We understand how important it is to know what you are getting yourself into before you meet with a family law lawyer – and how overwhelming the process can seem. Whether you’re here to get information about the divorce process, children’s issues, separation of assets, domestic violence, or financial agreements, we want our clients to feel safe and confident when they sit down for their first family law consultation.
It’s Just a Conversation
A Family law consultation encompasses many aspects of life; divorce, parenting matters, de facto issues, financial issues, and estate planning all fall under this broad umbrella. Making the decision to seek advice from an experienced family law solicitor can be stressful, but it doesn’t have to be. At Baldwins Lawyers, we pride ourselves on taking the time to not only understand your legal issues, but to thoroughly get to know each and everyone of our clients, and truly understand their unique situation.
Our Family law consultations start with a simple conversation about your current circumstances. This is the time to build rapport with one another, and to really listen to what you have to say. The goal is to have a deeper understanding of our clients’ unique situation, and ultimately how that applies to the law. This helps map our options and chart a course for a desired outcome. Most importantly, for you, this is a great opportunity to find a lawyer you can truly connect with, trust, and feel comfortable as being the best fit.
Gaining the necessary knowledge for our client’s case is just one part of the family law consultation. Issues surrounding family law can be difficult to discuss – particularly those issues surrounding children, domestic violence, and financial change. Honest and open communication between clients and lawyers play an integral role throughout any case and the initial family law consultation is the building block of this relationship.
How to Prepare
Family law matters are impossible to predict, but it’s important that our client’s leave the initial family law consultation feeling understood and supported. In order to get the most out of a consultation, preparation is key. Here are a few ways we suggest preparing for your time with a family law lawyer:
Create a list of questions and concerns. This helps to ensure you don’t forget to ask anything and gives our lawyers a better understanding of your unique situation. You can be assured that we will do our best to answer all the questions we can.Review your finances. Before any family law matter can be resolved, if finances are a matter at issue, it is very helpful to have a detailed understanding of your financial situation including incomes, assets, and liabilities. Do be prepared to discuss your financial situation at length during the consultation. We understand that some clients may not have a clear understanding of their financial situation, but that is ok. If you can provide copies of important financial documents, like a tax return, then that will help.Gather documents. Depending on your matter, certain documents may be involved prior to your consultation. For example, you may have been served with documents. If so, we can review these documents and will be in a better position to advise your accordingly.
What to Expect
Meeting with a lawyer for the first time can be a stressful experience, but it’s an important first step. We are here to walk you through the process. Preparation, organization, and communication is what helps our clients get the most from their first family law consultation.
The first meeting is a straightforward confidential information gathering session. Our lawyers review the case and ask questions to help them better understand the situation. In turn, clients receive advice on how to best make an informed decision moving forward.
Next Steps
We are confident that our experience in Family Law can guide you successfully through any related legal matter that may arise. We are passionate about what we do and take great pride in helping individuals and families move forward in their lives.
We can help. Just give us a call.
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