When I thought about writing you (a prospective client) a way to navigate through the beginnings of the divorce process, I felt that a brief outline might help…
First, look for an attorney who has experienced all of the foreseeable issues in your case, such as: if there are minor children, what will be the parenting arrangement, who will be their primary caretaker, etc. We call this “custody”. The need for immediate financial relief.
Second, what are the family’s financial circumstances – each party’s earnings, assets of the marriage and how they were acquired (including bank and stock accounts, real estate holdings and approximate value, etc., cash and jewelry), debts of the marriage – does any child have special needs? Do not worry if this information in unknown. The attorney you select should be well versed in assisting in finding assets and addressing all of the above issues.
Third, what is the attorney’s experience in litigating the troublesome areas of support, custody, asset distribution, etc?
Fourth, make an appointment and carefully interview the attorney. It is helpful that you prepare a list and ask all questions you may have during the initial interview. Make sure he or she answers each question clearly in a manner you can understand. Remember, the divorce process is often lengthy and that there will be extensive conversations between the two of you. You are not marrying the attorney, but you will be confiding in and relying upon that person often about sensitive issues. Simply put, you should believe that there can be a comfort level between you to ease communication and achieve desired results.
Fifth, review in detail, the written retainer agreement so that there will be no surprises in your financial arrangement in order for you to be prepared for what lies ahead. In New York, there arrangements are required to be in written that is clear and easy to understand.
Finally, take your time. Make your decisions well-reasoned. Please bear in mind that the relationship between attorney and client must be one of trust and understanding.
Please feel free to contact our offices for further information.
-Harvey