Fairfax, VA Family Law Attorney Claudia Zucker Provides Some Useful Advice On Dealing With Your Divorce Attorney

Unless they've already been divorced, most people are inexperienced when it comes to speaking with divorce lawyers. In fact, for many of my Fairfax clients, their first visit to my office is also the first time that they've ever utilized the services of an attorney. Because of this, they are often unsure what to expect from the experience. That's why I thought that it would be beneficial to provide some guidance for those who might be seeking a divorce in the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Tips for Communicating With Your Virginia Divorce Lawyer

• Billable Hours: Attorneys are usually paid via billable hours. You may be asked to provide a retainer or advanced fee to cover a portion of the number of billable hours that your divorce lawyer believes will be required to process your case. Generally, the billable hours are subtracted from the advance fee as the attorney works on your case. For example, if your attorney asks for a ten-hour advance fee up front, you will provide that money, and as he or she works, the balance reduces.

• Don't Burn Through Your Retainer With Unnecessary Phone Calls: If you absolutely need to speak to your attorney, by all means, you should make a call. However, attorneys often charge a minimum amount of time for each phone call. (10 or 15 minutes minimum for a call is common.) If you call every time that you have a question, you're going to tally up a substantial bill. It is more efficient and cost effective to email your attorney and get a quick response or to save your questions for a meeting with your attorney if the issue is not urgent.

• Plan Out What You'd Like to Ask When You Meet With Your Attorney: Your divorce lawyer is going to have a lot of information for you when you meet with him or her. However, that doesn't mean that you won't have some questions of your own. Focus your attention on this exchange of information.

• Don't Seek Emotional Support or Counseling From Your Lawyer: While most good family law attorneys are empathetic to your situation, they are not trained therapists. It's very easy to turn a legal consultation into a complaint session about your spouse. However, this can take up valuable time that your require to complete your divorce. Many family law attorneys in Fairfax and other parts of Virginia can refer you to a local counselor if you require that service.

• Actively Listen to Your Attorney: When your divorce attorney talks about your case, it's in your best interest to take notes and ask questions. This may save you from having to make an unnecessary phone call because you've forgotten what you were told. Memorandum or summary of the issues can be quite helpful to both the attorney and client. I personally like to give each client a summation of what we discussed each meeting so we can both stay on track.

Whether you live in Fairfax, Arlington, Alexandria, or elsewhere in VA, for legal advice on divorce and other family law matters, contact a reliable divorce and family law attorney.

Virginia Divorce and Family Law Attorney Claudia Zucker

Do you need a divorce attorney? Do you have questions about divorce proceedings in Virginia? We invite you to contact us today at (703) 596-1005. We're always just a phone call away.