Title: Best Domestic Violence Defence Attorney in Albuquerque
1Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Divorce Attorney
- When you're going through a divorce and looking
for an attorney, remember that you don't have to
hire the first attorney you meet. Choosing the
right lawyer to guide you through your divorce
is one of the most important divorce- related
decisions you'll make. - Even if you've received a referral to a family
law attorney from a friend or another lawyer,
you should still do your homework check the
attorney's qualifications, and make sure he or
she has enough experience to handle your case. - There are lots of lawyers out there, and many
advertise themselves as "family law" or
"divorce" attorneys. However, family law is a
subspecialty that involves complex legal
principles, which take time and experience to
master. Within the area of family law, there are
even further subspecialties, such as custody law,
international custody law, guardianship, and an
area of the law involving Qualified Domestic
Relations Orders (QDROs), which are special
orders required to divide certain types of
retirement benefits. - In addition, there are various financial aspects
of divorce, including - financial disclosure requirements between spouses
2- restraining orders prohibiting spouses from
changing beneficiary designations or
transferring assets before and during the divorce - alimony (how to calculate income available for
alimony and the special factors courts consider
when determining setting payments) - child support (how to calculate child support in
your state) - the division of property and assets, including
real property, collectibles, venture capital
interests, stock option portfolios, good will, or
other - business interests, and
- the division of retirement benefits.
- There is a vast body of law (which will vary from
state to state) that applies to these issues.
These laws are frequently updated or overturned
by the legislature and/or the courts, so you'll
need to find an attorney that's familiar with
the new rules and cases that apply to your
divorce. - If you have a very simple case, with minimal
financial issues and no children, you may feel
comfortable hiring a less experienced family law
attorney. - However, if you're facing a contested divorce
case that involves substantial assets,
complicated financial questions, or a complex
custody dispute, you should look for an
experienced attorney that specializes in family
law and has experience with the particular
issues involved in your case. For tips about
hiring a divorce lawyer to handle some or all of
your divorce case, see our article, Hiring a
Divorce Lawyer. - Ten Questions to Ask a Divorce Attorney
3- We've provided a few questions you might consider
asking during your initial interview with a
family law attorney. These may help you determine
whether this lawyer is right for your case. - Do you specialize in divorces, or are divorces
just a part of your practice? How long have you
been practicing family law? How many family law
cases have you handled? Are you a "certified
family law specialist?" - What is your strategy for my case? How long will
it take to resolve my case? - How long do you take to return phone calls? How
do I get a hold of you if there is an emergency?
What do you consider to be an emergency? - Will anyone else in your office be working on my
case? What experience do they have? Can I meet
them? - How will you charge me? What is your hourly rate?
Do you charge for the time I spend with other
lawyers, with paralegals, and/or with
secretaries? If so, at what rate? What is your
retainer up front? - What costs (other than your own) do you expect
will be involved (for example, for private
investigators, forensic accountants, physicians,
and/or psychologists), and how will you charge
me for them? - What's your estimate of the total cost of this
divorce? (Do not be alarmed that most divorce
attorneys will resist answering this question as
the cost of
4- the divorce depends greatly upon the level of
conflict in your case. However, the way
attorneys answer this question may help you size
them up. An honest attorney will often answer
that it is difficult to estimate the costs in
advance. - An attorney that gives you an unrealistically low
amount may just be trying to get your business). - Do you allow me to negotiate directly with my
spouse? How can I keep the cost of my divorce
down? Are there tasks that I can do myself to cut
down on the amount you will charge me? - Based on what you know about my case, how would
you predict a judge would rule on it? - What can you do to help me understand the tax
effect of the decisions I will have to make?
7 Steps To Choosing The Right Divorce Lawyer
It's difficult to know where to turn when you're
faced with divorce. Few of us have any prior
experience with the legal ins and outs associated
with this difficult process. In my divorce coach
practice, I've heard too many stories of time
and money wasted as clients go through lawyer
after lawyer trying to find the right one. And
yet, finding the right divorce lawyer is key to
what could be a faster, less-expensive divorce,
compared to a long, drawn-out emotional and
financial nightmare. But if you don't know what
to look for in a divorce lawyer, how do you know
you're investing all of your money, hopes and
dreams in the right one?
5- Be realistic.
- First, you need to realize that divorce is a
legal process with the sole purpose of
dissolving your assets and resolving custody
issues. Your divorce attorney's job is to
represent you to the best of his or her ability
in this process. While you might want them to
listen to your anger, frustration, pain and
sadness, that is not their job. They are not
trained to be your therapist or coach, and they
don't want to be. Since your attorney has higher
rates and the clock is always running, it's a
gross misuse of your money if this is how you're
using them. And divorce attorneys have seen it
all. What seems immensely important to you might
barely register for them within the scope of the
legal process. So be realistic about the role of
your divorce attorney, and what you can expect
from them. - Stay focused on the goal.
