If you’re facing a family law concern, it means your family is involved, which makes the matter of primary importance. If this is the difficult situation you find yourself in, having an experienced Round Rock family law attorney in your corner is always in your best interest.
If you have no idea how to start your quest to find the right family law attorney, you’re not alone. The following pointers on the topic may be just what you’re looking for.
Family Law
When you think about family law, divorce may come to mind, but family law is a broad area of the law that includes all the following primary concerns:
Divorce terms
Post-divorce modifications
Child custody arrangements outside of marriage and divorce
Adoptions
Guardianship
Cases involving child protective services
The surest means of protecting your rights in a family law case is with a trusted family law attorney in your corner.
Divorce Terms
The terms of divorce include all the following:
Child custody, including decision-making authority, or legal custody, and parenting time, or physical custody
The division of marital property
Alimony – or spousal maintenance
In the face of a significant change in circumstances, each of these – with the exception of property division – can be modified post-divorce. Parents can also file child custody cases outside of marriage and divorce.
Adoptions and Guardianship
Guardianship is the legal process of assigning the care and guidance of a child to an adult who becomes responsible for their health and welfare and of granting the adult the authority to make related decisions on the child’s behalf.
While a guardian often serves in the same role that a biological parent would, they don’t replace the biological parent, and their rights are not as expansive as a parent’s.
Adoption, on the other hand, is the legal process that makes an adoptive parent a child’s legal parent, which affords them all the same rights and responsibilities that every other parent has. Both adoption and guardianship are complex legal concerns, and working closely with a seasoned family law attorney is the best path forward.
Cases Involving Child Protective Services
Child Protective Services investigates reports of child abuse and neglect. They also provide services that are designed to bolster families so children can continue living safely at home. Such services include all the following:
Family-based safety services
Parenting classes
Family group decision-making
The outcome of your family law case is too important to leave to chance – find the right family law attorney for you.
Ask Around
If you need a family law attorney and you have no idea where to start, the first order of business is to ask people you know and trust for suggestions. If you know someone who has needed a family law attorney in the past, they can be an excellent resource. Listen to what people have to say about specific attorneys and firms, and then take to the internet to learn more.
The firm’s website is their calling card, and you can learn a lot of information from what you read there. To begin, you can learn about a specific attorney’s legal background and the level of experience they have successfully guided challenging cases like yours toward favorable resolutions.
If you’re looking for an attorney with extensive experience in a specific area of family law, you’ll likely find the information on their website.
Online reviews and recommendations are another good way to explore what the family law attorney you’re considering has to offer – and how satisfied their clients are with their work. From here, it’s time to take a meeting.
Schedule a Meeting
You may think you don’t really know what you’re looking for in a family law attorney, but you do understand the importance of first impressions. Once you’ve found a family law attorney whom you’re interested in learning more about, it’s time to schedule a meeting.
If your first impression at that meeting is good and the family law attorney puts you at ease, makes you feel heard, and takes your concerns seriously, you’re moving in the right direction.
When it comes to finding the right family law attorney for your case, you’re looking for someone who checks all the following boxes:
They are a good fit for you. It’s all well and good that other people recommend the attorney, but you have to feel comfortable working with them.
They are passionate about their work, and it shows.
They have an open communication style and break legal concepts down so they’re easy for you to understand.
You’re looking for a family law attorney who is enthusiastic about working with you rather than just on your behalf. The outcome of your family law case is critical to your future, and you’re looking for someone who is interested in being on your team.
Know the Warning Signs
The family law attorney you’re looking for will give your case their all from the outset. This said, however, there are also warning signs like the following that you should be on the lookout for:
They Make Bold Promises
While bold promises may be comforting, the attorney you’re considering should be upfront about the fact that there are no guarantees when it comes to legal cases. A solid family law attorney will share the strengths and weaknesses of your case from the outset and will let you know how it’s likely to be resolved.
They Are Distracted
When you meet with a family law attorney for the first time – and every time after that – they should be attentive to you and what you have to say. If the attorney you’re consulting with seems distracted, is fiddling with their phone, or is otherwise unresponsive, it’s time to keep looking.
