For many of you, visiting a family lawyer to obtain legal advice after the breakdown of your relationship, whether that be in relation to property, parenting (custody) or divorce matters may be the first time you have ever set foot in a lawyer’s office.
Whether or not you have engaged with a lawyer in the past, obtaining advice can be confronting. I think we can all agree that when visiting a family lawyer, you will have many questions about your current situation. You may have already taken the time to prepare a long list of questions in anticipation. However, how much thought should you put into deciding which lawyer will work best for you?
Arguably, engaging the right family lawyer from the beginning, someone who will meet your individual needs, is the single most important decision of this process. So take the time to consider what you want in a lawyer.
There are a range of skills and qualities you might want to consider:
Communication Skills
Your lawyer must have great speaking skills and able to write effectively. Most importantly, a great listener too. Good communication between you and your lawyer is also vital. You may want to think about how you best communicate and then discuss this with your lawyer to achieve an optimum level of communication between you.
Advocacy Skills
A skilled and experienced lawyer, who predominately works in a particular area of law may be considered a subject matter expert, as opposed to a generalist lawyer who works in many different areas of law. You may find a lawyer working in a particular area is usually in a better position to properly present your case.
Research & Analytic Skills
A lawyer needs to understand you and your needs to prepare legal strategies for your case. The practice of law involves absorbing large quantities of information, and then using that material logically and efficiently to best present your case and get the best possible outcome for you and your family.
Practice Area
A great lawyer typically has a passion for a particular practice area. A specialist lawyer may practice in the area of their passion for most of their legal career.
Flexibility
Family law involves complex situations and central to that is obtaining instructions. Making sure your family lawyer is going to be available when you need them will be a valuable tool you will not want to do without.
CopperTree Family Law is a boutique family law firm based in Erina on the Central Coast with a focus on providing traditional customer service, and tailoring to individual needs. We are proactive, keeping in touch with you during the process and focusing on what matters to you. We will listen to your story and find out what matters, our interest is yours.
Get in touch with us today for a consultation.