Hiring a Child Custody Lawyer Following a Divorce

If you are intent on having your kids live with you after a divorce, you need to meet with a child custody expert to make sure you are doing everything you can to keep your children. If you do not take the time to meet with a lawyer, you may end up missing the chance to become or stay the custodial parent. Learn a few things to look for in a reputable attorney of this type.

First of all, you should make sure the child custody lawyer you are investigating has plenty of experience in this field. A lawyer who mainly deals with personal injury cases, DUIs, or tax laws will not have the same expertise as someone with years of experience taking on related cases. The lawyer needs to know all the rules and any possible loopholes if you want a chance of winning. Therefore, find out exactly how many years of experience that the attorney boasts before you choose one.

While the experience is quite important, several years of dealing with these cases does not mean much if none of them were won. You need to make sure the child custody attorney you choose is not only experienced, but also good at their job. This is why many lawyers feature their case results on their website, or are at least happy to show you at the initial consultation. Of course, lawyers who have not won many cases will be more reluctant to let you know this, so be wary of anyone who will not tell you their history of winning or losing cases. Just be sure to avoid basing your entire opinion of the legal representative on this factor since there are other important aspects.

Another detail to find out is the types of associations that the child custody expert belongs to. Of course, most attorneys belong to at least one state bar, as this is required to practice law in most states. However, some attorneys also belong to other organizations that revolve around the law. The one you choose might be part of an association that caters to lawyers involved in family legal matters, which can offer additional education in the form of seminars and free publications. This might mean the person you choose is more current on this subject than many other attorneys, so take this into consideration.

Most attorneys will let you know right away if they have some extra qualifications that make them particularly suited for their job. They usually list this information on their website, but they might also simply wait to tell you in person if you request an initial meeting to discuss your case. You may also be able to check the membership of the associations that impress you, as this can be a quick way to find attorneys in your area specializing in child custody and other family issues. Additionally, you probably know several people who have gotten divorced and had to deal with this kind of issue, so ask them for recommendations before you hire a professional for the job.