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There are several ways in which you can communicate
with your divorce lawyer, but some methods may be more effective
than others. When a marriage dissolves there are several important
topics that need to be discussed and sorted out such as child
custody and visitation, division of property, and support. Communicating
effectively with your attorney about such issues will help your
lawyer properly gather the information he/she needs to put your
case together and can reduce your attorney fees at the same time.
In-Person
Meeting with your attorney in-person when there
is an extensive amount of material to go through is often a wise
choice. When you meet with an attorney face-to-face there is less
chance for distraction and it is more likely you will have the
attorney’s undivided attention. Any material you or your
attorney may have can be reviewed and any questions can be addressed.
Each party will have an equal opportunity to discuss and cover
any important details. Additionally, the amount of time spent
in an in-person meeting is traceable and should be reflected accurately
on your attorney bill.
E-mail
Assuming your attorney checks his/her e-mail regularly,
email communications with your attorney can be very effective,
especially if a response is not needed immediately or an attachment
needs to be sent. Unlike faxes, there is usually no charge to
receive an e-mail. However, there will be a cost for your attorney
to review and respond to your e-mail. Therefore, it is extremely
important to keep your e-mail concise and to the point. This is
often a difficult adjustment for those who have a tendency to
write wordy e-mails. Further, depending on how savvy your attorney
is with technology, he/she may spend more time in an e-mail communication
than if the message were communicated via phone or fax. Further,
the amount of time an attorney actually spends in an e-mail communication
is virtually untraceable, so you will want to closely monitor
your bill to make sure the charges are reasonable.
Telephone
One of the most common forms of communication
you may have with your attorney may be via telephone. Telephone
communications can be very effective, especially when you or your
attorney have a quick question. Such communication is quick and
timely. Additionally, the time spent on the telephone is the most
traceable form of communication. The time spent on the phone may
be recorded on your phone bill and should be reflected accurately
on your attorney bill. However, problems may arise when more than
a couple questions need to be covered. Long telephone calls can
be subject to distractions and retaining large amounts of information
can become an issue.
Fax
Communications with your attorney via fax can
be very useful. For example, when a lengthy document needs to
be reviewed or if your signature is required on a document (and
a faxed copy of your signature is acceptable), faxes can save
you an unnecessary trip to your attorney’s office or the
wait time associated with mailings. Like the postage fee for a
mailing, there may be a cost associated with the fax, such as
the call charge or the time a person in your attorney’s
office had to stand in front of the fax to send or receive documents.
Mailing
Communications with your attorney via mail can
be very effective when a reviewing of a particular document is
not extremely urgent. Additionally, any serious issues or requests
you may need to make upon your attorney may be best done in writing.
Mailings are a common way attorney’s keep their client informed
or on copy of all filings and communications with opposing counsel.
Mailings are easy to organize and typically easy to manage.
There are several ways in which you can communicate
with your divorce lawyer and choosing the right method can significantly
enhance your communication with him/her. When a marriage dissolves
there are several important topics that need to be discussed and
sorted out such as child custody and visitation, division of property,
and support. Communicating effectively with your attorney about
such issues will help your lawyer properly gather the information
he/she needs to put your case together and can reduce your attorney
fees at the same time.
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