What to Avoid with Divorce Lawyers

 Longtime Chicago-area family law attorney Raiford Dalton Palmer says in his new bestselling divorce book that people going through marital separation should be careful not to hire an attorney who will encourage their own worst impulses and end up wasting their time and money. 

In “I Just Want This Done: How Smart, Successful People Get Divorced Without Losing Their Kids, Money, and Minds,” Palmer outlines several kinds of lawyers who can end up undermining their client’s case, sometimes by being over indulgent.

“Divorce is often a high-stakes fight over emotional topics, so you need a lawyer who will calm you down and look at things logically,” he said. “Unfortunately, some attorneys find it easier to just agree, while others take advantage of your clouded judgement to pad their fees.”

In the book, Palmer cautions against hiring the following kinds of lawyers: 

• Cheerleaders: These lawyers encourage clients to fight instead of giving them thoughtful advice based on a sober, cost-benefit analysis.
  
  
• Yes Men: These lawyers do whatever a client asks, even if that might undermine their legal strategy or hurt their case in court.
  
  
• Passive: These lawyers lack energy, causing needless delays and failing to take action that might help their clients, dragging out the divorce process.
  
  
• Bad Communicators: These lawyers are inarticulate, fail to explain important decisions, or communicate poorly, sending emails when a phone call would be better.

Overall, Palmer says people getting a divorce should look for a lawyer who will give them straight talk about their options, tell them when they are wrong, work efficiently and effectively and keep lines of communication open with them, the opposing lawyer, and the judge. 

“If you need emotional support, call an old friend or get a counselor,” added Palmer. “But when you talk to your divorce lawyer, you should be getting solid, objective advice on what to do and how to do it, with good follow-through.”

To learn more about Palmer’s new book “I Just Want This Done,” visit: https://www.ijustwantthisdone.com