When contemplating the merits and pitfalls of getting a divorce, most clients contact an attorney to get information about divorces in general and, hopefully, some personal guidance on how, if and when to proceed.
However, what most people don't realize that during the initial consultation, the lawyer is interviewing the clients, as well.
Both the lawyer and a prospective client, consciously and unconsciously, evaluate the other's personality appearance, tone of voice and attitude. Finding the right fit for both parties is essential and collaborative lawyers excel at putting clients at ease and helping them determine the best course of action for their family.
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Divorce lawyers know that it takes a lot of courage to call and make that initial appointment to discuss your family. We also realize that your first visit to our office can be unsettling and, in some cases, this meeting could even make you feel sick.
Taking this all into consideration, this is why I make such an effort to ensure my office is calm and welcoming. I strive to help potential clients feel at ease and safe as we talk about the most personal details of their family.
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A general history of your family is the first topic. Questions are then asked as to biographical such as: Where were you married? Do you have any children? What brings you here?
I listen carefully as client's stories about their lives, their kids, their jobs because it helps me evaluate their case on many different levels. Getting a complete initial understanding of the issues each client may face helps me frame my comments to address those issues.
Every case and every client is different so this process of discovery and learning is vital to a successful attorney client relationship.
We then go on to discuss issues pertaining to the finances. Without getting into micro details, I will take an inventory of your family's income(s), assets and liabilities. We discuss pre-marital property, inheritances, joint marital debt and many related topics. It is impossible to complete this task in the first meeting so I give you a list of items to gather for our next working appointment.
It is helpful to bring to the consultation a copy of your last filed income tax return, a copy of any existing Pre-Nuptial agreement you have signed in addition to a list of assets and accounts you and your spouse own jointly or individually. To put it bluntly, this part of the consultation practice can be feast or famine.
Some clients are not into doing the paperwork and come empty handed or may have no personal knowledge of their family finances while others bring me glorious excel spreadsheets in multiple colors.
A thorough discussion of the client's divorce process options follows. Will you be using mediation? Collaborative? Litigation?
I review the pros and cons, including the financial and emotional costs of each alternative and the client considers which divorce process suits their family and financial situation best. Naturally, this decision isn't always made in the first meeting unless one option is obviously preferable. Either way, I can work with it because I always hand out homework assignments to clients along with my popular stress balls.
After this review, client's have the basic education and insight they need to begin a divorce, if and when, they are ready to return for our next meeting.
As a New Jersey divorce attorney who specialize in Mediation and Collaborative law, my goal is to assist you in taking control of your divorce and family matters by resolving your personal and financial disputes.
The best method for resolving these family disputes is to use self-determination, your own mind and goals to set the future for yourself, your soon-to-be-ex-spouse and your children. After twenty years of divorce and family litigation, I have had enough of litigation.
Mediation and Collaborative Law are truly the keys to resolving conflict and working out divorce and family issues without the delays and bureaucratic paperwork and deadlines associated with standard divorce litigation.
Families that want to save months of time, thousands of dollars and have a solution that both people agree with are just plain smart.
For more information, please feel free to give me a call at (732) 741-7776 or visit my website at http://www.atlanticdivorcemediation.com