- Your ultimate goal in this process is to get
divorced, and hopefully you can do so without
any major depreciation of your lifestyle. Don't
let your emotions jump in and run rampant when
it comes to negotiating over material things
that don't mean much to you in the big picture.
If you do, your divorce will be longer, more
litigious, and definitely more expensive than
otherwise. Is it worth it? No. So keep your
focus on getting divorced as quickly, and with as
little financial damage, as possible. Ask
yourself, what kind of divorce will do that for
me? - Know what you want.
6Before you rush out to hire a divorce attorney,
consider other alternatives to traditional
litigation. If you aren't completely entangled
with children and finances, you could hire a
mediator to help you negotiate the terms of your
divorce. Mediation is the fastest, cheapest way
to get divorced, and you might not need to hire
an attorney at all! If your negotiation is more
complicated, you'll have to hire a divorce
lawyer to negotiate a settlement with your
spouse's attorney. Or you could consider a
collaborative divorce. A collaborative divorce
is focused on negotiation with the goal of
preserving a co-parenting relationship. Your
last resort is a litigated trial. Typically,
these are the cases when neither side will
compromise. So you need to determine what type
of divorce attorney you need based on your unique
circumstances. Realize that any divorce attorney
you talk to will try to steer you in the
direction of their own specific expertise. It's
up to you to know what you want first, so you
can make the right choice. 4. Identify at least
three potential attorneys. Don't jump to hire
the first lawyer you meet. They are not all the
same. Find at least three divorce attorneys that
you can interview before making your decision.
Clearly, you need to hire a lawyer that
specializes in family law and one that's
experienced in the specific type of divorce you
think is best for you. The ideal attorney has
the legal knowledge and experience you need,
helps you understand the process, communicates
and negotiates well, solves problems creatively
and is experienced in your specific court system.
So you need one that's local to you. Regardless
of whether or not your divorce is headed to
trial, your attorney needs to be experienced
with the family law judges in your jurisdiction
so that he or she can advise you appropriately on
legal strategy.
7- How do you find potential attorneys? Ask you
friends for personal recommendations. Ask your
trust or estate lawyer for divorce attorney
recommendations. Go online to the numerous
websites that provide client reviews of
attorneys local to yo - Interview and research potential attorneys.
- Start with an initial phone call. Ask them about
their experience and specialization within
family law. Ask them about what type of client
they typically represent. Ask them about their
rates. Most divorce lawyers charge an hourly fee
and require a retainer -- a fee charged in
advance. Some lawyers will also negotiate fees
based on anticipated settlements. Don't waste
your time (or theirs) on a meeting if they're
out of your cost range. Most divorce attorneys
provide a free consult to discuss your specific
situation and what their legal approach would
be. So take advantage of it to gather as much
legal advice as possible! Typically, the
attorney you meet with will not be handling the
day-to-day issues related to your case, so ask to
meet the colleague or associate that would. The
divorce process can also include financial
experts, parenting coordinators, coach
facilitators, and forensic appraisers. Find out
your attorney's access to these resources and if
any would be relevant to your case, as it will
affect overall cost. And even if you have no
intention of heading to trial, look at the
attorney's trial record and history of success in
court. This track record is an indicator of your
attorney's success in negotiation. - Look for red flags.
8Unfortunately, many attorneys will tell you what
you want to hear just to close the deal. While
this is your life, it's a business for them.
There are no guarantees in this process, so if
an attorney is making promises, don't believe
it. If an attorney talks about high-profile
clients or divulges confidential information
based on other cases, it's highly likely they'll
do the same to you. If they aren't respectful of
other divorce attorneys you're interviewing, it's
a sign that they won't be to you either. And if
during your consult, they're constantly
distracted by phone calls and emails and can't
focus their sole attention on you, they likely
won't during your divorce case. Make sure the
lawyer you choose acts according to the
professional ethics of the industry and treats
you with the respect and attention you deserve.
This might be their business, but it's your
life. 7. Make your choice. The divorce
attorney you choose to represent you is local,
professional, knowledgeable, responsive and
communicates well. This attorney is someone you
trust and feel comfortable with. This attorney
supports your basic philosophy toward divorce
and has a style that works for you. This attorney
recognizes the importance of your children and
puts them first in the legal process by not
making unreasonable child support demands or
custody arrangements. This attorney is
affordable. Divorce is a highly personal and
emotional process, the outcome of which can have
a significant impact on your life. This is an
important decision, and there are no guarantees
in this process. However, if you follow these
steps, you'll find the right one -- the one who
listens to what you want, advises you well and
has your best interest at heart.
