5 Essential Tips for Choosing the Right Austin Divorce Attorney

Divorce is a stressful process for both parties, particularly if there are children involved in the separation process. It can be tough to make clearheaded decisions during the very early stages of separation and unfortunately this can lead to people choosing the wrong Austin divorce attorney, something which will only make the divorce process all that more stressful. It’s not unusual to change divorce attorneys part way through a divorce but this can be very expensive, so it’s important to try and get it right the first time.

It goes without saying that every individual going through divorce will aim to choose an attorney that is very good at what they do and with plenty of experience under their belt, but it’s also important to find someone who is right for you – someone you feel you can trust and who will give you adequate support throughout the separation. This can be tricky to do when dealing with the emotional upheaval of separation. Try to keep a clear, practical head when choosing your Austin divorce lawyer.

Divorce attorney in Austin

At Newberry Law, PLLC we believe these five essential tips should help.

1. Consult an Austin Divorce Attorney as Early as Possible

If you have a feeling that divorce may be on the cards, it’s wise to meet with a divorce attorney as early as possible to become familiar with them and have the opportunity to talk the process through. If you find yourself wanting to push through with divorce quickly or being suddenly served with divorce papers, your decision about hiring an attorney will be more driven by time constraints and their availability rather than whether they’re really the right Austin divorce attorney for you. The other thing to remember is that if your spouse begins working with an attorney at a law firm first, you won’t be able to work with any Austin divorce lawyer from the same firm due to a conflict of interests. If you’ve been researching attorneys and think you may have found a promising candidate, meet with them early before it’s too late.

2. Get Direct Recommendations

It’s easy to Google “top divorce attorney Austin” or “best Austin divorce lawyer” and find a whole host of law firms within seconds, but those with a strong online presence may not be the best lawyers – they simply have the best websites. The best way to find good attorneys is to reach out to reliable sources and ask for recommendations. Friends, family members or acquaintances who have been recently divorced can help to guide you towards great attorneys and away from bad ones. Financial advisers, accountants, therapists and attorneys who practice in other areas of the law also tend to have plenty of reliable recommendations.

3. Choose a Specialist

Lawyers who specialize in family law and divorce tend to have the best experience, knowledge of the law, and knowledge of the judges than any other type of attorney. Make sure to choose a specialist in divorce to ensure your case is handled well; and always make sure they are a board certified family lawyer.

4. Ask Questions

Any good Austin divorce attorney will welcome thorough questions when meeting with you, as they’ll want to give you perfectly clear expectations of working with them. Ask about their experience and the rate at which they settle cases. Ask plenty of questions about fees and the retainer required, and be sure to ask if you’ll receive an accounting of the retainer – this should be every month. You can also ask what their approach to cases and to settling cases is so that you can get to know their game plan.

5. Ask Yourself Questions

Once you’ve met with a divorce lawyer in Austin, take time to think over everything you discussed and ask yourself a few questions about the meeting. Did you feel comfortable sharing details of your relationship and separation with them? Did you feel they listened to you, or rather told you more about themselves? Did they seem to have a game plan for your case? Did you feel intimidated by them or at ease in their company? Finally, did they tell you things you didn’t want to hear? This last one is important; divorces can be tough, and as much as you may not want to hear certain information about how your case could progress you need to hear it. You shouldn’t be fed unrealistic expectations, and a divorce attorney who paints your upcoming divorce as a complete breeze is unlikely to be a good one. Trust your instincts, and if anything seems off about an Austin family lawyer, continue the search until you find the right one.

Joe Newberry, Austin Divorce Lawyer
Newberry Law, PLLC