What Should You Look for When Hiring a Divorce Solicitor
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Having to hire a divorce solicitor is not something most people look forward to, but it’s worth taking your time to make sure that the lawyer you choose is the right fit. In this article, we’re sharing tips on what you should look for when hiring a divorce solicitor.
A divorce can be tricky, messy, expensive, and stressful, and it’s unlikely that choosing a divorce solicitor is at the top of your list of fun things to do.
While this may be the case, divorce lawyers can vary widely in price, efficiency and attitude. So, it’s well worth shopping around to make sure that you find the right fit.
In this article, we’re sharing what you should look for when hiring a divorce solicitor.
1. Solicitor cost
For most people, one of the most important aspects of hiring any professional, including a solicitor, is price. Depending on which part of Great Britain you live in and the experience of the solicitor, you can expect to pay between £220 and £520 per hour for your divorce solicitor’s services.
For this reason, it’s a good idea to shop around and also seek advice on which solicitor in a firm should represent you. You may not need the most experienced – and therefore most expensive – solicitor for your case.
In less acrimonious divorces, you could consider obtaining a joint divorce, which would eliminate much of the costs.
2. Solicitor location
In the age of the internet, you don’t necessarily need to hire a solicitor who is close to your home, however, this can be extremely useful. Often, when going through a divorce, you will need to attend meetings with them and, needless to say, this is much easier and invariably more convenient when you can reach their office within your lunch hour or on your way home. A quick internet search will usually give you information of all solicitors’ firms in your local area.
3. Rave reviews
As with any other type of business, solicitors are subject to online reviews of their services. It’s a good idea to check these out first, as some may contain red flags about a certain solicitor, allowing you to quickly whittle down your shortlist. As always, you need to be on the lookout for fake reviews – lots of reviews with the same or similar wording are usually an indication that they are not genuine reviews.
4. Initial conversation
The initial first conversation with a solicitor will speak volumes. This conversation will usually be conducted by telephone and, here, there are a few things to look out for:
- Engagement: a good divorce solicitor will be highly engaged from the start, including asking lots of questions. On the other hand, a less engaged solicitor will show little interest or may seem distracted.
- Compassion: no matter how experienced they may be, a good divorce solicitor will show compassion and empathy with your situation, as well as patience in the event that you find the conversation difficult or emotional. A less desirable solicitor will often be audibly impatient.
- Plain speak: a great divorce solicitor will try to minimise legal jargon while speaking to you, and endeavour, where possible, to explain things in plain English. Meanwhile, some unscrupulous solicitors will actually do the opposite in the hope that you will become intimidated and will simply go along with whatever they suggest.
- Realistic: while they may be optimistic about your chances of achieving your goals with the divorce, a good divorce solicitor won’t promise you the world. They will instead give you a realistic picture of what can – and cannot – be achieved, thereby managing your expectations more effectively.
- Time: the ideal divorce solicitor will keep communications as brief and concise as is possible. However, others may deliberately drag out proceedings in order to rack up more billable hours.
5. Instinct
While we’ve mentioned some practical and tangible things to look out for when choosing a divorce solicitor, your instinct is also a very valuable tool.
You don’t need to become best friends with your divorce solicitor – and you certainly don’t need this relationship to turn into more than that. However, if you find that you get along with the solicitor and feel that they are trustworthy, these are pretty good reasons to choose them.
Having said that, however well you get on, always keep in mind the fact that every call and email is being added to your bill.
Choosing a Solicitor Wisely
Choosing a divorce solicitor is something you will hopefully only ever have to do once, if at all. That said, it’s an important decision
As with any other type of service, there’s nothing wrong with asking friends and family for recommendations. This can cut down the time it takes to look for a solicitor, as well as give you an account of somebody’s firsthand experience with a professional.
Whoever you choose – and however you choose them, it’s essential to make sure that you know what’s involved before signing on the dotted line. Don’t be afraid to ask questions about how long it will take and how much it will cost. Where possible, ask to see a sample contract so that you can read the fine print to make 100% sure that you know what to expect once the proceedings begin.