9The Top 7 Benefits of Being a Lawyer
Lawyers often are the punchline of many jokes
however, being a lawyer has its benefits. It
takes years of hard work and intensive study to
become a lawyer therefore, very few people
would choose this career if there were not
several excellent benefits of being a lawyer.
For those who work hard, the rewards of being an
attorney outweigh the cost of achieving your law
degree and license to practice law. The benefits
of being a lawyer depend on several factors
however, seven of the most common benefits of
being a lawyer include 1. Wide Selection of
Career Options The benefits of being a lawyer
include being able to select from a wide variety
of career options in the public and private
sector. If your calling is to make the world a
safer place for you, your family, and everyone
else, you may choose to become a criminal
prosecutor. On the other hand, if you believe our
criminal justice system is grounded on the
principal that everyone is innocent until proven
guilty and everyone has the right to competent
legal counsel, you may choose to become a public
defender. Of course, some people believe this
but choose to be a criminal defense attorney in
the private sector because private attorneys
tend to earn a great deal more than attorneys in
the public sector. In addition to criminal
defense, you may choose from many areas of law
including domestic law, real estate,
corporate/business law, bankruptcy law,
immigration law, or estate planning. If there is
a law that covers a particular
10- subject, you can choose to specialize in that
specific area. You can also choose to become a
sole proprietor who handles several areas of law
for many clients or a corporate in-house
attorney working for one client. - Financial Rewards and Emotional Rewards
- Among the many benefits of being a lawyer, the
financial rewards and emotional rewards are at
the top of most college-bound students seeking to
study law. Lawyers have the opportunity to earn
a lucrative income. The average annual income
for an attorney in the United States is 114,970
per year as of 2014 according to the U.S. Bureau
of Labor. The highest 10 of attorneys earned
more than 187,200 per year. Salaries of
experienced, specialized attorneys can be much,
much higher depending on the field, geographical
location, employer, and level of experience. - Of course, money is not the only reason why
people choose the legal field as their career.
The emotional rewards of being an attorney can be
even more satisfying than the financial rewards.
If you are passionate about your chosen field of
law and you believe your top priority is your
client, assisting people achieve a positive
outcome for their problem is extremely
satisfying. An attorney usually sees a person
during one of the worst moments of their life
therefore, it can be extremely rewarding to help
this person find a successful resolution to
their problem. - Mental Stimulation and Intellectual Challenges
- Another one of the many benefits of being a
lawyer is the mental stimulation an attorney
experiences when working through complex legal
theories, statutes, and case law to find a
solution to a legal question. Most lawyers
possess exceptional analytical skills including
reading and writing skills. - Practicing law allows you to use your mental
skills each day in effective ways
11- to solve problems for your clients. Because each
case is unique, you must use your full mental
capabilities to research, speculate, hypothesize,
and formulate legal strategies to effectively
solve problems for your clients. - Argue and Debate
- Some lawyers never argue a case in a court room
or they argue very few cases in court. On the
other hand, some trial attorneys are in court
almost each week arguing a new case. If you
enjoy the challenge of going up against another
attorney to argue legal theories and points to
prove your allegations are correct, becoming an
attorney will give you ample opportunity to argue
and debate legal theories and various
interpretations of the law. - Work Environment
- For many, the work environment is one of the
benefits specifically considered when choosing a
career. Most lawyers work in law firms,
government agencies, or corporations where they
are afforded an actual office with four walls
rather than a cubicle in the middle of a bull
pen from a cubicle. - Although things have since changed with the need
for social distancing and the ease of working
remotely. Being a lawyer typically includes the
benefit of having a certain level of prestige
that affords you certain benefits that other
employees may not receive (i.e. office, ability
to set hours, expense accounts, decorating
budget, etc.). - Skills that Transfer Alternative Legal Careers
- Benefits of being a lawyer do not stop at being
a lawyer. The skills you learn in law school
and in the early years of your practice easily
translate into alternative legal careers. Sally
Kane wrote about several alternative legal
careers in an article published on About.com.
Alternative legal careers Kane
12explores in her article include legal consulting,
legal technology, legal publishing, education,
administration, banking, finance, dispute
resolution, and human resource
management. 7. Flexibility Unpredictable
schedules, demanding billable quotas, long hours,
and very few days off have been a major
complaint of many attorneys. The desire to
achieve a better work-life balance has encouraged
many firms to work with their employees to
provide more flexibility as an attorney. Many law
firms are now offering telecommuting,
alternative work schedules, tiered pay scales,
expanded family leave including maternity and
paternity leave, reduced billable hours, and
virtual assistants to reduce work load. The
benefits of being a lawyer are increasing as law
firms and other employers see the value of
providing additional flexibly for their employees
in increased productivity and efficiency.