Talking to a Family Lawyer

We all fear some appointments, whether it’s with a doctor or dentist, or meeting your family lawyer for the first time.

In this blog, family law solicitor Louise Halford looks at how to get the most out of your first meeting with your family lawyer.

Contact Evolve Family Law Today for Family Law Advice.

In this article, we look at:

Choosing your family law solicitor
Timing your appointment
Company at your appointment
Preparing for your appointment
Talking to your family solicitor

Choosing your family law solicitor

Before your initial consultation with your family law solicitor, it is best to do some research on whether your family lawyer and the firm are the right fit for you. Just because a friend found a family solicitor wonderful in their divorce, it doesn’t mean they will necessarily be right for you, or that they are experts in the area of family law you need help with.

At Evolve Family Law, we believe in being proactive in helping you choose the right solicitor for you. That’s why our website includes information about:

The lawyers
Our fee guide
Our client reviews.

We will also speak to you to ensure you are seeing the best solicitor for your needs at your initial consultation. That’s because family lawyers, just like consultants and surgeons, specialise in different areas. If you need urgent advice about child abduction fears and child relocation orders, you don’t want to see a solicitor who has a particular interest in family finance on divorce or international prenuptial agreements.

Timing your appointment

It is never too early to have an initial consultation with a family law solicitor. It can be helpful for you to learn about likely children or financial settlement options should you go ahead with a planned separation. That way, you can make informed choices. Taking family law legal advice does not commit you to starting children law or financial court proceedings, but it does help you work out the best options for you, through having the information you need about:

Your rights.
Likely court outcomes.
Alternatives to going to court (called non-court alternative dispute resolution).
The timescales and costs of each option.

Company at your appointment

Bringing someone with you to an appointment can be helpful. A friend or family member can ensure you ask the questions you need answered. They can also discuss the advice you received with you after the meeting.

All family solicitors ask is that you choose the person carefully if you decide to bring someone to the appointment. That is because you may be discussing personal issues or financial matters at your consultation. Your family lawyer will not want you to feel inhibited and unable to be totally open about the personal or financial reasons why you need family law help and legal advice.

Also, a family friend or relative should be there to provide support, rather than take over the appointment to discuss their own family law problems or their views on your relationship or family law issue. If they do that, it is frustrating for both you and your family lawyer, as the focus should be on you. Therefore, if you want company at your appointment, think about who will provide the best support to help you get the most out of your consultation.

Preparing for your appointment

Whilst you are welcome to turn up to your phone, online or office appointment, it can help to prepare for the appointment. We don’t mean anything ‘too heavy’ by this. Just think about why you need advice and the background. For example, your family solicitor will want to know the date of your marriage, the date of separation, when your children were born or the approximate date of when an incident occurred. It is surprising how easy it is to forget dates or only to remember the questions you wanted to ask your solicitor after your consultation.

Lawyers like questions, so bring a list of questions with you. Whilst a family lawyer may not be able to answer all your questions at a first meeting fully, they will be able to tell you what information they need to gather to answer your queries fully.

Talking to your family solicitor

An initial consultation with a family solicitor is a two-way street; your family lawyer needs to know a bit about you, your family law query, and your goals. Armed with that information, a family solicitor can help you get the best out of an initial consultation.

Consultations work best when you have the confidence to ask your questions. You therefore should not worry about whether your questions are too basic or whether your solicitor will think you should know the answers.

Likewise, your lawyer may need to ask you some questions that you don’t think are relevant to your circumstances or will help in answering your questions. However, some questions will help your lawyer understand the circumstances, enabling them to determine the best way to answer your questions as accurately and thoroughly as possible.

Relationship breakdown: comprehensive initial review

At Evolve Family Law, we offer a fixed-price relationship breakdown review meeting with a solicitor, covering all legal and practical aspects of your situation, including an assessment of the best routes to resolution. This is a one-off fee. You can then decide if you want to instruct us to take additional steps, such as starting no-fault divorce proceedings, applying for a child arrangement order, or applying for a relocation order.

Contact Evolve Family Law Today for Family Law Advice.