Three Communication Tips for Working With a Family Lawyer During Divorce
Divorce is undoubtedly a challenging and stressful time, but working with a family lawyer to come to a fair settlement will make it easier. This guide offers three top tips on how to effectively communicate with your lawyer, making their work on your behalf more efficient.
Communicate Your Situation Accurately and Effectively
One of the most important things about working with a family lawyer is to be completely honest and transparent about your situation. Working out certain things, like how property is to be divided, can be difficult. Factors, such as your wages, inheritances, and future requirements, will be considered. Therefore, be very honest about which property belongs to you and how, what contributions you have made, and what you want and need. It's easy to overstate contributions you made if you really want to keep your house or car, but honesty is the best policy. Write down a list of what you want and any financial contributions you made, and try to be factual and objective when talking about it.
Respond To Communication in a Timely Manner
Working with a lawyer can seem strange if you haven't done it before, with messages being passed back and forth between you, your lawyer, your ex-spouse, and their lawyer. Communicating in this way can take a long time if people don't react or reply to new information or questions in good time, so it's important to respond to your lawyer's questions quickly and efficiently. However, don't be afraid to ask for their advice if you're not sure or ask for more time to consider something. You should also make sure to deal with any papers or forms they need you to fill in, as every step you take moves the process along. However, don't worry if your lawyer takes a while to come back to you with answers or information – it's likely that they're waiting for someone else to do something.
Think Carefully About Communication With Your Ex-Spouse
Communicating with your ex-spouse during divorce proceedings can be difficult, especially if the split was unexpected or one-sided. If you think you can't communicate constructively, it might be best to speak only through your lawyers. If you do communicate, make sure that if they promise you can have any particular piece of property, you get it in writing. If they say anything that will be important to the case, let your lawyer know so they have all the information. Finally, court proceedings should be kept private, so ensure you don't talk about it through public social media.
By communicating your situation honestly to your new lawyer, responding to any questions or requests efficiently, and being careful about communication with your ex-spouse, you can make your experience of working with a family lawyer a positive one.