Divorce Lawyer

A divorce lawyer is an attorney who specializes in issues pertaining to divorce, including annulments and dissolution of marriage. Divorce lawyers may also be able to help their clients with a wide-range of divorce issues related to family law, including adoptions, wills, legal separation, child custody, child support, and spousal support.

What will a divorce lawyer do for you?

Divorce lawyers can perform a variety of tasks for you. For example, they can generate the divorce papers, moderate settlements, negotiate child custody, and establish a proposed settlement for child support and spousal support. If the divorce can be done amicably one divorce lawyer may service both spouses; otherwise each spouse needs to have their own divorce lawyer represent them in court.

How much are divorce lawyers paid?

The cost to hire a divorce lawyer differs substantial across the United States. Rates can be much higher in metropolitan areas or if you decide to hire a well-known divorce lawyer. According to a recent survey conducted by NOLO, divorce lawyers cost, on average, approximately $250 per hour. This means, however that some lawyers may charge as little as $50 per hour, while other lawyers may charge up to $650 per hour.

Divorce lawyers, unlike personal injury lawyer or Social Security Disability lawyers, are also NOT paid on a contingency fee basis and will expect their clients to either pay them a retainer or pay them as they perform the work, according to some type of pre-determined fee schedule.

The fee also may not vary substantially by the amount of work the lawyer is contracted to perform. For example, the average per hour may remain constant whether the lawyer partially represents their client, provides limited consultation, or fully represents them in all aspects of the divorce.

Do I need a divorce lawyer?

Given the complexity of divorce laws in every state most couples do hire divorce lawyers. Hiring a divorce lawyer does not; however, mean you have to have a contentious divorce. In fact, now there are many lawyers who specialize in alternative dispute resolution strategies when ending a marriage, including arbitration or mediation.

If you have a lawyer who is hired specifically to dissolve your marriage through mediation they will generally be limited to that action and a new lawyer may be needed if the case proceeds to court.