It’s no secret that divorce can be expensive. In fact, most legal matters are. The expense associated with divorce sometimes prompts couples do take the do-it-yourself approach. But in such cases, the divorce settlement reached may be unfair and may end up costing much more money in the long run.
There are smarter ways to save money than trying to divorce without the representation of an attorney. In fact, many cost-saving measures have to do with how to best utilize your attorney’s time and legal knowledge.
In a recent Huffington Post article, a paralegal shared some cost-saving advice based on her experience working for a family law firm. Her tips largely revolve around managing contact with your family law attorney. In short, it’s important to remember that time is money. Phone calls and emails to your attorney are usually considered billable time, which means that you should be as time-efficient as possible.
Rather than calling the law firm every time you have a question or concern, consider writing a list of questions and calling only once a week or so. Emails can also be more time-efficient than phone calls because in writing the email, your thoughts will already be clearly organized when presented to your attorney.
You will also want to be on time and prepared for all court appearances, mediation sessions and other face-to-face meetings. In addition to minimizing billable hours, being on time and prepared will likely give you a leg up in negotiations.
Please check back later this week as we discuss other ways to minimize your divorce costs while still utilizing the services of an experienced family law attorney.
Source: the Huffington Post, “10 Ways to Help Cap the Cost of Divorce,” Janice Billman, Jan. 17, 2014
