Very few situations in life are more stressful than those that involve problems in the family circle. According to the Holmes-Rahe stress scale, divorce is the highest scoring stressor second only to the death of a spouse. Family law attorneys deal with the most intimate arena of life and therefore must exercise careful consideration for the needs of all parties involved. Areas of practice for family law include divorce, prenuptial agreements, child custody and child support, paternity determinations and protective orders.
Georgetown Law explains that since family law attorneys specialize in family and domestic relationships, they must be very comfortable with negotiation and counseling. It also goes without saying that professionalism and expertise are essentials. But in addition to these fundamentals, what qualities make a good family law attorney?
Qualities That Make For a Good Family Law Attorney
Compassion
Whether going through a divorce or fighting for child custody, nerves are bound to be frayed and you need more than just an expert. You need a caring, listening ear to hear you out and then empathetically consider your individual situation. Just being a name in an appointment book or a number on a list is the last thing you need to feel at this time. A compassionate family law attorney will build your confidence in the proceedings and make you feel that you have someone on your side.
Communication
Open communication from both sides will help you to get the results you seek. We can all relate to the experience of being in the doctor’s office with a mind full of questions, and then in the moment because of feeling rushed and nervous, you cannot remember a single thing you meant to ask. This is not the experience you will have with a great family law attorney because they will patiently hear you out in a non-judgmental manner. And when it comes time to relay important information they will take the time to explain legal terms and spell out the next steps of the process that you can anticipate. You should be able to reach your attorney when you need them and expect quick response time after efforts to contact them.
Honesty
Sometimes the truth is not what we want to hear. Especially if the likely outcome is not what we expected. A good family attorney will communicate the truth to you as tactfully as possible, but still without watering down the facts. It may be hard to accept, but if you have realistic expectations of what your attorney can do for you then you can begin early to prepare yourself for what lies ahead and not be blindsided.
Patience
Tensions can understandably run high during mediation and in the courtroom. A positive outcome is more attainable if all parties maintain their composure. This includes your attorney who by a composed and patient demeanor, can calm even the tensest of situations. Even if you bombard your attorney with questions or fail to understand some aspect that has been repeatedly explained, they should continue to patiently work with you without showing frustration.
Experience
This qualification cannot be bought or earned by any number of degrees. The record of service that an attorney makes throughout their career is concrete evidence that you are getting what you pay for. Having an attorney with years of experience working in family law will boost your confidence in their ability to represent you. Through their experience they have seen many different cases and will better know what your options are and the likely outcome that you can expect.
Don’t leave the future of your family’s life to chance. Contact us for a free consultation with our family law attorney who has over 15 years experience as both a family court judge and family law attorney. Our caring and experienced attorneys understand your situation and will work hard for you.
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