What Happens During an Initial Consultation with a Fulton Divorce Lawyer?

The initial consultation with your Fulton divorce lawyer is one of the most important steps you’ll take. It is the first step in the process of getting divorced, and it can lay the groundwork for how the process proceeds.

When you first sit down with a divorce lawyer during your consultation, you will likely introduce yourself and explain why you made the consultation appointment. It is important that you are completely open and honest about every detail of your divorce. We need to fully understand your unique situation and what is going on in order to know what type of legal strategy may be essential to move forward.

Part one: getting to know each other, and learning about your needs

Before anything else, you will need to give background information about your relationship, such as how long you have been married, if you are currently separated from your spouse, how many children you have, and so forth.

The initial consultation is also the time to explain to your attorney if there are any outstanding issues – significant debts, for example, or a history of addiction. If you are worried about abuse, now is the time to say it, so that your lawyer – assuming you both want to work together – can get started on a protective order.

Next, we’ll look at any paperwork or documentation you may have brought along with you. Some clients send this information ahead of time, but not everyone, and that’s okay. For example, if you bring copies of your financial statements, we can review them quickly with you. (We’ll spend more time doing an in-depth review later, so that the initial consultation doesn’t last for 12 hours straight.) We may also ask for specific types of documents – wills, copies of trusts, credit card statements, pay stubs – or, if you’re alleging one of the few grounds for divorce still allowed in Maryland, for any proof of that ground.

Note: if you feel like it is difficult to retain all the information that your lawyer is giving you, you can ask them if you can take notes. Most attorneys expect you to have further questions about the information they give you. At McCabe Russell, we make sure that there is always someone to answer your questions, such as an attorney or a team member who will assist on your case.

Information about the current laws that may play a role in your case

After the lawyer has a good understanding about your divorce case and what is going on in your life, they will explain in detail current divorce, child custody, and child support laws in Maryland that may play a role in your case. You should know these laws and how they may affect you going forward so you can make informed decisions. In addition, they will go over what the divorce process consists of and what you should expect in the coming months.

Getting down to business: what happens once you’ve covered the basics

Once you have learned about the laws surrounding your case and how they may impact your divorce, we can start to discuss your needs and goals in earnest. The goal is to reach a resolution with your ex-spouse or partner and to reach an outcome that works for you. In a perfect world, both parties will be amenable to compromise and reach this outcome easily, but this is not always the case. To that end, our Fulton divorce attorneys may sketch out some potential pathways to resolution, just so you know how the process may proceed. We cannot guarantee we will take one path or another, but we can show you there are options available to you.

Common questions for a Fulton divorce attorney during your initial consultation

Lastly, before your consultation is over, you will be given the opportunity to ask us any questions that you have about your case and how we plan to handle it. This is a crucial part of the consultation, because we all deserve an opportunity to see if we fit together. (Not all potential clients are the right fit for us, and we are not always the right choice for them.) Some of the questions you should remember to ask include:

• How long do you think my divorce case will take?
• What is your fee structure?
• Is mediation an option, or do you think that I will have to go to court?
• What types of evidence and information should I begin gathering to help my case?
• Why do you think you may be the best lawyer for my case? What makes you unique/stand out from other attorneys?

If you have questions or concerns about your upcoming consultation or need to schedule a consultation to begin discussing your divorce, please do not hesitate to get in touch with the divorce lawyers at McCabe Russell, PA. Our team is experienced, skilled, and knowledgeable when it comes to various types of divorce cases. Therefore, if you decide to work with us, you can rest assured knowing that you are in great legal hands. Whenever you are ready, we invite you to fill out our contact form or call our office to begin pursuing your new life after divorce. We have multiple office locations for your convenience, which are located in Fulton, Bethesda, Rockville, and Columbia.