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Having your day in court

4 Issues To Discuss With Your Family Lawyer During The First Consultation

by Beverley Lopez

A family lawyer is your best bet for resolving family issues such as divorce, separation, custody, and child adoption. This piece details a few matters to discuss with your family lawyer during the first meeting. Hopefully, it should ensure an easy time finding the right family lawyer. 

1. Suitability 

Is the lawyer suitable for your case? Examine the lawyer's history in handling similar cases. Your primary concern would be their success rate and overwhelmingly positive reviews from their clients. Most reputable lawyers have operating licences to practice in Australia. However, unique circumstances could compel you to hire a family lawyer licenced to practice outside the country. For instance, you may want to adopt a child from another country. Alternatively, some of your marital assets could be registered in a foreign country. In this case, you need an internationally-practising family lawyer to ensure you comply with Australian and foreign laws as you adopt or divide marital property.  

2. Probable Results 

What are the probable results of your case? As a client, it is not unusual to have unrealistic expectations. After all, you may not understand the Family Law statutes. Your family lawyer should assess your situation and forecast the likely outcomes. For instance, if you need sole custody of your child, the lawyer should explain the conditions under which the court can prevent your partner from accessing your child. They then examine your situation and advice if you meet this criterion. If not, the lawyer could ask the courts to allow sole parenting responsibility and supervised visitations. It prevents you from suffering protracted and expensive legal battles that are emotionally and financially draining. 

3. Privacy Protection   

Your lawyer accesses confidential information that could damage your reputation and businesses. Therefore, inquire about the measures that the lawyer takes to protect your privacy. First, most lawyers take professional liability insurance that compensates clients who suffer damages due to the lawyer's negligence. Besides insurance, the lawyer should integrate modern technology such as end-to-end encryption and mobile device management to prevent their staff from using your documents maliciously as they plan the lawyer's defence and gather evidence. 

4. Pricing Strategy 

Do not shy off from asking about the lawyer's pricing. If you fail to ask for a quote, you are likely to disagree about the pricing. Most family lawyers have fixed or hourly charges depending on your issue. The secret is negotiating this charge based on what the competition charges. Some lawyers also have programs for financially disadvantaged clients. For instance, they could offer free online consultations to reduce consultation charges. Besides, the lawyer could discount some of their services or provide probono representation. 

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