5 Signals That Your Divorce Attorney Is Doing A Good Job

Divorces are, in all but the rarest cases, complicated and emotional affairs. It can be very hard for those going through the divorce process (especially the first time) to be objective and critical of the process and the attorneys guiding them through it.

If you’ve never been through the divorce process before, how do you tell if your divorce attorney is doing a good job?

Many people think a divorce lawyer is there to help them punish their spouse and retain as much money as possible, control of assets, and get child custody. While these may be the desired outcomes, they’re a very poor way to judge how your lawyer is performing.

Here are five more useful signals that indicate your divorce attorney is hitting all the right marks:
 

1) Explaining The Process

A good attorney will sit down with their client long before the first court date and present a comprehensive roadmap of the divorce process. Your attorney’s job is to represent you and guide you, and if you feel lost or confused, then your lawyer isn’t doing a good job.

With that said, most attorneys won’t try to explain every last legal detail and piece of minutia during your case, but they should be willing and able to answer any questions you have at any point in the process.
 

2) Meeting Deadlines

Generally speaking, a divorce moves through a fairly standard set of phases. Each phase has its own particular requirements and deadlines. Your divorce attorney should always keep you informed of which part of the process your case is in, and communicate any deadlines that need to be met.

While cases do sometimes get delayed for circumstances beyond a client or attorney’s control, your lawyer should never be the reason your case isn’t moving forward. If your divorce seems to be stalled, or you’re unsure what the next steps are, ask your lawyer and find out what’s going on.
 

3) Being Prepared

Many divorce attorneys are handling more than one case at a time. That being said, you’re paying for their time and it’s important that they be prepared for every meeting, hearing, and court appearance during your case.

Attorneys that are chronically late, don’t have correct paperwork, continually reschedule, or can’t answer basic questions about your case are clearly unprepared. Not only is this unprofessional and very frustrating, but it can potentially have a negative impact on the outcome of your divorce. If your attorney is habitually unprepared, consider finding a replacement.
 

4) Clear Communication

Lack of communication is one of the biggest complaints clients have about lawyers. Your attorney needs to keep you in the loop about the important aspects of your case. You shouldn’t expect to hear about every phone call or email. But you should get copies of important correspondence and be notified of all major developments in your case.

If you’re constantly in the dark, and your attempts to contact your attorney aren’t met with a reasonably prompt response—normally one to two business days—you might want to consider talking to another attorney for a second opinion.
 

5) Who’s The Decision Maker?

At the end of the day, your divorce attorney’s job is to represent you and present options and choices to you. Your lawyer should never be making decisions about your life for you.

An attorney who attempts to resolve your case without your direct input, and without leaving the final decisions to you, is likely doing you a disservice.