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Since 2001, findgreatlawyers.com has been the leader in providing Illinois family law attorney referrals. Our staff of attorneys will speak with you, answer your questions and recommend an independent attorney that we feel is right for you. If you would like our help please contact us at any time.

Family law cases like divorce, child custody or support can be stressful. One thing that will ease your burden to a degree is an attorney who represents you well and works to achieve your goals. We often get asked "What should I ask an attorney when I interview them?" Here are ten suggestions that hopefully will help you make the right decision.

1. Have you had cases in the past with similar facts? It’s important that your attorney have experience representing cases similar to yours. You don’t want anyone cutting his teeth on your case or to be anyone’s guinea pig.
2. What percentage of your practice is family law? If you have a particularly tough case, then it should preferably be 90% or more. If it's not at least 50%, you should probably keep looking.
3. How will you communicate with me? You are the customer. How do you prefer to receive communication? Preferably by phone or email? Let your attorney know. Keep in mind, however, that your attorney may be forced at times to communicate with you by a short email or phone message due to time constraints and other demands but, overall, he is representing you and should keep you abreast of all major developments and issues.
4. How often will I get a bill and will it be itemized? You should receive a bill at least once per month if the case is active and ongoing. It should be itemized, meaning it should break down exactly how much time was spent doing what activity. The activities should be detailed, such as "Telephone conference with opposing counsel re: settlement agreement." If an activity doesn’t make sense or the amount of time spent doing the activity seems excessive, speak up. Your attorney should be happy to explain why he did something or why it took the indicated amount of time and should never have to pay for something that didn’t add value to your case.
5. Will there be costs associated with my case? You may see costs on your monthly invoice as well, such as court filing fees. Find out what other costs may be involved, such as a private investigator or child psychologist/expert witness. You want to avoid sticker shock and get a preliminary estimate of what these costs will be.
6. Are you going to handle my case or will someone else be working on it? Oftentimes, you may have an initial meeting with the head partner at the firm but a younger associate will actually handle your case. Make sure you know who exactly will be working on it and that you are comfortable with their level of experience. Again, you don’t want anyone cutting their teeth on your case.
7. If the case is filed and you know who the Judge is, ask them to tell you about that Judge. If your attorney is seasoned in the area of family law, then he will be familiar with the different judges in the family courts. The more you know, the better. Find out about the Judge’s history, track record on certain matters and temperament.
8. What percentage of your practice is in the county where my case will be filed? As with the above, you want an attorney who is familiar with the Judge assigned to your case. If your attorney appears frequently in family court in the county where your case will be filed, it can only help you. He will be familiar with the judges and be better equipped in dealing with the Judge’s nuances and manner.
9. Now that you have heard about my case, what would your strategy be to meet my goals if I hired you? Make sure that you are on the same page. Indicate what you ultimately want and make sure that your attorney’s strategy works toward that goal. Also, ask yourself whether the strategy sounds reasonable. Would a judge or your ex agree to this? How would they react?
10. What am I not thinking about that I should? A seasoned family lawyer has seen many cases, many situations, many issues. He should help you see the big picture and even bring up things you may have not yet considered.

If the attorney’s answers to the above questions do not satisfy you, keep looking. You should have an attorney representing you who you feel comfortable with. Of course asking these questions doesn’t guarantee a result for you, but hopefully it will help you weed out the wrong attorney before you hire them.

If you have any general questions or if you would like our assistance in finding the right attorney for your situation, please contact us at any time. All inquiries are free and confidential.