Dealing with the legal side of family issues can be a sensitive matter. It is best to hire an experienced family law specialist to deal with these issues. With the significant number of practicing family lawyers in New Zealand, it can be difficult to know which lawyer to hire. This blog post explores important factors to consider when hiring a family lawyer.
Tip#1: Have Trust and Confidence in Your Family Lawyer
The first and foremost consideration when hiring a family lawyer is trust and confidence. It is imperative you trust your lawyer and have confidence in the advice they provide.
Often, the first meeting with your lawyer will give you some understanding of whether you have the required trust and confidence in them to represent you.
If you don’t feel you have the right relationship with your lawyer, it might be worth considering a change. Meet with another lawyer or change lawyers is our advice, as trust and confidence sits at the core of a lawyer-client relationship. Overall, you should feel comfortable talking to your lawyer and trust that they are providing you with the best advice to get the best result for you.
Tip#2: The Right Experience in Family Law
The right experience in a family or divorce lawyer is key. Experience is essential to ensure your lawyer practices in the area of law you need assistance with. Family law can be complex and sensitive issues often arise. It’s not just about the law, although that is important, but also how compassion and sensitivity to certain topics is carried through in a lawyer/client relationship, as family disputes can be emotionally taxing.
When it comes to dealing with legal issues in the family context, it is always best to use a lawyer who specialises in family law. That way, you have the assurance that you are receiving the most appropriate advice for your circumstances. If you hire a family law specialist, n all likelihood, your lawyer will have experience in dealing with those same kinds of issues in the past. That means they are well placed to advise you on how to deal with the issues you are facing.
Tip#3: The Costs of Family Law
Cost is a significant concern for many clients. It is important to have a good understanding of how your lawyer charges and what their hourly rate is. If you want to obtain an understanding of what something is likely to cost, it is best to ask for a cost estimate. Due to the malleable nature of these disputes, it is not possible for a lawyer to provide a total cost estimate for what a matter is going to cost from start to finish. However, lawyers are often able to provide estimates for each stage of work.
Lawyers generally charge on a time basis based on their hourly rates. Whilst it may seem attractive to hire the cheapest lawyer available to reduce your costs, hourly rates are set according to the level of experience and specialisation of the lawyer. Generally, the more experienced or specialised a lawyer is, the higher their hourly rate. Generally speaking, you get value for your dollar with experienced law specialists.
Tip#4: Make Sure Your Lawyer is Available When You Need
It is important to ensure you and your lawyer are on the same page about their availability and your expectations in terms of time management. If you want a good lawyer, they are most likely going to be busy. They will often have many other cases to deal with that are similar to yours.
That does not mean they don’t have the time to take on your case or assist you, but it is important for you and your lawyer to have the same expectations in terms of response time and how quickly things are going to be done.
This is where good communication becomes important. If you instruct your lawyer to take a certain course of action, communicate with them and ask for a realistic timeframe forwhen they will be able to complete that task. From this, you will be able to manage your own expectations and understand when things are likely to be done.
Tip#5: The Location of Your Family Lawyer
Location can also be a factor in choosing the right family lawyer. Often it is easier to establish good rapport with your lawyer if you can meet them in person.
Location can also become relevant if Court proceedings are required and your lawyer needs to attend Court. With that said, Courts are increasingly using audio visual technology to conduct Court hearings and conferences so the fact that your lawyer practices in a different city may not be as significant as it once was in the past.
Do You Need an Experienced Family Law Specialist? Sharon Chandra Can Help
If you need a family law specialist to guide you with professional advice for a family dispute, separation, custody/care of children issues or other issues, Sharon Chandra can help.
Experienced in family law for over a decade, Sharon has the knowledge to help you through any family legal matters. For compassionate, professional and expert advice, get in touch.