They Over Share
While it is fine for a prospective attorney to speak in general terms about their legal process and about how they’ve resolved cases that are similar to yours, it’s an entirely different matter to share specific information about specific clients and cases. A family law attorney who shares personal information about other clients is way outside the boundaries of professionalism.
They’re Vague
You’re meeting with a family law attorney because you need clear legal guidance, and if they’re being vague in return, you’re off to a bad start. While you can’t expect an attorney to get up to speed with your case in an initial meeting, you should be looking for specifics about what comes next.
If the family law attorney you’re interviewing isn’t prepared to talk about the direction you should take your case, they’re probably not for you.
They’re Overly Aggressive
There is a difference between being a focused attorney who is a fierce advocate for their clients’ rights and aggressively overpowering clients in meetings. Well-considered and well-executed aggression often has its place in family law, but client meetings aren’t the time or the place.
If you feel like the family law attorney in question is talking over you, is talking down to you, or is attempting to secure their position of authority over you, you should know that you can do better and should keep looking.
They Won’t Talk about Their Fees
Hiring a skilled family law attorney is an investment in the outcome of your case, and as the client who will be paying for the attorney’s services, you have every right – and are encouraged – to discuss legal fees and terms with them. If the attorney you’re considering doesn’t want to talk terms, it’s not a great sign.
Confirm that They Have Time to Take on Your Case
This is a big one that deserves a section of its own. You may have met with the family law attorney of your dreams – someone you know will do your case justice, someone you can relate to, someone you feel comfortable sharing sensitive information with, and beyond – but you should make sure that they also have time to take on your case.
Too often, firms have a front person who wows the clients but who won’t actually be handling their cases moving forward or who will only be spearheading efforts in their cases – but won’t be working directly with the clients to any significant degree.
It’s always in your best interest to ask the attorney if you will be working with them or someone else – such as a junior associate or a string of junior associates. Reputable family law attorneys let their clients know the facts up front, and if the person you’re meeting with hems and haws on the matter, you probably have your answer.
Most family law attorneys work closely with paralegals and their associates, but that is not the same as passing a case on once the client engages in their services.
Pay Attention to Their Organization Skills
Family law cases are legally challenging, and you need a family law attorney who has solid legal skills, experience, and insight. Family law cases, however, also tend to hinge on careful documentation, which means you need a family law attorney who not only has keen organizational skills but also has a staff that prioritizes organization.
Organization includes keeping one’s thoughts organized, scrupulously planning the steps forward, having a backup plan, employing a careful organizational system that keeps documents in sequential order, and maintaining a broad view. If the firm you’re considering strikes you as running like a well-oiled top, you may have found your match.
Focus on Integrity
Integrity refers to the family law attorney’s willingness to tell you the truth – rather than what they know you want to hear. If the attorney you’re meeting with strikes you as a yes man, getting a real feel for the strength of your case is going to be difficult.
On the other hand, a family law attorney who has the integrity to look you in the eye and tell you the truth – including the parts that are less than ideal – is doing you a favor.
If the lawyer believes you have a solid case, they should also let you know the challenges you’re most likely to face. You’re not looking for someone to artificially raise your hopes – you have a legal battle ahead, and you need to know where you stand. Having an attorney with this kind of integrity will serve you far better in the long run than a hype man ever could.
Look for Signs of Compassion
The law is exacting and challenging, so it isn’t exactly a warm and fuzzy endeavor. You, nevertheless, are facing a difficult case that involves what’s most important in your life—your family. While the clinical nature of the law will guide your case, you could use some compassion from your legal guide.
The best family law attorneys are both passionate about their work and compassionate toward their clients, and when this is the case, it shows. If you sense a mechanical quality in the family law attorney you are considering, remind yourself that you deserve more and schedule a meeting with another candidate.
Turn to an Experienced Round Rock Family Law Attorney for the Help You Need Today
Brett Pritchard at The Law Office of Brett H. Pritchard in Round Rock, Texas, is a compassionate family law attorney who encourages you to reach out and schedule a free consultation today. Our dedicated legal team is on your side and waiting for you to contact or call us at 254-781-4222.