Explaining Family Law Services in Houston
Family law services are among the most sought-after legal counsel in the Houston area. Family law is a distinct legal practice area that typically covers matters related to divorce, child custody and visitation, child support, spousal support, parentage (paternity) and adoption. Family law attorneys likewise handle domestic violence cases, including protective orders against perceived physical or emotional dangers to family members. Although focused judgments are issued, there is some overlap in family law and other practice areas, such as criminal law.
The scope of family law services in the Houston area can vary somewhat between attorneys, but some standard services include the following:
Attorneys who handle family law cases are generally able to serve clients on both sides of the attorney-client relationship . For example, some family law attorneys help victims of domestic abuse obtain protective orders while helping others navigate the legal process to gain spousal or child support. Of course, in cases involving divorce, the same lawyer will often specialize in both divorce and post-divorce litigation.
While the services offered may be nearly identical among attorneys, the level of experience, training and success may vary widely among attorneys. As a result, achieving desirable outcomes can also differ among attorneys. Clients need to understand the differences in services offered by family law attorneys so they can reap the full benefits of the free consultations offered by many lawyers.
Why You Should Get a Free Consultation
The vast majority of family law attorneys in Houston offer new clients free consultations. This free assessment allows you the opportunity to assess what your legal options are and if you feel there is a good attorney-client compatibility from the moment you meet. You can ask all kinds of questions during a free consultation.
For example, it’s not a bad idea to ask "are there similar cases you have worked on?" This is crucial for your case. Even if the attorney has limited experience with your type of case, do you feel confident that he or she understands your needs and issues? You should also consider whether or not you will need a lawyer that can go to trial with you. If so, do you believe that this lawyer has that experience and comfortability? A lot will depend on the practice area you are seeking representation in. For instance, a Houston Prenuptial Agreement may not need as much trial experience as a child custody case.
There is no other opportunity to determine whether or not you and your prospective attorney will work well together than having them in the room with you and assessing them face to face. Having a bad character or biased personality may be a problem, but under the laws of Texas you may not know this until it is too late. Finding the right attorney for you is the most important decision you’re ever likely to make, more important than choosing your spouse or your doctor.
How to Prepare for a Free Consultation
Whether you’re filing for a divorce, wanting to establish custody or protect your property rights, knowing what to expect during a consultation with a family law attorney is essential. When preparing for a family law case, it’s important to know ahead of time what will be needed for a successful free consultation with an attorney. During the initial meeting, the solicitor will determine if he or she will take your case. In some situations, the interview process reveals that the potential client has a strong case; however, the solicitor does not have the expertise to handle the matter. During the first consultation, the attorney will want to gather information regarding the following areas:
- Current employment situation
- Company benefits, if applicable
- Assets owned by either party
- Debts or mortgages
- Copies of bank statements, tax returns and monthly expenditures
- Any other documents that would help describe your case
The purpose of the consultation is to determine whether the lawyer and client are a good fit for each other. The attorney will ask many questions, and provide information about costs, procedures and steps involved in the case. Most importantly, the attorney will determine whether his or her particular skills are equipped to assist you with your family law issue. Some consultations may only take several minutes, while others may last for an hour or more.
Converters are notorious about overusing clients’ time, and not answering their questions during the consultation. To avoid getting ripped off, ask yourself the following questions:
- Did the lawyer offer solid advice, beyond just "call us when you’re ready to hire us"?
- Did the lawyer answer all of your questions?
- Did you feel better about your situation after consulting with the lawyer?
- Did the lawyer seem genuinely concerned about your case?
- Did the lawyer seem competent, and friendly?
The consultation is not usually a friendly meeting between the client and the attorney. Some solicitors charge a fee for a consultation; however, others allow simple issues to be discussed without a fee. A reputable professional will tell you on the phone whether there is a charge for a meeting. If the solicitor doesn’t want to divulge this information over the phone, it’s best to remove him or her from your list of potential solicitors. Don’t waste an hour or more of your time.
