Divorce Lawyer Consultation Questions to Choose the Best Attorney for You

These important questions to ask a divorce lawyer during your initial lawyer consultation can help you choose the best attorney to handle your case.

by Noah Rosenfarb 

The best attorney isn’t the most expensive or the most experienced. The best attorney is someone who can handle your case in the manner in which you would like and obtain you a fair result at a fair price.

Law offices sign on side of building

It’s critical that you match the experience level and size of the firm you hire with the needs of your case. Know who you are hiring and why you are hiring them.

These questions can help you find that person.

Questions about general experience

You want an attorney who practices family law and can meet your needs, depending on if you have minor children, how big the marital estate is, and if you think your divorce will be contested. Here are some questions to ask:

  1. How many divorce cases have you handled? 

  2. What percentage of your cases are in my county? 

  3. What percentage of your cases go to trial? 

  4. How many of these cases involved _____________ [child custody, support, business valuations, or large financial settlements - issues which may be a major concern for you]? 

  5. Do you have the available time to take on my case? 

  6. Do you know the attorney for my spouse?

Questions about day-to-day operations

You may not communicate directly with your attorney concerning certain aspects of your divorce. These questions will help you ascertain who will be working on your case:

  • Who will assist you on my case? Can I meet them now? 

  • What is the experience of the people assisting you? 

  • What work would each member of the team do and what work would you do? 

  • Who will attend settlement conferences, meetings, etc.? 

  • Who will handle court appearances? What about a trial? 

  • If I have questions, whom do I call? 

  • What hours are you usually in the office? 

  • Do you have any time-consuming cases coming up? 

  • Will I get copies of all paperwork in my case?

Questions about fees

It's critical to get an idea of roughly how much divorce will cost. Unless the attorney charges a flat fee, costs can vary depending on how complicated your case is. These questions can help you avoid sticker shock when you get the final bill:

  1. What are the billing rates for each team member?

  2. Will your rate change if we have to go to trial? 

  3. Do you charge a retainer, and how much is it? 

  4. What happens when the retainer is used up? 

  5. Will you keep me informed each month as to how much of the retainer has been depleted? 

  6. What happens if I can't pay you when the bill comes in? 

  7. How can I get my spouse to pay for my legal fees? 

  8. How much will I be billed for copies of documents? 

  9. What extra costs should I expect besides hourly charges? 

  10. Am I billed for phone calls and how much? 

  11. Is there a minimum amount of time you bill me for? 

  12. 12. What is the average fee for a case you handle from start to finish?

Questions about how the case will be handled

You don't want to be totally left in the dark about how you case is going. Asking these questions can help you determine how much you'll be kept in the loop:

  • What type of participation will I have in decisions concerning the strategies in my case?

  • How will I be kept updated on developments in my case?

  • What issues do you anticipate occurring in my case?

  • How much do you think my divorce will cost based on my situation? 


In addition to the above divorce lawyer consultation questions, here are some related articles about choosing a divorce lawyer and more: