If you are thinking of getting a divorce, need help with child support, or need to enforce an order, you should obtain the advice of a qualified and compassionate attorney before proceeding. But, how do you know who to hire? Consider the following criteria and don’t be afraid to ask the questions presented at the initial consultation:

COMPETENCY.

You want to find someone who knows what they are doing. Usually, those attorneys who specialize in family law related work (e.g., divorce, support, custody, adoption, contempt, and paternity) better understand legal issues that arise than those who have a general practice (e.g., personal injury, criminal defense, and civil or corporate litigation). Peruse advertisements in the phone book and Web sites to ascertain their areas of practice. Also consider how long they have been in practice and their litigation experience. How many trials and hearings have they done? Have they done jury trials? Were they successful? If your case involves children, does the attorney have children? What resources or professionals do they rely on to supplement their realm of knowledge. Do they have staff to assist them? The more experience and resources they have, the more competent they will be.

COST.

Be realistic about your budget for legal expenses. You get what you pay for. Good attorneys usually require substantial initial retainers, bill an hourly rate against the retainer, and require replenishment. At the same time, they should be efficient and rely upon associates or seasoned assistants and paralegals who charge less to complete rote tasks. They provide billing statements on a regular basis to inform you how they are using your funds. Ask about their billing rates and frequency of billing statements. Do they take credit cards? Do they have a written retainer agreement? By being informed, you can monitor and assist in managing the costs of your litigation—either by choosing less expensive strategies or by involving yourself hands-on in preparing and organizing your fi le. Hire the attorney you can afford, find other sources of financing, and ask about getting the other side to reimburse your fees.

COMMUNICATION.

You should feel comfortable that your attorney not only listens to you, but hears where you are coming from, acknowledges or helps you develop your goals, and frequently updates you on the status of your case. You should receive telephone calls, e-mails and/or letters from your attorney. Your attorney should not take long to respond to your inquiries. Ask about their policy and practice about telephone calls and status updates. Do they give out their cell phone?

COMPASSION.

You will be relying upon your attorney to make important decisions. You want someone who cares about you and your case. The only way you can really tell if your attorney cares is by meeting with her face to face and relying on your gut and first impression. Did she listen? Did you walk away better informed with good direction? Do you feel better after having spoken with the attorney?

Hire the person you feel confi dent will help you meet your legal goals while providing compassionate counseling in a timely and cost efficient manner.

by Tamar  Faulhaber

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To set up an initial consultation to see if Tamar Faulhaber is the best family legal counselor for you or someone you know, contact her at Vernis & Bowling of Atlanta, LLC at  TFaulhaber@Georgia-Law.com or 404.846.2001.