Sunday, November 6, 2011

Responsibilities Of A Family Lawyer

By Adriana Noton


Before wondering what a family lawyer can do for his or her clients, one has to locate a good attorney. Picking out a name from the phone book or seeing an ad in the newspaper, is not the best way to go about it. You want someone that you know will be attentive to your needs and act friendly when involved with your issues.

A person needs to know how well other cases have been handled, so it is best to speak with someone who has used the attorney you are interested in. It could be a family member or friend, or someone who works in the field of law. You should be compatible in nature and temperament.

Emotional baggage is the heaviest we can possibly carry. It has been proven that worry can have an ill effect on your health. What greater pleasure can there be than having someone willing to take that burden off your shoulders. An expert in law will do just that and allow you peace of mind while your matter is being settled.

Using the word family in conjunction with lawyer sets them apart from other legal counsel. Instead of specializing in just one specific area of the law, they will be involved in many areas of legal matters. Some of these areas would handle adoption, execution of a will, both child and spousal abuse, inheritance issues and the like. That is the number one reason that securing a reputable family attorney can be so hard to do. He has to be an expert in a number of different areas of law.

Fees are an extremely difficult issue to regulate. Where an esquire may have set fees for things like wills, or drawing up a prenuptial agreement, other things are not so easy to put a price tag on. Depending on the circumstances, a divorce proceedings can drag on for months. There may be endless meetings between the lawyers and their clients before both parties will agree on the terms of a divorce. There is no way to predict these fees and only estimates can be given.

Always retain counsel from your own immediate area. If an issue were to arise where immediate law advice was needed, it would sit poorly to have an attorney that is 50 or 60 miles away. Lawyers not only handle legal issues but they offer guidance and support when you have no idea where to go.

With all of the private information you are giving this person confidentiality remains a top priority. This not only involves the attorney but their staff as well. Everyone involved comes under the lawyer/client privilege. If it is found that information is leaking from a lawyers office, the party involved needs to be let go immediately. The entire firms conduct has to be ethical and above reproach.

To add to your relationship with a family lawyer, there are a few things you should give in return. Honesty is a main issue. No one can defend you properly unless they know the full truth of a situation. Be available when your lawyer needs to make contact with you, and do it with courtesy. How well the two of you will get along, is as much your responsibility as it is your lawyers. Make payment promptly for any service that was rendered to you. A little mutual respect will go a long way in keeping your working relationship a good one.




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