Once you hire your attorney, let your lawyer do his or her job. For example, it is your lawyer’s job to communicate with your spouse or with your spouse’s lawyer. Many lawyers have had clients lose or damage their cases when the client decides to say or do something on his or her own. You will work best with your attorney if you listen to his or her instructions and keep an open, honest, and friendly attitude. You should consider the following suggestions to cooperate and work with divorce attorneys,.
1) Ask Questions
If you want to know something, or if you do not understand something, ask your attorney. If you do not understand the answer, tell your attorney and ask that it be explained again. There are many points of law that even lawyers do not fully understand, so you should not be embarrassed to ask questions. Many people who say they had a bad experience with a lawyer either did not ask enough questions or had a lawyer who would not take the time to explain things to them. If your lawyer is not taking the time to explain what he or she is doing, it may be time to look for a new lawyer.
2) Give Complete Information
Anything you tell your attorney is confidential. An attorney can lose his or her license to practice if he or she reveals information without your permission, so do not hold back. Tell your lawyer everything, even if it does not seem important to you. There are many things that can change the outcome of a case but seem unimportant to the average person. Do not hold something back because you are afraid it will hurt your case. It will definitely hurt your case if your lawyer does not find out about it until hearing it from your spouse’s attorney. Knowing information in advance can eliminate or reduce the damage to your case.
3) Accept Reality
Listen to what your lawyer tells you about the law and the system, and accept it. It will do you no good to argue because the law or the system does not work the way you think it should.By refusing to accept reality, you are only setting yourself up for disappointment. Remember—it is not your attorney’s fault that the system is not perfect, or that the law does not say what you would like it to say.
4) Be Patient
Be patient with the system (which is often slow), as well as with your attorney. Do not expect your lawyer to return your phone call within an hour. He or she may not be able to return it the same day, either. Most lawyers are very busy and overworked. It is rare that an attorney can maintain a full caseload and still make each client feel like the only client.
5) Keep Your Case Moving
Many lawyers take more cases than can be effectively handled, in order to increase their income. Your task is to become a squeaky wheel that does not squeak too much. Whenever you talk to your lawyer, ask the following questions.
1) What is the next step?
2) When do you expect it to be done?
3) When should I talk to you next?
If you do not hear from the lawyer when you expect, call him or her the following day. Do not remind your lawyer that he or she did not call; just ask how things are going.
6) Firing Your Lawyer
If you find that you can no longer work or cooperate with your lawyer or do not trust your lawyer, it is time to either continue alone or get a new attorney. You will need to send your lawyer a letter stating that you no longer desire his or her services and are discharging him or her from your case. Also state that you will be coming by his or her office the following day to pick up your file. The attorney does not have to give you his or her own notes or other work he or she has in progress, but he or she must give you the essential contents of your file (such as copies of papers already filed or prepared and billed for, and any documents you provided). If he or she refuses to give you your file for any reason, contact your state’s bar association about filing a complaint or grievance against the lawyer.
