While you and your family go through the divorce process, you may end up feeling like you have bitten off more than you can chew. The entire situation can seem daunting and at times never-ending. On the other hand, by hiring yourself an experienced, skilled, and patient attorney, you can significantly reduce your fears and stresses.

If months have passed, and you seem to still feel uneasy about your attorney, then you have wasted your time and theirs. Not to mention, you have probably spent a significant amount of money at this point. So much depends on your attorney during a divorce (negotiations, deals, complex legal issues). Thus, choosing the right one is not just important, but vital.

You can help yourself break ties with your attorney as quickly as possible by focusing on a few obvious signs. Any of the following actions or inactions by your attorney are important reasons for you to move on and find someone else.

1. Your attorney does not answer your calls, return them, or respond to your questions

Understandably, your attorney will not be able to answer all of your calls immediately. Most attorneys are managing several cases at once, and are constantly in and out of meetings with clients. Moreover, they may be in court, which will occupy an entire day in many cases. However, there is a basic level of respect that you should expect your attorney to have.

Your attorney should always be available to return your calls at some point within a day or two. You can also make communication easier by using email.¹ If you prefer to speak directly to your attorney over the phone, have a reasonable expectation that he or she may not answer the first time. Your attorney should be relatively easy to get a hold of within 24 hours to answer your legal questions.

2. You feel a sense of intimidation when speaking with your attorney.

Lawyers can generally have a character or temperament that is slightly more harsh than the average person’s. After all, their career choice revolves around negotiating (or arguing) to outdo the opponent in court. However, the way your attorney acts in court should not be the way he acts in front of you.

Your attorney should never talk down to you, and should answer all of your legal questions thoughtfully and with a sense of patience. You can bridge the communication gap a bit by educating yourself on the basic legal issues. But overall, you should never feel discouraged or intimidated from asking your attorney any questions, or making any suggestions about your case.

3. You do not feel better about your situation after speaking with your attorney.

Because a caring and patient attorney is generally going to put you at ease with your questions and concerns, you should never leave his or her office feeling worse about your case. While your attorney probably cannot make you any major promises about the results of your case, or guarantee you success, they should be able to make you feel better.

Your attorney can provide you with an aggressive plan to help you obtain the best possible outcome after the proceedings.

4. Your attorney does not seem to have the skill-set or expertise for the specifics of your particular case.

Every divorce is different, and the level o complexity varies. Your particular legal needs are going to be different from the next person’s given your assets, children, and the overall nature of the divorce. Your divorce may even involve specific details, such as dual citizenship or prenuptial issues.

Because your circumstances are unique, your attorney should be able to handle all of the aspects of your case. Make sure you choose a divorce lawyer that has had success in cases that are at least similar to yours.

5. Your attorney does not have a positive review on Avvo.com

Avvo.com is a trusted source for finding a reputable attorney in your geographic area and field of law. You can rest assured that if your attorney has high reviews on Avvo, then he or she is going to have a positive impact in your case.

6. Your attorney is unwilling to work with other members of your team of attorneys.

Financially complicated divorces, particularly with couples who have a high net-worth, are going to require multiple attorneys. Therefore, each and every attorney of your team needs to be willing and able to work with each other.

Some lawyers on your team may be well-versed in the financial issues, and others may be needed for the child custody issues. Regardless of your situation, all of the attorneys of your team should be able to work together.

7. Your attorney makes empty promises.

It is difficult for an attorney to predetermine how a case is going to go before it starts. Generally, he or she should not be promising you certain outcomes of your case, but providing you with a plan for the proceedings. If your attorney is making promises about certain details of the divorce, and is not following through on them, you can be left with a significant sense of discomfort.

Call the Divorce Lawyers at Wallin & Klarich Today

Your attorney is going to the critical player in your case. Choosing any divorce lawyer out of a hat is not only going to harm your case, but harm your family as well. A knowledgeable attorney should be able to make you feel confident about your case while helping you get the best possible legal outcome. The attorneys at Wallin and Klarich have been successfully guiding our clients through their divorces with patience and an aggressive defense for over 30 years.

With offices located in Orange County, San Bernardino, Los Angeles, Torrance, Riverside, West Covina, Victorville, Ventura, San Diego and Sherman Oaks, one of our knowledgeable attorneys is available to help you no matter where you work or live.

Call us today at (888) 749-7428 for a free phone consultation. We will get through this together.