Michelle R. Goodwin Divorce Law Blog on Lawyers.com

A first meeting with a divorce attorney is an opportunity for the attorney to learn about the details of your marriage and lay the groundwork for possible courses of action. A divorce attorney can only help if you are prepared and willing to share useful information. In the interest of making your meeting as productive of possible, you should gather information and documents beforehand.

A divorce attorney will want to know general information about your family and your marriage, as well as more detailed information about your personal and joint finances. Some general information to establish the facts of your divorce include the date you were married, where you were married, how many children you have, and your state residency.

The more detailed information that a divorce attorney wants to know relates more to your assets and finances, as this is the area where disputes could arise. There are many documents and information that you should be ready to provide:

• Tax returns
• Pension plans
• Bank statements and investment portfolio
• Pay checks
• Real estate information, such as mortgages and deeds

Information related to these documents could influence divorce settlement questions such as property division, alimony, and child support. In addition, a skilled divorce attorney knows how to use the information to represent your interests during divorce negotiations.

While a divorce attorney obviously needs information from you during the meeting, you are the one who ultimately decides to retain the lawyer’s services. In order to better judge the likelihood of a good match with a lawyer, you can arrive at the meeting prepared with specific questions:

• How long has the lawyer been practicing divorce law in that state or county?
• Will you be helped exclusively by the lawyer, or also by paralegals and other staff?
• What are the lawyer’s hours?
• What are the fees and how are they charged?
• Has anybody ever filed any complaints or malpractice suits against the firm?

These are just some of the questions that you might consider asking before deciding on a lawyer. Divorces are intensely personal and emotional trying. You should choose a lawyer who inspires confidence and comfort.

This article has been provided courtesy of:
Divorce Attorney Michelle Goodwin
5430 Glen Lakes
Dallas, Texas 75231
Toll-free: 888-393-7124
http://www.michellegoodwinlaw.com.