Meeting with a divorce attorney for the first time can be scary as you start to navigate through the unknown. Many individuals describe the divorce process as one of the worst/most vulnerable times of their lives, so finding an attorney that you feel comfortable with is very important.

During a consult you may feel as though you don’t even know where to begin. If I had to put myself into the shoes of a potential new client, the following list of questions would be what I would ask:

  1. What is the first step?
  2. Does my case have to go to Court?
  3. What happens if my case ends up going to Court?
  4. What can I do to protect myself financially from the moment the divorce starts?
  5. What financial information do you need from me?
  6. How are assets divided during a divorce?
  7. How is separate property defined?
  8. If children are involved, I would ask for an explanation of custody and parenting time.
  9. Based on my income and the income I know my spouse to make, am I entitled to maintenance?
  10. Based on my income and the income I know my spouse to make, am I entitled to child support?
  11. What are the key things you tell clients not to do during the divorce process?
  12. Who will be responsible for paying my attorney fees; my spouse or me?

These questions are aimed to be more basic questions and as you speak with a divorce attorney your questions will most likely evolve into additional questions. The most important thing to keep in mind is that a good attorney will guide you through the process and always be there to answer any question pertaining to your divorce matter.

Our team at Jaspan Schlesinger Narendran LLP offer free matrimonial consults. If you would like to schedule a consultation with one of the members of our matrimonial team, please contact us at (516) 746-8000.