Engaging the services of the best divorce lawyers is crucial if you want to make the most of your divorce proceedings. Cases involving valuable assets, alimony, will, child custody and child visitation issues require a divorce lawyer's expertise. He can look through settlement agreements and claims even if it is an uncontested divorce. Hire a divorce attorney who is well qualified and has many years of experience behind him. There are mainly three ways of finding a divorce lawyer:The bar association
The Bar Association has a list of practicing lawyers for each state. This list includes specific areas where each lawyer practices and his area of expertise. To find a divorce lawyer, call the Bar Association, describe your requirement, the state and area where you live and ask them for contact details of a few divorce lawyers.
Internet
Use the internet to find divorce attorneys in your locality. Create a list with their names and contact details so you can connect with them. Some of them may have blogs and websites talking about their years of experience and success with divorce cases. This will give you an initial understanding of the kind of service the divorce lawyer promises. However, don't rely completely on this online information and verify it by meeting the lawyers.
Word of mouth
Another means of finding a divorce lawyer is to ask acquaintances if they know of competent divorce lawyers in your city. Also ask for referrals from friends or colleagues who have engaged the services of divorce attorneys in the past. At the same time, you should be aware that different divorce situations require to be tackled uniquely and a lawyer capable of handling one situation may not be suited for another. So even though an attorney has been suggested, he may not be suitable for your case. Contact the attorney and verify whether his experience and skills are right for your situation.
Initial consultation
When you contact a divorce attorney, enquire whether you can meet him for an initial consultation. This is when both lawyers and clients evaluate whether both their profiles are compatible. For instance if a client requires a mediation and the divorce attorney is experienced in trials but not mediations, then they will not be able to work together. During the initial consultation, make enquiries about the lawyer's fees and how these payments can be made. At the outset inform your lawyer if your spouse has complete control over your finances and you are unable to access money to pay him. Most often divorce attorneys give suggestions as to how to handle this situation.
Use the initial consultation to discuss with your attorney any details pertinent to your marital situation. This is the ideal time to discuss with your lawyer about how your case might proceed, what documents will have to be carried to each proceeding and alternate options, if any. After considering your case, the divorce attorney may suggest that both you and your spouse can benefit from an amicable settlement as opposed to the trial that you were considering.
Finding the best divorce lawyers involves careful research into their background, work experience, skills and knowledge. Take your time to assess different divorce attorneys before you make the decision to hire one.