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Choosing the right family attorney can be a critical decision in the outcome of any potential legal case. In fact, it is usually the deciding factor. More often than not, convincing a judge or jury comes down to the knowledge, experience, and strategy, not to mention personal qualities such as the charisma and confidence of an experienced attorney, so the decision on who to engage with is key. That being said, it can be a bit tricky at times to find the right attorney to represent you with a wide selection available with different experience and specialties, such as family law and criminal defense attorneys. To help you make this life-altering decision, we’ve compiled a list of tips to help you choose. We are writing this article about family attorneys, even though much of this advice can be applied to a general lawyer screening process.

1. Clearly Understand Why You Want A Family Attorney

Maybe you or your spouse is seeking a divorce or struggling over custody of your children but having a clear idea why you’re looking for a family attorney makes all the difference in then subsequently finding the right one. Soliciting an attorney with a lot of experience in child custody cases may not be as helpful in a domestic violence case, say, as someone experienced with divorce or criminal cases.

At the Law Office of Shamika T. Askew, we are experienced in various family law areas and represent our clients with empathy, professionalism, and responsibility.

2. Cast A Wide Net

Unless you already have some attorneys in mind, it’s best to search various sources to identify potential family attorneys to represent you. Some places you can use to find attorneys are:

• The American Bar Association maintains a list of local bar associations, so search your state’s bar association website.
• Use an online directory or public-interest website that can help find lawyers of a more affordable nature.
• Browse the yellow pages, one of the most traditional forms of classifieds that still can be useful and has a broad selection of listings.
• Use your search engine to search for local family law attorneys.
• Ask for referrals from friends and family as they could have used a talented lawyer for their own similar cases.

This will allow you to build up the broadest range of potential attorneys, increasing your chances of finding a great fit.

Always screen the lawyers you shortlist by seeking advice and recommendations from friends, family, and other known attorneys and browsing online reviews on sites like Avvo, FindLaw, etc.

3. Check Their Credentials

After making your short list of lawyers, try to meet them face to face or at the very least, over the phone to get an idea if you are comfortable with their approach. One of the first things you should ask for is to review their bar license and credentials so you know from the start your speaking to a qualified professional.

4. Discuss Their Experience

When discussing your requirements, take the time to inquire about their experience in handling cases of a similar nature. Ask them about their experience, approach, and outcomes they’ve secured for their clients. It’s important to note that many lawyers specialize in a particular body of law, so find out whether they are experienced in your needs.

5. Discuss Fee Structures

Always ask regarding the fee structure that the attorney will charge for their representation. Ensure they cover all aspects of their service, from legal advice to drafting documents, representation in court, and more. This knowledge can be part of the criteria on who you will work with since it’s easy to get stuck with hefty legal fees that you will then spend months trying to settle if you did not budget for them upfront.

6. Check Their Availability

Some lawyers take on a new client but then are so busy they do not personally attend to all cases, instead simply choosing to delegate some cases to another attorney. This would make all your research and decision-making effort pointless. Discuss their workload with them upfront before committing to anything. Make sure they would either personally handle your case or that you are comfortable with their alternative pick.

7. Ensure You Work Well Together

Your selection of a family law attorney is usually something that should last a long time, so always make sure that you and your attorney find it easy to work together. If you are finding it difficult to discuss personal matters related to the case or don’t get along well during your consultations, this may be a sign to look for a new attorney, as the relationship between attorney and client should be one of mutual trust and respect.

Conclusion

We hope the above tips gave you a good starting point for vetting potential family law attorneys. While it can take a little bit of effort to find a suitable attorney, it’s worth it, as a good attorney can be all that stands between you and a negative outcome for your case.

Well, there’s one more bonus tip I have for you to help you find the right attorney for your family law case. If you’re in the Fish Hawk, Florida area, your search can stop because you’ve already found one of the best family law attorneys in the area. With many years of representing men and women in challenging cases while securing positive outcomes for many, The Law Office of Shamika Askew stands ready to consult with you to understand your requirement and to treat it with respect and responsibility. So get in touch today!