When you come in for your initial consultation with us, the purpose is primarily for you to get to know the attorney and for the attorney to get to know you and your situation. This is your opportunity to get a feeling for the attorney’s style and gauge whether this specific attorney is a good fit for you.
It is important that you find an attorney that shares your values and approach, one who feels like you can work well with. If you decide that the attorney is just not a good fit, feel free to ask us if we might recommend a different attorney in our office.
First we will want to hear about what is going on, what your concerns are, and what your goals are. We need to understand your specific situation so we can start to give you information about our family law services, your options and potential outcomes.
Naturally you do not know what is important and what is less important. You don’t need to feel, though, that you have to tell us everything in one breath; we will ask questions to help steer the conversation to the information we particularly need to know.
The initial consultation is also a good time to ask any questions about the divorce or family law process that you may have. Don’t feel shy – as the old saying goes, there are no stupid questions. Most people we see have never had to see a family law lawyer before, and therefore have no idea what to expect.
As appropriate, we may discuss different process options such as court based litigation, mediation, and collaboration. Each has pluses and minuses, and what is best for one client may not be best for another client.
When you walk out of the initial consultation we hope that you will be starting to feel back in control – that there is a way to move forward and that there will be solutions to your issues.
You will have a lot to think about, decisions about what kind of process is best for you, and you will probably have some homework gathering additional information for your attorney.
If you are ready to come in and talk to one of our attorneys about your family situation, call us at 206-784-3049 or use our contact form to set up a meeting. We can answer your questions and help think about possible next steps.