Getting divorced involves have to make some overwhelming life changes that are stressful for the entire family. Getting some support from a divorce lawyer should help make the overall process a little easier, but before hiring an attorney to work with it's a good idea to make a few considerations to help you determine exactly which potential representative will meet all of your needs before, during, and after the divorce. Following are a few essential considerations to focus on:
Mediation Services
If the relationship with your spouse is still decent, you might find that divorce mediation is the best way to hammer out agreements on things including custody of the kids, living arrangements, and financial responsibilities. Participating in mediation tends to be more cost effective and less stressful than litigation. It also tends to have a positive impact on home life and children who are involved in the divorce. Look for an attorney who is willing to work with you and a mediator throughout your divorce – you may even find that by working with a divorce mediator, you don't need an attorney to finalize your divorce at all.
Resource Access
You will likely find that most of the attorneys and mediators you talk to have access to a variety of different resources you can use to gain some relief from the stress of your divorce, but those resources will vary depending on the representative in question. For instance, some lawyers maintain relationships with family psychologists and can get you a nice discount on their services. Some mediators you speak with may be able to hook you up with a financial advisor whose expertise lies in helping couples going through a divorce fairly split up their financial assets. Before deciding who to work with, ask potential divorce representatives to provide you with a list of resources, discounts, and perks that they can offer you as a client.
Paperwork Organization
You can expect tons of paperwork to be a major factor of the divorce process, and it can get pretty overwhelming to deal with it all yourself. It's important to find a divorce representative to work with who can help you organize, submit, and store your paperwork so nothing important is overlooked that could affect the outcome of your divorce. To avoid unexpected legal bills, make sure that management of your paperwork, whether for litigation, mediation, or both, is included in the overall service charges you'll be expected to pay once your divorce is final.
Make your own list of considerations to add to the ones listed here, and you should have no problem finding the perfect divorce representatives to work with.
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