How to Choose a Child Custody Lawyer?

The following steps and set of questions can help you choose a highly experienced, effective, and reputed child custody lawyer:

Obtain references from friends and family, and check online resources.
Interview the shortlisted family law attorneys.
Ask about their experience and their field of specialization.
Check if the child custody lawyer you would like to hire is accessible.
Enquire about the fees.

Child custody is a contentious and highly emotional event in anyone’s life, and in most cases both parents want the outcome to be tilted in their favor. Well, to achieve the best possible outcome that is fair to both the parents, you need to hire a skilled, experienced, and reputed attorney. The following steps and set of questions to ask the lawyer will help you choose the right child custody lawyer:

1. Obtain References and Check Online Resources

Many parents search “child custody lawyer near me” online, zero in on a few lawyers based on the testimonials on their website, interview a few, and choose one. Some don’t bother because they want a DIY divorce.

That is a hasty and incorrect way of doing things.

You should start by obtaining references from friends and family, inquiring from other parents who have fought and won custody battles, visiting your court’s office and asking the court clerks about the most effective lawyers around, and visiting lawyers’ websites and evaluating their testimonials.

After collecting and analyzing the references, make a shortlist of lawyers. Don’t forget to check if the attorney’s license is active on your state’s Bar Association’s directory.

2. Interview the Shortlisted Family Law Attorneys

In your initial meeting, which is usually free, inform the attorney about your custody case in detail and ask him/her about his/her background, experience, and the strategy he/she recommends for your case. Here is a list of questions that you should ask the lawyer:

How long have you been helping people with child custody cases? (The lawyer should be experienced)
Are you affiliated with professional legal organizations? If yes, which ones?
How many child custody cases do you take on annually and what is your success rate? (The lawyer should be very successful.)
What do you recommend in a child custody case – negotiation, mediation, collaborative divorce, or trial?
(The lawyer should be non-combative and one who believes in peaceful resolution – unless your case is high-conflict.)
Do you tell clients what they should do or do you give them options and allow them to make a decision?
(You want the lawyer to give you options so that you can decide. After all, child custody is a personal matter.)
Have you taken on cases that are similar to mine?
(The lawyer should have resolved similar cases successfully.)
How do the current laws apply to my case?
(The lawyer should be knowledgeable.)
What problems do you see in my case?
What outcome can I expect?
How long will my case take?

Once you are done interviewing the attorney, ask yourself the following:

Does the attorney’s approach to the custody case reconcile with yours? Or is it very different from yours?
Is the attorney trustworthy?
Do you feel confident about the attorney’s abilities?

The answers to these questions will help you prune your shortlist and sharpen it.

3. Check the Lawyer’s Experience and Specialization

The lawyer should have successfully resolved child custody cases that were similar to yours. If his cases are not similar to yours, then he should have resolved cases that were more complex and difficult than yours.

If your child has special needs, then the lawyer should have resolved similar cases.

Overall, the lawyer must be completely focused on family law matters with an emphasis on child custody cases. Keep in mind that you are not looking for a divorce, alimony, or property division specialist – you are looking for a child custody specialist. So, focus on hiring only such a specialist. Also, know that working with a rookie or a general practice firm can complicate and weaken your case.

4. Check if the Lawyer is Accessible

Answers to the following questions will help you decide if the lawyer is accessible and whether his firm communicates efficiently:

Will you handle my child custody case in negotiations, mediation, or trial?
(The lawyer you are choosing should be present in all such proceedings.)
If you will not, then who will?
(If some other attorney is deputed to handle your case, you need to start with this checklist all over again.)
If some other attorney from your team handles my case, will you personally manage him/her?
(You should be looking for a “yes”.)
How often do you provide updates and what is included in them?
(You should be updated as and when any development takes place.)
Who will be my day-to-day contact?
Whom can I contact in case of a sudden development or an emergency? Is that person available at all times?
(You should get access to a responsible person around the clock.)
How can I reach the attorney who is handling my case and what are the hours during which he/she is available?
(Contact timing should not be rigid)
How quickly will my attorney respond after he/she gets a message that I called?
(The answer should be ASAP.)

