There are a lot of blogs that focus on giving women divorce advice. This two–part blog focuses on providing some advice about divorce for the guys!
BE PICKY IN CHOOSING YOUR DIVORCE LAWYER
Don’t settle for the lawyer your friend or family member used in their divorce, interview several attorneys before you choose one to represent you. It is important to work with an attorney that you trust and you have confidence in their ability to protect your best interests. Your lawyer is your advocate, so choosing one is one of the most important decisions you can make in your divorce.
DON’T IMMEDIATELY MOVE OUT
Don’t assume that your wife is entitled to the house and that you must move out. When men panic and immediately move out of the home, it can give their wife leverage when it comes to child custody and visitation. You should confer with your attorney prior to making this type of decision.
CAREFULLY CONSIDER THE STRATEGY YOUR ATTORNEY SUGGESTS
Don’t think that you must be overly aggressive in the divorce proceeding to obtain a positive result. Many attorneys try to “sell” you on the fact that there is a bias against men in an effort to appeal to your emotional side, because this approach typically allows them to incur more fees.
INVEST IN YOUR DIVORCE
This may seem counterintuitive because you want to save money during the divorce process in anticipation of living single, paying alimony, paying child support, and the list goes on. However, sometimes you get what you pay for and obtaining quality advice is paramount to anything else you do. This is your life and your future at stake. Discuss your finances openly with your attorney and how your retainer will be applied to your divorce case. You want your lawyer motivated to work for you, but you want an honest attorney that can explain how your money is being spent. Remember, it will cost you more to hire the wrong attorney and then have to hire a second attorney to clean up the mess.
COMMUNICATION IS KEY
Once you find the “right” attorney for you, it is important to remain involved and active in your divorce case. Don’t make the mistake of dropping off your paperwork and expecting your lawyer to handle everything from there. Make sure you have your legal team’s contact information including email and they have yours, since it is not always easy to catch somebody on the telephone. If your attorney and legal team does not provide an email address, you should proceed with caution because the firm may be behind the times.
Be sure to check out our next blog for more tips for men going through divorce. If you have questions or need advice, contact the Men’s Divorce Law Firm to schedule a consultation with a caring professional, and aggressive advocate for men’s rights in divorce, child timesharing (custody), and paternity matters.
