Hiring a Family Lawyer: When to Hire a Family Law Lawyer
A family lawyer can help you in many ways regarding any difficult decisions you may have that concerns your family. Many factors need to be considered such as your relationships and family dynamics. But hiring a family lawyer can be a good move for you. Here are some of the instances when you should consult with a family law attorney.
Events to Consider Hiring a Family Lawyer
Going through Divorce
Divorce is not an easy process for anyone. It can be emotionally, mentally, and financially draining. Nevertheless, if you consult with a family lawyer, you will feel much better knowing that there is someone who is an expert who can help you.
You don’t have to burden yourself with the many laws and proceedings about divorce. When you hire a family law attorney, he or she can guide you in understanding the complex legalities. Some of the things that you have to decide on will be parenting, spousal and child support, and the division of assets.
By hiring a family lawyer, you can rest easy knowing that someone is looking after you and your rights. The lawyer ensures that your rights and interests are being protected.
Related article: Is collaborative family law right for your divorce?
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Parenting
Disputes over parenting, decision making and time can be challenging and exhausting for those involved. Adding to the difficulty is the change of language. We no longer talk about custody and access, but parenting time, decision making responsibility, contact orders. It can get confusing particularly when applying these new approaches to your case. But if you have a family lawyer you trust, you will get through the difficult and sometimes bewildering process.
Any issues that you may have can be referred to as alternative dispute resolution processes. Mediation or collaborative approaches. These processes can significantly reduce the stress and costs for resolving parenting issues, often the most bitterly fought and most expensive parts of any family dispute. A surprisingly large number of difficult family disputes over the children can be ironed out thought these alternative processes by having a skilled family lawyer if you hire a family law attorney.
Guardians
Clients are often confused about what a guardian is and when you need one. A guardian is a person awarded parental responsibilities over a minor. When a guardian is needed, the process can be confusing. Trying to go through it without hiring a family lawyer can be overwhelming. A family lawyer will ensure you have the legal information you need and see that the application is completed correctly.
Whenever you have questions, you can simply consult with your attorney. He or she can explain confusing legal jargon to you and other legal matters. You will feel more confident knowing that someone who is an expert with the law is by your side and ready to help you.
Preparing to Hire a Family Lawyer
By now, you’re considering hiring a family lawyer but maybe you have some questions in mind. You may be thinking about how much hiring a family lawyer costs. What you should know is that lawyers usually charge hourly for their legal services.
However, there are also some lawyers who charge flat rates for some services such as reviews or document drafting. The rates that will apply will be different for every legal service. It will also depend on where you live as well as the complexity of the case.
Most lawyers will work on retainers for an entire matter and all the issues that come up. But if you are concerned about what you can afford some lawyers will work on an unbundled services basis. With unbundled services, you decide what you want the lawyer to do and what you feel you can do yourself. YOu hire a lawyer for a specific task and no more. Once he completes the task he is finished unless you hire him for some other task. This is a way for clients to better control costs. You can speak with your lawyer about if he offers unbundled services and the benefits and drawbacks of going this way.
If you want to know about the fees, don’t hesitate to talk to your lawyer. It’s important that you talk to him or her so you reach a clear understanding and avoid misunderstandings. It is not pleasant to speak about money but it’s a bigger mistake to let it become the elephant in the room.
Related article: Choosing family arbitration to settle your divorce issues
What to Expect from a Family Lawyer?
You can fully expect your family lawyer to be honest and forthright with you; you can expect to get correct legal information and be presented with legal options based on the law and your situation. The results will not always be what you want and your lawyer cannot guarantee results. What you can expect is that your lawyer presents your case in the strongest possible light and gives you choices based on reasonable assessments of all the factors.
In the end, you are the client and make the choices. You can expect your lawyer to give you the information you need to choose what you believe is in your best interests.
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Takeaway
When it comes to family issues, you may try to settle things among yourselves. In some cases that works. However, more often than not, they are complex and you will often not be at your best for negotiating and deciding on your own. Having a lawyer you have confidence in can go a long way to support you in this crisis and help you successfully navigate the difficulties.
When you’re ready, don’t hesitate to consult a family lawyer about your case. If you are looking into hiring a family lawyer, call us today!
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