Your Aid Area

Even if your instance seems fairly straightforward, go to somebody who has handled family law cases before. You don’t need an attorney who works only in that area, whose fees might be very high. But you do want somebody who recognizes which documents have to be filed in which courthouse and who can take your lawsuit to trial if need be.
NOTE:
Some very competent family lawyers will tell you from the start that they do not go to court. They might be very good negotiators, but if your case doesn’t settle, they will recommend another attorney, either in their firm or at another, to take over the case. For some people, that’s fine. Others prefer to have an attorney who will go the distance. Make sure you ask these questions and be prepared to walk out if they don’t satisfy your needs.When you call the attorney, ask whether there is a fee for the original consultation. Don’t be shy. Some attorneys will see you for free; others will charge their usual hourly rate. The reasoning: they’ve already done work on your behalf (albeit during the consultation) by collecting the background information they need to begin. Others only bill you if they take your case. Still others bill by the task: so much for a finished separation agreement, so much for help in writing a motion, and so on.Your First Group Meeting
When you’re with an attorney for the first time, he or she will ask you for some background data about your position. You should be told, concisely, how the laws work in your state and what that will mean for your own case. The lawyer can also tell you which court will handle your case. Knowing this could determine your strategy in resolving your caseis it helpful to drag out the custody or to end it quickly?
Fees and Charging
During this first interview, the attorney should also explain his or her fees. Do they take a retainera lump-sum paymentup front? That practice is common. As the attorney works on your case, they subtract an amount equal to thier hourly rate from the sum you have prepaid. Other attorneys do not take a retainer and simply bill you every month as the case moves along. Some lawyers require that a cushion remain in the retainer until the case is concluded.

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