Choosing a well-qualified, experienced lawyer is an art rather than a science.
It can be done– but it does take a little time, energy, and old-fashioned
homework. Just like it worked in school – skipping the homework
at the beginning usually results in bad results at the end:
To help you avoid bad results in your divorce, child custody, or other
family law matter, over the course of the next few posts I am going to
give you a few methods to use when choosing a family law attorney. Starting
today with Justin’s Tip No. 1: Call and talk to the prospective
family lawyer.
This may sound elementary and unfortunately, is often overlooked. Yes a
nice website can help you make a decision. Sure if you like their logo
that helps. Definitely nice if their office is close to your home or work.
Added bonus might be that they have cool commercials – or ads in
the paper or on the radio, or maybe your decision was influenced because
the man or woman on the website was nice-looking.
You are better than that! And so is your family! Take the necessary time to
telephone the lawyer. This does several things that you can use to help you make a decision.
Keep the following in mind when you make the call:
1. Was your call handled in a friendly, efficient manner? Were you put
on hold for ten minutes, then mindlessly shoved into a black hole otherwise
known as voicemail? Worse yet, did you never even get a “live”
voice to begin with? Or, did you speak to someone who seemed to care about
making sure you go the answers and information you are seeking. If the
lawyer was unavailable, how long did it take her to call you back? Or
did you get frustrated a day or two later and call them back??
Nonsense. If you don’t talk to the lawyer on the day you call – expect
a call first thing the next day. If that goes by also – move on.
2. If you do talk to the lawyer, did you get a sense that they listened
to you? Did she ask questions to show her interest, or did you have to
repeat yourself several times to get your facts presented? Trust your
gut instincts — if you don’t like them on the phone –
then the necessary professional chemistry may be missing. A good relationship
between client and attorney is essential to working efficiently, and a
bad impression on the phone may mean trouble down the road.
3. How much time on the phone did the lawyer spend with you? Did you get
a bunch of “yeah yeah we do that” or – did you sense
they understood your family law matter? Did you feel rushed to get off
of the phone? Successful family law attorneys in a large city like Indianapolis
can be very busy, and often have court appearances, depositions, etc.
to attend. It is not realistic to expect a lawyer that you have not hired
will be able to spend 30 or 40 minutes on the telephone with you.
However, the opposite is true as well. If the lawyer frequently cuts you
off mid-sentence and finishes your sentence for you – then it may
be time to reevaluate. Make sure you feel important and listened to when
you speak to a lawyer you will be working with on such important matters
as your family law legal issue.
If you have important Indiana divorce, child custody, child support, or
other family law issues, call us today to get the information you need
to make a wise decision. (317) 565-2221. Our lawyers monitor our telephone
and email 24 hours a day. We look forward to assisting you.
info@bowenlawllc.com