Although you may not care how much it costs to secure the services of a family law attorney, you need to reevaluate your priorities. Money is definitely an important element of the hiring process, and you do not want to feel tied to a solicitor who lacks the skills to take on your case. First, trust your instincts. If things don’t feel right, go with your gut. Then, try negotiating; but if that doesn’t work, consider whether you truly need to hire someone at that moment, or whether you can at least wait until your finances are better.
Questions to Consider for Your Free Consultation
As you meet with prospective lawyers at your free consultations, be sure to ask questions such as:
What is the likely result in my case? While no attorney can guarantee results, a Houston family lawyer who does not know the likely outcome of the case is inexperienced or does not know how to assess the strengths and weaknesses of their case or the other side’s case. If your attorney doesn’t know what might happen in your case, they are not qualified to tell you what you might expect.
Will you personally be handling my case? It is common for attorneys to rely on paralegals and legal assistants to assist them. However, you should make sure that even when members of their firm help out with your case, your attorney is involved in all important attorneys.
How much will it cost to work with you? Most people seeking a family law attorney in Houston need an affordable option to work with. The retainer is the amount of money you pay upfront to hire a lawyer. A lawyer may charge a standard fee (retainer) for specific services they provide , like a divorce. You may also need to pay an hourly rate for each hour worked on your case, in addition to your retainer. This, of course, is just an example, and your retainer will depend on your specific needs.
When will your retainer run out? Ask your attorney when they expect your retainer to run out, and what will happen once it does. For example, they may need you to replenish your retainer, or they may need to move to an hourly rate. Either way, make sure you understand exactly how you will be charged for your attorney’s services.
How often will you bill me? Every law firm will have their own policy for billing clients. Some law firms will bill you once a month, while others bill twice a month. You should ask a potential attorney how often you will be billed and when you will be expected to pay the cost.
How can I communicate with you? Many law firms will appoint one main attorney and one main paralegal to your case, and they will be responsible for most of your communication. It is always good to know up front who your main point of contact is.
How to Choose Your Attorney
Thanks to free consultations, you have the ability to learn about various employees before making a hiring decision. The same is true of attorneys. In some cases, you don’t need to learn much about an attorney, but there are instances when you must explore resumes and pick your lawyer carefully.
Just as employers look for certain traits in potential employees, you must also decide what you need from a family law attorney. You can find a highly experienced professional who is well known and respected throughout the state. However, in some cases, people go with an up-and-coming attorney who will work hard to win your business. When it comes to this kind of situation, you can make the call based on your preferences or the personality of the attorney.
As a strategy, a number of clients like to paste a series of questions together and then conduct an interview with attorneys. They let the lawyer do most of the talking during the process. This gives the client a chance to learn all about the lawyer’s personality. Maybe the lawyer talks a little too much and is overbearing. At times, you may notice that the attorney isn’t a good listener. When you’re speaking with the lawyer, does he or she interrupt you continuously?
There are other considerations when it comes to personality matching. As an example, if you’re considering an attorney who responds to emails in five minutes, you might think he or she is the person for you. On the other hand, maybe you’d prefer an attorney who responds a little slower, but with a thoughtful answer in the process.
Other clients use recommendations as their main source of information. If a friend, relative or co-worker says they’ve had a positive experience with a particular attorney, you might be tempted to hire that person. However, before you do this, you need to make sure that the attorney has the qualifications, experience and approach that you desire.
Again, besides personality aspects, there are other factors to keep in mind. You’ll want to know if the attorney often goes to court or settles things quickly. You’ll want to ask about hourly rates and overall costs moving forward. Financial matters must also be front and center when weighing a decision on an attorney.
Client Testimonials and Reviews
These days it seems everyone has a blog, website or social media following. Look to see if the attorney you are considering practicing family law keeps a blog. Blogs typically contain client testimonials, legal resources for you to research on your own time and success stories.
Look to see what others have said about an attorney’s services. Ask them when the last successful family law case they argued was. If an attorney does not have any client testimonials on their website or blog , check out Avvo.com. Avvo online reviews provide a great resource for finding Houston family law attorneys, as well as other family law lawyers across the country.
Take the time to read these reviews and testimonials, and look for a Texas family lawyer who puts their past successes in writing online, where others can find them. A great free legal consultation is not enough. You need evidence of their success, and other clients who have had positive results, specifically with Houston family law cases.