Are you going through a divorce and are wondering how to pick a contested divorce lawyer/attorney? There’s no way to sugarcoat the process, divorce may be the most stressful life event that you ever encounter. Part of this stress involves an uncertainty of what to expect with the legal process that leads to divorce. Additionally, most people aren’t thrilled about the prospect of meeting with a divorce attorney. Finally, New Mexico laws tend to be written in an outdated and formal language. Because of this fact, at times, New Mexico law reads like a foreign language.
When going through a divorce, it is important to be picky about the contested divorce lawyer/attorney that you choose. However, most people have never considered the best strategy for picking a divorce attorney.
Here are some elements to consider when picking a contested divorce lawyer/attorney.
EXPERIENCE MATTERS
Experience matters when picking an attorney. Likely, you’ve heard the cliché, “practice makes perfect.” In some respects, this cliché applies to the practice of law. For instance, trial practice results in a better understanding of the gray areas with New Mexico law.
For example, laws are created by the New Mexico legislature. Not all laws are written well. For instance, some laws are written poorly and are unclear. This lack of clarity causes different interpretations of the law. In other words, different judges can interpret the law differently. Accordingly, trial practice enables a lawyer to understand how a particular judge will rule on a specific legal issue.
Additionally, trial practice enables an attorney to predict the likely outcome on a given issue. This is important because sometimes the cost of trial outweighs the benefit. In other words, sometimes it is better to resolve your divorce outside of court.
In short, experience matters. However, does years of experience equal level of performance? Consider this – who is your favorite athlete? Are you not a sports fan? Ok, then who is your favorite author, artist, musician, or chief? Do you have a person in mind? Great. Did that person reach their peak at the beginning or end of their career? Likely, that person peaked somewhere in the middle. In other words, experience matters, but years of practice doesn’t always equal level of performance.
PERSONALITY MATTERS — PICKING A CONTESTED DIVORCE LAWYER/ATTORNEY
You can pick the highest quality oil and it still won’t mix with water. Simply put, oil and water don’t mix well. Similarly, you may not blend with an attorney’s personality. At times, different personality types cause a chemical reaction like mixing Diet Coke and Mentos.
Because of this fact, it’s important to consider your attorney’s personality.
Do you get a good vibe from your attorney? Additionally, do you mesh well with your attorney? If not, you might not work well with your attorney. Consequently, this lack of chemistry may cause a lackluster reaction that negatively impacts your case.
TALK TO SEVERAL EXPERIENCED ATTORNEYS – PICKING A CONTESTED DIVORCE LAWYER/ATTORNEY
When shopping for a new car, do you choose the first car that you see? How about fruits and vegetables? Do you pick the first produce that catches your eye?
If so, you should consider a new approach when picking an uncontested divorce lawyer/attorney.
Specifically, it is best to speak with several experienced attorneys. In doing so, you can better gage how well you mix with a particular attorney.
THE GOOD, BAD, AND UGLY
As we have seen, it is important to consider an attorney’s experience. Additionally, it is imperative to consider how well you mesh with an attorney. With that in mind, it’s also important to choose a contested divorce attorney/lawyer that will give you the good, bad, and ugly.
Any rookie attorney can tell you what you want to hear. For instance, any salesman or attorney can passionately tell a client that they can achieve their desired goal. However, at times, the reality of New Mexico law and policies do not align with a client’s goal.
All divorces are not created equally. For example, some divorces involve long marriages with substantial assets. Conversely, some divorces are short with little assets. Finally, some cases involve cases where one spouse was the primary breadwinner.
Your divorce’s facts will vary from another divorce. Accordingly, there may be good and bad facts within your case. At times, a case’s facts make a desired result unlikely. For instance, possibly you do not want to pay spousal support because your divorce was caused by infidelity. Despite this goal, the court does not consider infidelity when determining alimony/spousal support.
In other words, your desired goal of not paying alimony may not be realistic. Additionally, possibly other goals are not realistic, based on your case’s unique facts. Accordingly, it is important to find a lawyer that will give you the good, bad, and ugly – not just the good. As mentioned, any rookie lawyer can tell you what you want to hear.
DON’T BE FOOLED BY THE SMOKE AND FIREWORKS OF EXPENSIVE ADVERTISING
Some legal websites and advertisements are quite impressive. However, the quality of a lawyer’s advertisements doesn’t equal the quality of representation. This phenomenon is like the Wizard of Oz. In the Wizard of Oz, the main characters were enamored and frightened by the Wizard’s towering display of power and ability.
However, the Wizard behind the smoke and fireworks was just an ordinary, frail human. Similarly, behind a lawyer’s towering advertisements that proclaim divorce dominance may stand a rookie, associate lawyer. Behind your lawyer’s curtain you may find a baby lawyer.
Beware of the bait and switch that occurs with legal websites. At times, the attorney on the billboard, website, or commercial is not the attorney that you initially meet. Additionally, the attorney that you initially meet may not be the attorney that stands by you in court. When considering an attorney, consider the attorney that will be standing by your side in court.
CONTESTED DIVORCE LAWYER/ATTORNEY IN ALBUQUERQUE, NM
Matthew Sanchez has the battle tested experience to handle your divorce case in New Mexico. For over a decade, Sanchez has handled divorces all across New Mexico, including: Albuquerque, Santa Fe, Socorro/Estancia, Rio Rancho, Los Lunas/Belen, and Gallup/Grants. Talk to a seasoned and successful divorce attorney that knows what they are talking about. Talk to (505) SANCHEZ.
Contested Divorce Lawyer/Attorney in Albuquerque, NM
