Considering divorce is always trying, and you need all the help you can get. For this reason, hiring the best divorce attorney in the local Houston, TX area is crucial. They can not only fight for your rights and make sure you get a fair outcome, but they can smooth out the process so you and your family can remain calm and experience less trauma.
Fortunately, there are many tools at your disposal that can help you choose the correct person for the job. You can start by looking at their qualifications and professional associations to determine whether they are well qualified. Then, you should check out past cases and testimonials, so you can figure out it they might be a good fit for your situation. At your initial consultation, you will make a decision about whether to hire them or keep looking.
7 Keys to Finding the Best Divorce Attorney for Your Case
1. Check the Qualifications
For example, they might have been recognized by important national organizations such as the American Bar Association or the National Law Journal, or they could have received a more local award from the State Bar of Texas. Although this shouldn’t necessarily be a prerequisite of working with an attorney, it can be a good way to judge whether someone has been successful in the past.
2. Choose a Houston, TX Local
Being a local can also come with additional perks. In particular, a lawyer who has been around for a long time will have all the contacts needed to successfully fight for your rights. If expert witnesses are required, they will have the details of the best professionals in your area, who can give evidence and testify on your behalf.
3. Check the Specializations
Much of this information should be freely available on a law firm’s website, but don’t hesitate to reach out if you can’t find what you are looking for. Getting in touch directly can give you an indication of how experienced the lawyers are in your field and whether communication will run smoothly.
4. Look at the Testimonials
The best divorce attorney in Houston, TX will be well respected by their former clients, and this is reflected in the reviews they receive. You should seriously consider any lawyer who is referred to as trustworthy, kind, competent, and good at communication. Such a person is likely to provide you with a positive experience and help you achieve a good divorce outcome.
5. Look at Peer Reviews
Other great organizations are “Best Lawyers” and “Martindale-Hubbell”, the company behind the popular site Avvo. The former picks out the top candidates in over sixty categories and publishes them every year, while the latter is a comprehensive directory of hundreds of thousands of lawyers all around the country. Using such peer review sites can give you a better idea of how respected a particular attorney is and what service they might provide you with.
6. Evaluate Communication Skills
In addition to competence and experience, a good lawyer needs excellent communication skills to work well with you and impress the judge. You can start to evaluate this aspect before you even set foot in the law firm by speaking to them on the phone. Do they pick up quickly, and is the receptionist friendly? If you email or message them, do they get back to you in a timely manner?
If so, they might be a good fit, and you should book a first meeting to find out more. Ask your lawyer about the various ways you can get in touch and the expected reply time. Although you can’t expect them to return your call immediately since they’ll be working on multiple cases, they should aim to contact you within 1-2 business days.
7. Determine Personal Fit
Finally, keep in mind that you will have to work closely with your lawyer for many months. For this reason, you should choose someone who is a good fit and whom you are comfortable with. The reviews can only tell you so much, and an attorney who is great for someone else might not work as well with you.
Your initial consultation is a great time to get a sense of how your attorney treats you and your sensitive information. Look for someone who is compassionate and caring with you but who will be firm with the other party.
Finding the best divorce attorney for your Houston, TX case is a prerequisite for success and the first step in a long process. If you get it wrong, it can impact you and your family for the rest of your life, so you should take some time to make a decision. Carefully check potential lawyers’ qualifications, specializations, and testimonials to figure out whether they could be a good fit.
Then, you should attend an initial consultation and get to know the attorneys in person. This is the easiest way of finding out more about their communication skills and determining whether they will be a good fit for you personally. Call us today at Skillern Law to book a meeting with our top attorneys. They can help you figure out how to best layout your case and achieve a fair outcome for the entire family.