Divorce Advice | Your First Meeting with a Divorce Attorney

What to expect from your initial divorce consultation

Planning to meet with a divorce lawyer for the first time can be stressful. It brings reality to your situation and may stir up your already volatile emotions. Gordon & Perlut, LLC believes preparing yourself for your initial consultation enables you to get the most out of meeting with a divorce attorney.

Your consultation is very much like a job interview. You are looking for a professional divorce attorney with the qualifications required for your situation, and you should not accept any candidate not ideal.

Let the attorney guide the conversation, at first. Your background information is needed before you can explain your needs and concerns. Your attorney should be able to direct the conversation and at the same time, make you feel comfortable.

It is important to show your divorce attorney that you are prepared for your meeting. If you were sent a questionnaire, bring a completed copy with you, even if you already returned it. Bring a notepad or laptop to record your thoughts and the answers to your questions.

Our divorce advice – be honest

You should share all relevant information when you meet with a divorce lawyer, even if you do not hire that attorney. Attorney-client privilege protects your information, and a lawyer cannot use it against your interests.

To provide the divorce help that you need, an attorney must know the facts as soon as possible.  Surprises can be disconcerting and prevent the attorney from providing the best representation.  Be completely honest, and let your lawyer decide what to use in your favor.

Discussing the divorce process

A divorce attorney who takes on your case should attempt to educate you about the process.  Relay your thoughts about the situation honestly, and try to keep your emotions from affecting the information you provide. There are many issues that need to be sorted out, such as parenting time, child custody, property division, and child support. Providing full and accurate information allows the attorney to make the best assessment of your situation going forward.

When filing for divorce in the Chicago area, you may be asked to consider alternative dispute resolution methods.  Mediation and collaborative law practices have grown in popularity because they provide the following benefits:

When you need trusted divorce help

When you come prepared for your meeting with a divorce lawyer at Gordon & Perlut, LLC, we can advise you with confidence.  Contact our Chicago divorce lawyers online or call  312.360.0250 for our Chicago office or  847.329.0101 for our Skokie office.