Divorce is one of the most difficult things you will go through in your life. The attorney you choose to help you through your divorce will greatly shape your experience. Some divorce lawyers will make the divorce more difficult and expensive than it has to be, and other lawyers will make the entire ordeal smoother and easier to manage.
In 2019, Grant Stoddard wrote an article titled 25 Secrets Your Divorce Lawyer Won’t Tell You for Best Life. You can find the here: https://bestlifeonline.com/divorce-lawyer-secrets/
“… an overly litigious lawyer and a good lawyer are not to be confused.”
– Grant Stoddard
Not every divorce firm or divorce attorney is the same. Mr. Stoddard covers many topics that anyone looking to hire a divorce lawyer should consider before choosing their attorney. Many of the items are related to billing practices and the cost of divorce, and the fact that settlement is a viable (and reasonable) option.
A sampling of the “secrets” Mr. Stoddard writes about:
- It’s going to cost more than you bargained for. (We’ll honestly tell you up front)
- That you should be wary of hearing too much “yes” too soon. (We try to tell it like it is)
- That you can perform much of your divorce pro se (See our Paralegal Assisted Dissolution option.)
- That they are hoping you won’t being poring over the details of their invoices. (Not us – please review and call me to discuss any issues you may have).
- That he or she is more available than you’re led to believe. (Our clients can book calls and appointments anytime using Calendly – click here to book an initial consultation!)
My favorite line in the article is in “secret” number 15, which is warns that “aggressive attorneys can cost you more.” Mr. Goddard writes, “In a contested divorce, it’s understandable that people would want to seek out a lawyer who can aggressively fight for them in court. But an overly litigious lawyer and a good lawyer are not to be confused.”
Make sure to talk to your potential attorney about their approach to both settlement and litigation.
I was proud to see that many of the issues that Mr. Goddard calls “secrets” are issues we discuss with our clients in our initial meeting, and I am prepared to openly discuss all 25 of these “secrets” with our clients anytime.
We are not afraid to let you know how we do business. We strongly encourage you to read this article BEFORE you start interviewing lawyers for your divorce so that you can ask them direct questions about how they will handle your case and your invoices.
The answers you receive from your potential attorney, coupled with the insight from this article, should enable you to determine which lawyer will be the right fit for you, both personally and financially.
Want to learn more about how we do business at Grisi & Budde?
Information about our Flat Fee Dissolution packages here.
Download our Dissolution Checklist here.
Information about our Divorce Services here.
Schedule a consultation at this link, or call us at (330) 535-8171 to talk to a staff member about a consultation.
12/9/2020 – Charles M. Budde