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We have previously written about the fact that hiring a divorce attorney is necessary, even if your split is likely to be reasonably amicable. This reality can be intimidating to some individuals who are apprehensive about the amount of attorney’s fees that their divorce will result in. Thankfully, there are few reasons why you would ever need to use your attorney’s services in ways that make your divorce and/or child custody dispute financially unmanageable.
Some divorces are necessarily expensive because they are either unusually complex, unusually contentious or both. However, most divorce cases can remain financially reasonable and surprisingly efficient if the spouses involved can abide by a few fairly straightforward pieces of advice.
First, do not use your attorney’s time and your money for non-legal issues and communications that can easily be solved without your attorney’s expertise. If you and your child’s other parent need to figure out your visitation plans for spring break and you can communicate about this issue yourself, do not spend billable hours asking your attorney to negotiate this matter unless there is a compelling reason to do so.
Second, take time to clearly map out your priorities for the process. It is far too easy to get bogged down in squabbles about property and parenting matters that do not ultimately require a legal fight. Some issues are worth fighting for. But remember that every issue you contest will require your time, your attorney’s time and your money. Make sure that you are making your time, resources and your attorney’s expertise count.
Source: The Huffington Post, “How to Avoid Making Your Lawyer Rich or Damaging Your Children,” Krista Barth, April 1, 2014
