Qualities to Seek:

• An attorney you feel comfortable working with and in whom you have confidence.

• An attorney who will explain the process and applicable law to you in terms you understand.

• An attorney within your financial means.

• An attorney who has a facility with numbers and is financially sophisticated.

• An attorney who is responsive to your needs.

• An attorney who has available to him/her sufficient support resources (e.g. paralegals, secretaries, associate attorneys).

• An attorney who is accessible to you (and promptly returns all phone calls) .

• An attorney who specializes in matrimonial/divorce or family law and who has in depth experience in these fields.

Questions to Ask:

• How long have you been practicing matrimonial/divorce/family law?

• What, if any, is the extent of your “in Court” experience?

• Does your firm handle other matters besides matrimonial/divorce/family law? If so, what percentage of your law practice is represented by matrimonial/divorce/family law cases?

• Are you familiar with the New York Courts and the New York Judges?

• What are the options available to resolve my case? In my particular situation, which would you recommend?

• What is the extent of your support staff?

• Who will handle my case? Will it be the partner or an associate or both?

• What are your hourly rates?

• What are the hourly rates of any associates and/or paralegals who will work on my case?

• Will you provide me with an itemized monthly bill?

• How do you calculate your billable hours?

• If I have a question about my case, can I call you? How quickly can I expect to have my calls returned?

• If we are unable to negotiate a settlement and my divorce goes to trial, will your firm represent me in court or recommend me to another firm?

• What can I do to minimize my legal expenses?

• What do you expect from me?

• What documents do I need to produce?