There are a number of experienced family law attorneys in the Albuquerque area. When qualifications and experience are matched, how do you choose? How do you know from a website or a Yellow Pages listing which lawyer you feel confident about and comfortable working with?
The truth is you probably can’t. However, you can tell more about the kind of working relationship you may have with a family law attorney based on your first inquiry about a consultation.
To find an attorney who takes you and your case seriously, who understands that you may be going through a very emotionally difficult time, you need to make sure your first impression meets your expectations.
Expect to Have Your Call Answered or Promptly Returned
No matter what family law issue you need legal counsel regarding—divorce, child custody modifications, adoption, etc.—you want your attorney to take you and your case seriously. Having a phone call, voicemail message or email ignored for days communicates just the opposite. And, if an attorney will ignore your initial attempts to contact him or her, that behavior is unlikely to change once you have retained their services. There is no reason to settle for a lawyer who starts the working relationship on their own terms.
You should expect to have your inquiry phone call or email taken immediately or responded to promptly. At The Law Office of Dorene A. Kuffer, we take calls. Period. If we are unable to answer your call, we respond immediately, usually within a few hours, but always within a single business day. You will speak to an experienced and friendly paralegal who will gather basic information about your needs and begin to pair you with the attorney who has the experience you need. By the end of the phone call, you should have an initial consultation scheduled and a clear understanding of what you need to bring to make your first meeting the most productive.
Expect to Be Treated with Respect
You are seeking legal counsel because you know an attorney’s help is crucial in navigating the legal process and getting your interests served. But just because an attorney possesses expertise in family law does not give them license to talk down to you.
You should expect to be treated with respect and dignity. You are the expert on your situation and your needs. You are the reason that family law attorneys work. At the Law Office of Dorene A. Kuffer, the paralegals who answer the phone will be courteous and friendly and take the time to explain terms or processes with which you are unfamiliar without being condescending. When you meet with your attorney for the initial consultation, you can expect the same. They will guide you through the legal jargon, explain your options and advise you on the best course of action, but in their words and actions, they will always make it clear that you are in the driver’s seat because it is your family matter at stake.
Expect to Feel Comfortable and that Your Case Matters
Sometimes determining if the relationship between you and an attorney is going to work comes down to a gut feeling. Working with your attorney will require complete honesty. If you feel like you need to hold information back because you are afraid of being judged or just do not feel at ease because of the attorney’s demeanor or personality, trust your gut instinct. If you get the sense that you are just another case number or paycheck to the attorney, find someone else.
When you see an attorney for an initial consultation, understandably, you may be nervous. You should expect a family law attorney to have experience dealing with emotional situations and clients who may have a hard time keeping those emotions at bay. At the Law Office of Dorene A. Kuffer, we are sensitive to our clients’ emotional states. Whether you need to cry or yell, we give you the space to do so, and we will gently guide you forward—past the hurt, past the anger—through the objective, legal concerns so that by the end of the initial consultation, you have a clear idea of your options.
To work with a family law attorney who meets your expectation for reliable counsel, contact the Law Office of Dorene A. Kuffer to schedule an initial consultation.