How to Know a Family Lawyer is Doing Their Job

Have you ever wondered whether or not your family lawyer is really doing their job?  Fortunately, there are some things that you can do in order to ensure that he is getting things done for you.  It’s not a matter of being sneaky or even confrontational.  These are things that anyone can do to ensure that they really do have the best family lawyer working for them.

• Gather together all of the information that your family lawyer has given you. Think about how long it would take to generate this amount of work. Add up all of your bills and divide them by the amount of time you have estimated.  This will tell you how much you are being charged per hour.  If it is an astronomically high amount, it is time to get inquisitive. Call your lawyer.  If you can’t reach them, leave a message.  If your call isn’t returned, call and ask to talk to one of the senior partners.  This will definitely get the ball rolling in your favor.


• Make sure that he is keeping you informed about your court dates.  Since he is the one that will receive this information, it is his job to tell you when you need to be in court so that they don’t rule against you for not showing up.  If your attorney frequently forgets about appearances or asks for adjournments, this is a good sign that he is too busy for you.


• Your attorney should be prepared at all times.  If he can’t seem to find things in a timely manner, then you are paying for him to search for what he needs. 


• Any questions you may have about your attorney’s work ethics should be addressed by your state’s attorney discipline organization.  They have records of which attorneys have received complaints so you can also check into this before hiring an attorney.


• If you find that you don’t trust your attorney or that your personalities don’t mesh, it may be time to find another attorney.  You want to make sure that your best interests are served.