Graduating law school does not a good attorney make — this, according to a new piece from Huffington Post contributor Caroline Choi. Choi herself is a family law attorney, so she has a bit of a right to speak on the subject. As an online divorce service, we find her words reaffirming for those of you considering a DIY online divorce. The end of a marriage is a fertile ground for conflict. You don’t want your attorney to add to your problems. Here are the five signs of why you should break up with your divorce attorney according to Choi:
For our purposes today, we’d like to tackle numbers one, two, and four.
Starting from the top, it’s hard to believe an attorney you’re paying would actually blow you off, but many do. When you decide to file for divorce on your own, you become the ultimate responsive party. If something needs to be filed, then you can make sure it gets done right away. Services like ours enable you to know all the forms associated with a divorce in your area, and we walk you through each so you can ensure all bases are covered.
Secondly, you’re never in the dark about your case. If you have a non-combative relationship with your soon-to-be-ex, you can communicate directly with him or her over the case and make filing your own divorce papers a mutual responsibility. Of course, we know that most divorce has conflict, but a significant number of spouses just want out, and they’re able to work through their differences in mediation.
Finally, when it comes to strategy, an attorney should have your best interests at heart. Sometimes their experience should trump your own and you should listen to what they have to say about strategies related to your divorce. However, a good attorney will be able to explain clearly why their way of doing things is best in a given situation. Attorneys who cannot clearly lay out their case to you won’t be able to do so in a courtroom.
(Here’s Choi’s full advice if you’re interested.)
In Summary
You were born with a brain, and you’re capable of understanding divorce and navigating its intricacies on your own. While an attorney can be especially helpful in a difficult, combative divorce, you don’t need one to complete the process. Services like ours can help you and your spouse achieve freedom and peace of mind more quickly and affordably. If you’re feeling like breaking up with your divorce attorney, then have a little faith in yourself. This process is not above you.