Thursday, May 13, 2010

Do You Want a Divorced Lawyer or a Divorce Lawyer?

Ben Stevens of South Carolina has just written a thought-provoking post in his South Carolina Family Law blog about the advantages of having a divorce lawyer who has been divorced. I guess it just depends on one's perspective.

Even though I have never been divorced, I can see some merit in some of his points. He does see things a little differently than I may.

However, with nearly 34 years of representing people going through divorce, I have a pretty good idea of what goes on and I do understand a lot about the feelings involved.

I doubt people choose a doctor by asking if the doctor has had whatever disease or condition you need diagnosed and treated. In fact, you probably want a doctor who is healthy and who has a lot of knowledge and experience in the field you need help in.

When you are choosing a divorce or family law attorney, there are many considerations. How well do you and the attorney communicate with each other? Does the attorney listen to you and really hear what you are saying? Do you want an attorney to tell you everything to do, or do you want to be active in planning and carrying out a strategy? Is the attorney's temperament the style you want? Does the attorney have experience in the type of law you need help with? Is the attorney a recognized authority?

I always recommend that clients look around carefully and research prospective attorneys. There's tons of information on the Internet.

I know I'm not right for some people. At the same time, I can be a great fit for other people. It just depends on what they are looking for.

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