Divorce lawyers are only ever called when the marriage has broken down completely with little chance of reconciliation. In these circumstances you will need a divorce attorney who has at least half their workload in this area and one that is able to act as a mediator. They will need to be someone in whom you can place your trust and feel comfortable working with so if these criteria cannot be met then you will need to look elsewhere.
Attorneys that tend to follow the mediation route are good at giving settlement advice but you may need an attorney who is more familiar with courtroom settlements. A divorce lawyers is a busy person so before you contact them know exactly what information you need them to supply.
Costs are always an issue so write down everything you want to ask and in a logical order always making sure there is an accurate record of times dates and the duration of conversations. Try to keep actual meetings to a minimum and where points have to be clarified, use the phone or send a letter.
Regard your attorney as a resource, not someone you depend on for emotional support because they cost too much for you to use them for sympathy and consolation; besides, you have family and friends for that. Stick to relevant facts when you contact your divorce lawyer; do not discuss other matters regarding your spouse unless they are pertinent to the divorce.
Being in control of your own case and your own life is the single best thing you can do, so it is essential that you have a lawyer who can work on that basis. You are employing them for their experience but at the same time you need them to understand that it is your divorce and you want to make the decisions about how it is too proceed. You will need to instruct them to forward any information they have received to you and you expect a prompt reply to any issue you may raise.
Instead of hiring a lawyer, it may be far more cost-effective to use the lawyer just for information or advice on specific subjects like a marital settlement because that may be all the legal help you will need. For someone taking this route, it is only important that you approach a lawyer to have certain aspects explained once you have carried out you own research. If you have employed a divorce lawyers to help you with a marital settlement, whether you have compiled it yourself or asked them too, it is easy to ask them for additional help if the case does not proceed according to plan.