What are your practice areas and credentials?
Family law issues are complex. You want a Board Certified Family Law Specialist on your team and attorneys who limit their practice to divorce law. These are professionals who recognize the issues in your case, know the recent changes in the law, and are sensitive to the difficult process you’re going through. They are knowledgeable about state and federal laws in custody, tax, child support, insurance, property rights, and retirement plans.
Are you trained in alternative forms of dispute resolution?
More than 90 percent of divorces are resolved, by agreement, without ever going to court. A no court divorce can save you significantly in time, money, and heartache. Attorneys trained in other forms of divorce resolution help you maintain control of the process, retain your dignity, and provide a chance to be heard. All Rosen attorneys are trained in mediation, collaborative divorce, and other forms of alternative dispute resolution.
Can you tell me, in advance, how much this divorce is going to cost and will you guarantee that price?
Be sure you know in advance what your divorce will cost. If an attorney cannot pin down fees for representing your interests, look for an attorney with the experience and knowledge to advise you properly. If you choose to work with a firm that charges by the hour, get them to tell you how many hours it will take and get it in writing. Make sure this includes all services necessary for resolving your case or get those costs confirmed in advance in order to make an accurate cost comparison.
At Rosen, you are quoted a guaranteed fixed fee on day one that includes all services, including conferences, obtaining information from you and your spouse concerning your assets, liabilities, income and expenses, and making recommendations concerning property division and support settlement negotiations with your spouse’s attorney; the preparation or review of a separation agreement and property settlement; and, if litigation is anticipated, all litigation documents, discovery, trial preparation, settlement negotiations, and trials.
How many cases do you handle at one time?
You want someone who has the time to give you the attention you need and keep up with current developments in divorce law. Many attorneys have more than 50 cases open at one time. At Rosen Law Firm, we limit each attorney’s caseload to 15 – 25 clients. That gives us time to call you back, answer your email, deal with unexpected developments, and respect the importance of your situation.
What kinds of systems and technology do you have set up to keep me informed about my case and make this process as hassle-free as possible for me?
Your bank, your stockbroker, your retirement plan, the utility companies, even Wal-Mart and Target give you 24/7 access to your personal information online. We think your law firm should too. That’s why at Rosen we make your confidential client file available to you via the internet. Your attorney should also be available to you through any means of communication most convenient for you whether that be via phone, email, Skype or text messaging.
We use technology to provide quick access to the members of your team and all of your incoming and outgoing documents. Our automated systems will even alert you via email of every change in your client file so you can log in and stay abreast of the most recent developments.
Can I Count On You?
We’ve all had experience with unreliable people. Maybe you have a friend that’s great to spend time but not someone you’d ever trust to watch your children. Perhaps, you’ve dealt with a contractor who promises completed work in a day but doesn’t show up for weeks, calls last minute to reschedule and adds some staggering surprise fees. Whatever the case may be, there are plenty of people you can’t count on.
The same goes with some law offices; we’re not a category exempt from fault. So ask your potential attorney, ‘can I count on you to protect my interests?’ If they hesitate or spit back an empty “of course” without explaining why they’re reliable, think twice about hiring the firm.
At Rosen Law Firm, we make promises and stand behind them.
