professional could allow her case to be more effective.
Thank you for elaborating on how hiring a family law attorney can help you reach a better outcome in a divorce. My wife and I recently decided that we should separate, so I’m considering hiring a family law attorney to represent me. I’m going to search for a reputable family law attorney in the area that I can hire.
I like your suggestion to pay attention to our gut feeling and make sure we find a lawyer we feel comfortable talking with. One of my close friends is looking for a divorce lawyer because she and her husband are unable to make progress on their communication issues. I’ll have to send her this info to make sure she doesn’t get overwhelmed when trying to choose the best family attorney to work with during this hard time.
Thank you for elaborating on how a family lawyer can help you if you’re going through a divorce. My wife and I decided to get divorced recently, so I’m considering hiring a family law attorney. I’m going to see if there’s a reputable family lawyer in the area that I can hire.
Thanks for bringing up the point that hiring a family law attorney can increase your chances of reaching a favorable outcome in a divorce. My wife served me with divorce papers a week ago, so I’m considering hiring a family law attorney to represent me. I’m going to look for a reputable family law attorney in my area that I can hire.