Saturday, June 13, 2009

Help Your Lawyer Help You

There are certain complaints that people going through a divorce often have about their lawyers. One is that they don't know what's going on in the case. Your lawyer should send you a copy of everything that crosses his or her desk. Then you can stay up-to-date on what is happening with any legal documents, letters, and any and all information concerning your case. If you don't think you need it you can file it away, but at least you will have it.

Remember, you are the one who must live with the results of your case, not your lawyer. Therefore, you need to feel confident that you know the facts. Make sure you know the pros and cons of each step that might be taken, including settlement negotiations, timing of court dates, and other matters during the divorce process.

The most common complaint heard from clients is that their lawyer doesn’t return phone calls. Waiting for a call back when you’re in distress can be excrutiating, so much so that you forget some of your questions by the time they call you back. You can help your lawyer by being organized and brief. Write down your questions. Make the most of your time by saving up several questions to ask all at once, since lawyers usually have a minimum charge for phone calls. Leave enough space between questions to write in the answers.

An even better idea is emailing your questions instead of telephoning. This gives your lawyer a written record of your question, prompting a clear, well organized written response to which you can refer later. Emails are usually not billed for in the same way as telephone calls, so this is a more cost-effective approach as well.

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