The selection of a marital and family law attorney is an extremely important process because of the magnitude of the issues involved in a divorce, child custody case or any other family law-related matter. The issues in a marital or family law case involve the most fundamental aspects of people’s lives and may impact a party’s family dynamics, financial well-being and access to their children for many years. This means that it is imperative that you carefully consider your choice of a family law attorney in West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Boynton Beach, Jupiter, Palm Beach, Delray Beach, Palm Beach Gardens, or Wellington. While experience, skill and expertise are important considerations when choosing any attorney, the decision to retain a marital and family law attorney in Palm Beach County includes the evaluation of an attorney’s demeanor and personality, approach to cases, and his or her overall level of commitment to your case. We have provided an overview of relevant factors in evaluating whether a family law attorney is right for you.
Experience and Expertise: It is important to consider the experience your attorney has in handling family law issues. Experience involves not just the number of years that an attorney practices family law in Florida, but also the attorney’s knowledge, skill, and whether that attorney’s law firm devotes a majority of its time to handling family law and divorce matters. Another very important consideration is to evaluate the courtroom experience of an attorney in the event that your divorce or family law issues cannot be resolved amicably. There are several family law attorneys out there who prefer to remain working at their desks and are reluctant to step into a courtroom. You should consider what is at stake in your divorce or family law case. Do you want a lawyer who will fight for your rights or someone who will remain passive because he or she prefers not to leave the desk?
Approach to Cases: Family law practitioners may vary widely in the way that they handle family law cases, such as divorce, paternity or other family law matters. Some attorneys are extremely confrontational and rarely resolve a case amicably while others almost never go to trial. Our approach is to try to resolve cases amicably to the degree possible but when litigation is necessary we tenaciously pursue our clients’ best interests. If you are trying to select a divorce attorney to handle your case, you should inquire about the attorney’s approach and demeanor to ensure that it fits with your comfort level.
Personality of Attorney: A client’s relationship with a marital and family law attorney may last many years so it is important to be comfortable with an attorney’s personality and demeanor. The issues involved in a West Palm Beach, Boca Raton, Palm Beach Gardens, Wellington marital dissolution are very personal and may be of a sensitive nature so you need to select an attorney with whom you will be comfortable discussing these types of issues. Even if there are unpleasant facts in your case, the attorney needs to know these facts to properly evaluate how to proceed so you need to feel comfortable disclosing such facts. After all, your attorney is bound by the attorney-client privilege.
Cost and Payment Arrangements: Many clients make the mistake of picking an attorney based exclusively on cost which can have significant adverse consequences. You should avoid falling into one of the two extremes:
The first extreme are those individuals who pay an exorbitant amount in legal fees to a particular attorney because they associate the substantial premium rate of fees with the quality in service. In reality, the premium rate is simply a marketing strategy in order to create the perception that the quality of that particular attorney’s services is far more superior than the other equally competent attorneys who may charge less.
The second extreme are those individuals who try to cut corners when choosing an attorney to handle their divorce or family law case. Keep in mind, your divorce may involve issues regarding time-sharing with your children, equitable distribution of marital property, child support, alimony and other very important decisions that will substantially impact the quality of your life for years. It is never a good idea to cut corners when choosing an attorney to handle these types of critical issues because it may ultimately be more expensive in the long run. Furthermore, in many cases the court may order the other party to pay your attorney’s fees.
Use Free Consultation: Most Palm Beach marital and family law attorneys offer a free consultation so that they can analyze a prospective client’s case, and potential clients can evaluate whether an attorney is the right fit for their case. This consultation should be used to interview the attorney to determine if the matrimonial or family attorney’s demeanor, approach and background are a good fit for you and your family law case.
If you are considering retaining an experienced marital and family law firm in Boca Raton, Wellington, West Palm Beach, Palm Beach, Delray Beach, Boynton Beach, Jupiter, or Palm Beach Gardens, attorney James S. Cunha and his legal team are just a phone call away.
