Hiring an attorney in any situation can be a tough decision to make, but ultimately your case will benefit from their legal expertise. However, that doesn’t mean that people haven’t made their fair share of mistakes when looking for help with legal issues.
Everyone makes mistakes, but there are a select few that you’ll probably want to avoid if you’re hiring a lawyer. Here are a few of the biggest blunders you should steer clear of before choosing a legal team.
Hiring an Overly Aggressive Attorney
Some law firms will advertise that they have the most aggressive attorneys to win your cases, but an aggressive attorney isn’t always the best idea. If you need an attorney who is determined to get answers and make sure you receive justice, that’s great. However, if you’re filing for divorce and hire an aggressive lawyer to make threats, you may end up regretting the decision after the long and probably stressful courtroom battle that will ensue.
Hiring a Family Friend for a Better Rate
No matter how much you want to support a family friend or save money, unless they truly are an amazing lawyer, then it may not be the best idea. In fact, even if you’re 100% sure they are an amazing lawyer, it still might be a terrible idea. A family friend may not charge as much as another lawyer in the field, but you may ultimately end up placing more confidence and trust in them than you should as a client.
Giving in When an Attorney Pressures You to Hire Right Away
There comes a point when you obviously have to choose a lawyer, but that moment shouldn’t be during your first meeting with them. As a client, a lawyer should give you the time to decide for yourself whether or not they’d be a good fit for your case.
Guarantees of Victory
While it’s important for anyone, divorce lawyer or otherwise, to be confident in their legal abilities, there should never be an absolute guarantee of victory. Unexpected legal issues can arise at any point during the case, and rather than promising a win, a family lawyer should be able to reassure you that they will handle any issues that arise with grace.
In 80% of divorces, the decision to separate is unilateral, but no matter how desperate the situation, you should strive to avoid these common mistakes when hiring an attorney.