Divorce is always a stressful time. A divorce solicitor is usually required even for simple divorces and choosing the right one is an important decision. It can cost you both financially and emotionally if you don’t have the right solicitor.

Who is the right solicitor depends on a number of things including your budget and the type of divorce you are going through, as well as your personal circumstances.

Budget

Although you shouldn’t just go with the cheapest solicitors, everyone has a budget. You will obviously need to work out what yours is and find a solicitor who you can afford. There is no point in paying for something that you don’t need so if your divorce is fairly uncomplicated then you don’t need to be paying for a top divorce solicitor. Similarly if you have a complex divorce, with children and property involved for example, and then choosing the cheapest solicitor you can find is likely to be a mistake.

Experience

It is always wise to use experienced family law solicitors, but not just experienced in family law issues is general, but in similar types of cases to yours. If you are applying for custody of your children, for example, using a solicitor who hasn’t dealt with divorces involving children is not advisable, no matter how experienced he or she is with other types of divorces.

Type of Divorce

There are different types of divorce, for example:

• Where you and your former spouse agree on all aspects of the divorce

• Where you and your former spouse agree on all aspects of the divorce

• Where there are many valuable assets, such as expensive property

• Where marriages have involved abuse

A large part of choosing the right solicitor comes down to the type of divorce you are going through. As already mentioned, you need someone with the relevant experience. Solicitors have their own specialities, even within the family law sector, so making sure you use someone in the best possible position to help you is crucial.

Personal Preference

Some may not think of this as an important aspect, but your personal feelings towards a solicitor needs to be at least considered. You need to choose someone you can actually work with. It is only a business relationship, so you don’t have to be best friends, but you need to be able to work constructively with each other.

Picking the Right Solicitor

You don’t just want to use the first solicitor who you find. Take a little time to do some research and interview a few different lawyers. You then need to choose one based on a balance between someone with the necessary experience with your type of case, someone who you feel you can trust, and someone you think you will be able to have a good working relationship with. There are many variables that determine the solicitor that is best for you, and it is important to get a balance between these so he or she can assist you throughout your divorce proceedings in the best possible way.

Andrew Marshall (c)