Questions for a Divorce AttorneyWhat Questions Should I Ask a Divorce Attorney?

You should ask potential divorce attorneys as many questions as you need to feel confident that they will protect your rights and keep your best interests at the forefront of their representation of you.

The questions that you should ask a divorce attorney are the ones whose answers’ speak to you, and make you feel protected and taken care of.  There are basic questions that almost anyone who is getting a divorce or thinking about getting one should have the answers to before they proceed with filing or responding to their spouse’s petition. As well, there are likely many questions that are specific to an individual’s situation that they will need answers to to help them make informed decisions about their divorce proceedings.

It is important to be informed about the law in relation to your particular case, as well as to have information about your attorney before you sign a contract with them.

10 Divorce Attorney Questions

If you are getting a divorce or looking into getting one, the following are ten basic questions you may find helpful in guiding your interviews with potential attorneys:

  1. Are divorces your specialty or are they a part of a larger family practice or separate from your firm’s other practice areas?
  2. How long have you been practicing law? What are the different practice areas of law have you focused on in your career?
  3. Do you have any certifications as a divorce or family law specialist?
  4. What is your availability for if I want to speak with you directly? What do you to consider to be an emergency and how long should I expect to wait for a return call from you if I have one?
  5. How directly involved will you be in researching, planning and representing me in my case? What will be the roles of other people who will be working on my case? How available for direct contact will these people be?
  6. What is the experience of other people, such as other lawyers, clerks, paralegals, and secretaries, that will be working on my case?
  7. How will you charge me for your work and the work of others? What are the hourly rates for each person who will likely work on my case? Do you break this down into minute increments? How many hours will each individual contribute to my case?
  8. In addition to what you will charge for your specific work, what other charges should I expect and how much will each of these wind up being by the time my divorce is final?
  9. Is it possible to set a flat fee up front?
  10.  If it is not possible to set up a flat fee, how much should I anticipate having to spend to get my divorce finalized?

Mind you, there is really no right or wrong number to this question but you can use this to gauge

an attorney’s honesty. If they give you a low number right off the bat without knowing much about your situation, they may be trying to get your business with no regard to your actual budget. It may be a good sign if an attorney is honest and explains the different variables that will affect the overall cost of your case, and makes sure you understand that any numbers they may give you are just estimates, not promises, etc.

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