Financial Affidavits are your Friend

And, if you do not give them the attention they deserve, can also be your enemy. I know that completing a financial affidavit is tedious and time consuming. Revising them can feel worse, because you have already gone through all of that work once. But, they are probably the most important document in your entire case. Why? Because it is your statement, your proclamation, of the value of your assets, disclosure of your income and debts, and your cost of living. A court will rely on the numbers that you include, for the better or worse of your case. For example, you have made a guess at the value of your home, and write that value down on your financial affidavit. You and your spouse have written the same value - so the court and everyone involved does not think that there is a dispute about the value of that asset. Then, you find yourself at trial. Somewhere along the line you have realized that your house is worth a lot more than you thought it was, and you hope to get your fair share of that house, but the judge looks at you and says that YOU have already signed a document that stated that your house was only worth the lesser value and that's all you're going to get! You thought that financial affidavit was just a form to fill out, and now the court is taking it seriously!

The above is but one of many examples I could describe to illustrate why your financial affidavit is more than just some form that I am making you fill out, some make work that you should not have to do. Of course, there is more to talk about in the above example, including what I would have discussed with you about the value of your home between the time you filled out your first financial affidavit and trial - but that's another posting.

Communication = Satisfaction?

I think a lot of people have concerns around communication when they have a lawyer. Do you? "Concerns" can run from frustration that your lawyer is so difficult to get in touch with, to frustration with not having things explained well enough, to feeling as though you are not being listened to. I believe that all of that leads to feeling as though your lawyer does not care about your case.

I don't know about other law firms, or other lawyers, but YES, I care! I think you would be surprised to see how much time is taken to consider, worry over, and talk about your case between us at the firm. We quite literally regularly evaluate the status of a cases and try to figure out if there is a better way to help our client reach his or her goals, resolve the case more quickly, or to get the most from each dollar spent. AND, all of that ruminating, strategizing and discussing does not cost you anything; it's time spent that is not being billed to you.

So, how do I make you feel satisfied about communicating with me?

What should you do before you first meet with a lawyer?

As your lawyer, I need to know the facts and details, but I also want to know your story. Think about what you would want your lawyer to know about your situation and the people who are a part of it. What is important to you? What are your goals? What are the best and worse possible outcomes for you? What questions do you have about what may happen in your case? Writing your questions or comments ahead of time may be helpful.

The first meeting is also a good opportunity for you to ask questions about your lawyer, how the office works, how your fees will be kept track of.

Most importantly, the first meeting is your opportunity to see whether you can work with this lawyer as a person. Through a divorce or parenting case, you will be sharing close personal details with your lawyer, relying on him or her, trusting him or her to look out for you as best they can. If you can not "connect" with a lawyer as a person during your first meeting, chances are it will not get better after that. And, if you do not feel comfortable with your lawyer, it is likely that communication will suffer, as well as the case.