According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the divorce rate in America has come down since it’s all time high in the 1980’s and 90’s. Despite this encouraging trend, divorce remains a very common and unfortunate outcome for a high percentage of marriages. As such, many people will need the services of a divorce attorney to help them during this difficult experience. The question, of course, is how do you know who you should choose as your divorce attorney? At the Kirbo Law Firm, we understand how important this decision is, so here are some factors you may want to consider.

Experience: One of the most important considerations is experience.  Divorce is not just about splitting with your husband or wife, its about laying the foundation for the rest of your life.  Its about your children, your home, your cars, your bank accounts, your retirement accounts – everything. The more experience your attorney has in negotiating these specific issues, the better off you will be. In addition, the more experience your attorney has, the more likely they will know what your judge will need before issuing a ruling in your case and will be in a better position to get you the best representation possible.

Personal Connection: Divorce is extremely personal since it encompasses everything in your life.  Therefore, you need to be sure you feel comfortable with your divorce lawyer.  There is a reason lawyers are also called counselors. An experienced divorce attorney knows that its not just statutes and case law, there are real people with real problems at the end of every case.  You need someone who will see your problems as their own, and will help you figure out the best way to solve them

Familiarity with Judges: One factor you may not have considered is the attorney’s familiarity with the judges. Judges are people too, and they each have their own personalities just like everyone else. Each judge may have certain things that may be more important to them than another judge and you need to be sure that your lawyer knows what these things are. You also need to have a lawyer that has earned the respect of the judges in your area because this could give you a huge advantage from the beginning of your case.

Gender – Really?: Does the gender of your lawyer really matter in a divorce?  Well, like anything else, the answer is…  maybe.  This issue may seem taboo to some, but when making a decision this important, everything needs to be considered.  There are certain times that an attorney’s gender could help you, but it most likely is not a major consideration in most cases.  The issues like experience, your personal connection, and the lawyer’s reputation are almost always more important.

So if you find yourself in the unfortunate situation of navigating a divorce, give us a call at the Kirbo Law Firm and find out what we have to offer you.  We’ve been helping people make it through a divorce successfully for decades and we take pride in our reputation as being the best advocate for our clients we can be.