Divorce Lawyer: How Your Clients Pick You

Most couples going through marital breakup are going through one of the most difficult experiences of their lives. This means that they typically will not choose an attorney simply based upon which one they speak to first. Instead it will be upon a careful consideration of how that divorce lawyer fits them the best. Below are a number of considerations that prospective clients use to select you from your competitors. (It is very difficult (if not impossible) to isolate these from each other; these factors are so related to each other that they are almost integral to one another).

Perhaps the most influential driver of business is word of mouth. A divorce lawyer must earn this through experience. Clients often appreciate attorneys that are able to provide to them solid legal advice. In other words, an attorney that simply fans the flames and emotions of their client could end up diminishing the respect that their clients have for them. This is because ultimately any advice that an attorney gives to the client that is unreasonable, the client could ultimately figure this out in the form of a lost court case, unsuccessful negotiations, or deals that unfair and result in further and excessive litigation. By staying pure to the client’s and the client’s children’s best interests, you should be able to develop a reputation as a good divorce lawyer capable of diffusing domestic conflicts. In turn, this should hopefully lead to more business from the local community.

Another important factor is how much you charge clients. Setting an hourly rate, from a marketing perspective, could be challenging for a divorce lawyer. This is because you do not want to charge too little so that prospective clients will not value your services, but you also do not want to charge too much such that the entirety of the litigation will become too expensive for your clients and you will not be able to finish their case. For most attorneys, they will probably have to tinker with their hourly rate in order to reflect the means and expectations of their clientele. While client’s typically love flat rates, this is generally neither in their best interests nor in the best interests of you.

Further down the list of factors clients consider is your propensity to fight and your advertisements. Rarely do clients begin wanting to settle their claims because they are reluctant to lose anything of value. However, because of the nature of the laws surrounding a breakup in many jurisdictions, you most certainly will have to give up something. This could be in the form of less time with your child or less income coming into your household. Clients quickly realize this, and they generally appreciate it when their divorce lawyer does, too.

Ultimately, if you are new to family law, you will not be able to rely on a significant reputation, and you will have to advertise. This can be most effective in attracting two types of clients: those that are interested in an uncontested end to their marriage, and those from out of state. For the beginner, this can be a great way of getting clients, but you should understand that these are most likely the types of clients you will be getting so that you can tailor you marketing efforts to them.

The above material is intended for information purposes only. It is not intended as professional legal advice and should not be construed as such. Attorney William H. Beaumont practices in New Orleans, La.