Lawyers aren’t cheap, we know that. And just like shoes, mattresses, and cookware, you get what you pay for. But did you know that hiring the cheapest attorney you can find isn’t the only way to end up with the wrong attorney? Believe it or not, you can pay an arm and a leg for an attorney and STILL end up with the wrong attorney! And in the end, that’s going to cost you even more.
Now, we don’t mean to scare you here. But we believe it’s important to make sure you get the right family law attorney when getting divorced, or fighting custody or parenting time. Why? Because hiring the wrong one can cost you a fortune in the long run, in time, money, stress and a poor outcome. So how do you ensure you get the right attorney? Whether you live in Lansing, Jackson, or Charlotte, these basic tips should help:
How much will it cost? Time spent on legal issues is hard to predict…
Going into a divorce, you probably don’t know how much time your attorney is going to have to spend on your case. That’s because there are so many factors that can influence this. For example: how organized you are when it comes to documentation, how much time you and your spouse spend arguing about subjects like child custody and alimony, and how much conflict there is between you both.
Discuss with your attorney ahead of time what they will be charging you, and how they plan to charge you. Most often, here in Michigan, you be paying a retainer up front. Most attorneys in and around Lansing will for their time by the hour. What is the hourly rate they charge? Do you have enough in your savings account to cover all eventualities, or are you going to have to get a loan? Knowing what you’re up against will help you plan ahead financially and budget accordingly. The most experienced attorneys can often get more done in a single hour than other attorneys get done in twice the time.
An ineffective attorney will mean revisiting issues down the road…
Buying a cheap pair of boots every year for a decade ends up costing more than buying one pair of good boots that last for ten years. Hiring the cheapest surgeon could have disastrous effects on the outcome of your procedure. The same logic applies to lawyers. If you get a good attorney up front, they’ll handle your divorce properly, get you the best settlement in your case. You’ll be able to move on knowing that you did everything possible to ensure a good future for yourself and your children. The right attorney will be critical to the outcome of your case.
Hiring a weak, timid, or ineffective attorney means you may be unhappy with the outcome of your divorce, and you’ll end up going back to readdress issues in the future. Whether it’s modifying a custody agreement in Ingham County, renegotiating alimony in Clinton County, or contesting the way assets were divided in Eaton County, having to go back and deal with the same issues twice means you have to pay an attorney to deal with that twice. What a waste of your money and time!
Get the right attorney the first time, and save yourself the hassle!
An excellent family lawyer can be a fierce bulldog when necessary, but is also capable of moderated negotiations, and even compassion for their client’s situation. If you’re getting divorced in Lansing, St. Johns, or Charlotte, you want an attorney with a track record of success and a long history or happy clients. And that’s where we come in.
Here at The Kronzek Firm, our highly skilled and experienced family law attorneys have spent more than a quarter century helping people from all over mid-Michigan with their divores. We have a solid reputation for being very knowledgable, aggressive when necessary, and easy to work with. So if you’re considering divorce, and you’d like to do it right the first time, call us at 517 866 1000 to set up your free phone or Zoom consultation. We’re available 24/7, and we can help. We are also available for immediate help and crisis intervention.