5. Do the Fees Fit Your Budget?

You also need to check if your budget allows you to hire the attorney you have chosen. Here are some questions that will help you figure out the lawyer’s bill:

How much do you charge by the hour, and how frequently do you mail the bills?
How much retainer do I have to pay?
What are the other expenses that I must pay?
Can you give me an estimate of how much my case will cost?

After you are done interviewing the lawyer, ask him/her if you have missed out on anything and if there is some information that he/she would like to share.

After you diligently go through all these steps, you will likely be ready to zero in on the child custody attorney who is best suited to your case.

Excellent

Brown Family Law

4.8

Based on 827 reviews

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Bill C

Carren and Jason were very helpful and quick to respond to my questions and concerns as we worked through my divorce, I would recommend them to anyone.

Response from the owner: Thank you, Bill.

James Herrera

I cannot say enough good things about Brown Family Law. Amy was my attorney and she was great! She always listened and responded quickly. Thanks to her, my case was resolved quickly. Thank you, Amy.

Response from the owner: Glad Amy communicated so well with you, James.

Jace Morris

Fast and kept me involved. Very professional team.

Response from the owner: Jace, thank you.

Shaun Jorgensen

Best attorney ever. They were so helpful and responsive

Response from the owner: Thank you, Shaun.

Christie Berube

When I started my case with Brown Family Law, they had 650 positive reviews. Now, about a year later, they have 820. Not sure how much else you need to convince you, but do yourself a favor and stop looking. You're in the right place.We worked with Nathaniel for nearly a year on our case, and trusting someone with something so vulnerable and close to you as a custody case is difficult, but he made it easy. His knowledge of law and experience with the court system allowed us to make educated decisions quicker. He helped me feel confident in very unfamiliar territory, and having someone like Nate on my team allowed me to make the best decisions possible for our family. He thought of many things I didn't, and gave us the roadmap to success for navigating a complicated and stressful situation. I found myself constantly bragging about our lawyer to family and expressing how impressed I was in his skill and his fearless nature of getting sh** done. Nate got that dawg in him, yanno what I mean?I like the way Brown Family Law works with their clients; it's different than other law firms, and I can see the benefits of those differences. It's always easy to contact someone at the office, and I get a response very quickly. They are extremely communicative, fast, and thorough. They run a tight ship, and it's obvious the quality differences from other law firms.This is a big and heavy decision, but Brown Family Law will take a lot of that weight off your shoulders. Ask for Nate--you won't be led astray.

Response from the owner: Christie, thank you. So glad Nathaniel was able to help you and that we were able to communicate with you so quickly.

Fer Esquivel Guillén

This firm is awesome but special shoutout to Dani, she is an outstanding paralegal. She is very knowledgeable

Response from the owner: Thank you very much for your kind words about Dani.

Karl Bench

I can't say enough about Russell Yauney at Brown Family Law! He has helped me on multiple cases over the years and has always exceeded my expectations. Russell is one of the good guys who isn't afraid to tell you how it is and isn't afraid to stand up and fight for what is right. I'm glad that I have Russell and his team in my corner!

Response from the owner: Karl, glad Russell served you well.

Ryan Farrell

very helpful to fathers who have been broke by the system and targeted for vaporization(1984). Thank you brown family law.

Response from the owner: You're welcome, Ryan. And thank you for the kind words.

Samantha Lachowsky

Nathaniel was my attorney and I couldn't ask for someone more attentive and level-headed than he is. They made my divorce process so much easier and were very patient with me as I navigated the entire process. Thank you Brown Family Law for all of your help!

Response from the owner: Samantha, thank you and so glad Nathaniel did such a good job for you.

Danny Fenstermaker

Used Nathaniel Garrabrandt for a child custody case. He is very good, very professional and available. Having been through this a few times that communication is very important. The only warning, and this isnt just Nate per se, but very very costly.

Response from the owner: Danny, thank you for recommendation. Glad Nathaniel has been able to help you.

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