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Meeting With Your Attorney: How can I prepare for my first meeting with a divorce lawyer?

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How can one prepare for their meeting with me for the first time would be certainly have your relevant dates like if I ask you when did you get married, it would help if you knew? And I have people who forget the date that they got married. Most people do remember but there are some people who don’t remember. So have your dates, when did you get married, when did you get separated? If you don’t understand what the date of separation is, let’s talk about that and tell me did you move out, did the other side move out? Did you have a discussion where one of you said, I’m done. Those things.

How many children do you have? What are their birthdates? Do any of your children have special needs and if so, what are they? Do you own property? Do you know what its worth? If you don’t, that’s okay but I would like to know some idea of the length of the marriage, what you own, what you earn, what your spouse earns or if your spouse has been employed for a long time. Let’s talk about the children.

I also want to know, this is very important, how you want to approach your divorce. I mean some people they just want to come on strong and some people want a very different approach. And I take my directive, certainly initially, from the client and there’s no reason necessarily to come on gangbusters right at the outset. If you need to put on pressure and get more aggressive later on, that’s a different story. But I want to hear from my client how he or she wants to approach their divorce and your relationship with your former spouse and your children.

Los Angeles, CA family law attorney Joanne Ratinoff talks about how one can prepare for their first meeting with a divorce lawyer. She explains that to ensure a productive first meeting, it’s helpful to come prepared with relevant information. Here are some key details to consider:

  1. Dates: Please have important dates readily available, such as the date of your marriage and the date of separation. If you’re unsure about the concept of the date of separation, we can discuss it further. It would be helpful to know if either you or your spouse moved out or if there was a conversation where one of you expressed a desire to end the relationship.
  2. Children: Provide information about the number of children you have and their birthdates. If any of your children have special needs, please let me know about them as well.
  3. Property: If you own any property, it’s beneficial to have an idea of its value. If you’re unsure about the value, that’s perfectly fine, but it’s important to discuss the length of the marriage and the assets and debts you and your spouse possess. Additionally, if you have information about your income and your spouse’s income or their employment history, please share that as well.
  4. Approach to Divorce: It’s crucial for me to understand your desired approach to the divorce process. Some individuals prefer a strong and assertive approach, while others may have different preferences. I take my cues from you as the client and tailor my strategy accordingly. It’s not always necessary to be aggressive from the beginning, but if the situation requires increased pressure or assertiveness later on, we can adapt accordingly. It’s essential to discuss your objectives, your relationship with your former spouse, and your priorities concerning your children.

By coming prepared with this information and sharing your preferences, we can have a more focused and effective discussion about your divorce proceedings, ensuring that your needs and goals are taken into account throughout the process.

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