How to Prepare for an Initial Consultation with Your Divorce Lawyer
5th April, 2022
An initial consultation with your divorce solicitor can often be a daunting prospect, as not many of us know what to expect from these meetings. It is common to feel a sense of dread before these appointments, however, clients always feel relieved and reassured by the end of their consultation.
Knowing what will be discussed in your initial consultation and effectively preparing, is the best approach to mitigate any worries you may be facing. This article will identify what an initial consultation with your divorce lawyer entails and the top ways that you can prepare for your first encounter.
What to Expect from An Initial Consultation with Your Divorce Solicitor
The most important thing to remember going into your initial consultation, is that your family solicitor is there to support and guide you through this stressful time. Being open and honest in this consultation is crucial, so that your divorce solicitor can understand the full picture.
In the initial consultation, your divorce solicitor will explore the reasoning behind the consultation, and they will often discuss whether or not your relationship could be saved through counselling, therapy, or mediation. If this is not suitable for your circumstances, then they will discuss the options you have in proceeding with your divorce or separation and the processes involved with those options. Your divorce solicitor will advise you on options that are most amicable and cost effective as possible for you.
Your divorce solicitor will also discuss any additional matters that are relevant to your case in your initial consultation, such as child arrangements and financial issues. Advice in regard to financial matters typically addresses interim financial arrangements including child maintenance and spousal maintenance issues.
5 Ways to Prepare for Your Initial consultation with your Family Solicitor
To ensure you are effectively using time during your initial consultation with your divorce solicitor, there are ways that you can prepare for the meeting.
Relationship Summary
To ensure you do not forget key dates and events, you should prepare a chronological history of your marriage or relationship that you can talk through with your solicitor. You should identify relevant dates including when you commenced cohabitation, when you were married, the dates that any children were born and the dates of relevant financial transactions.
Financial Summary
Preparing a simple summary of your current financial situation, including details of any assets and their current valuations and details of both yours and your partner’s incomes is advised. This will allow your solicitor to understand your financial situation and make suitable suggestions on next steps.
Child Arrangements
You should consider what routine of care would work best for your children during and after the divorce. Thinking about this prior to the meeting allows you to discuss this with your solicitor and receive advice on whether this option is the most suitable for your situation.
Relevant Documents
If you are unsure on exactly what documentation to bring to an initial consultation, you can call your divorce solicitor and ask. Otherwise, just bring documents that you feel are relevant, such as a letter from your partner’s solicitor. If you forget any documents, then they can be brought to future meetings or sent via email or post if they are urgent. However, preparing documents in advance ensures your initial meeting is as productive as possible.
Question Lists
It is always recommended to think of questions that you are wanting to ask prior to the meeting and taking the list with you. This ensures that any questions you have, that have not already been addressed during the meeting, will also be answered.
Ward Hadaway’s divorce solicitors are dedicated to guiding our clients through this difficult time with empathy, support, and advice each step of the way. Contact our divorce specialists today to arrange an initial consultation by telephone, Zoom, Teams or in person at a time to suit you and discuss your options.
To find out more about how our experienced team can help you and your family, please submit your details below and we will be in touch.
Please note that this briefing is designed to be informative, not advisory and represents our understanding of English law and practice as at the date indicated. We would always recommend that you should seek specific guidance on any particular legal issue.
This page may contain links that direct you to third party websites. We have no control over and are not responsible for the content, use by you or availability of those third party websites, for any products or services you buy through those sites or for the treatment of any personal information you provide to the third party.
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