Divorce Lawyers To Avoid
Are you ready to get divorced, but you're not sure how to pick a divorce lawyer? There are several different types of divorce lawyers, so choosing the right kind is important. Before you start looking, you should know that the lawyer you choose might be classified as a barracuda, a businessman, or a flirt.
The Barracuda
This is the divorce lawyer you choose when you want to make your spouse miserable. The Barracuda goes for the jugular every single time. Every step of the way will be difficult. If you are the one who files for the divorce, the Barracuda will serve your spouse with divorce papers in the most embarrassing way imaginable. If you are the one who got served, the Barracuda will badger your spouse's divorce lawyer at every step along the way, all through discovery, divorce mediation, and trial.
The Barracuda comes with a heavy price tag. Not only will your divorce lawyer fees be extraordinarily and unnecessarily high, your spouse will probably hate you for the rest of your life, if he or she doesn't already.
The Businessman
This is the divorce lawyer who wants to hear "just the facts, ma'am." The Businessman can be male or female; either way, they are all business, all the time. This lawyer sees divorce work as contract work: the contract has been breached, and all that remains to be done is to calculate the damages. The Businessman has virtually no "bedside manner" and, if you live in a no-fault divorce state, will not want to hear stories about how you have been wronged by your spouse.
Choosing the Businessman as your divorce lawyer will save you money in hourly fees. However, the Businessman's approach may seem a little too cool and calculated for you, especially if your divorce is an emotional experience. You may wish to find a divorce lawyer who doesn't mind doing a little hand-holding along the way.
The Flirt
Believe it or not, some divorce lawyers flirt with their clients. Do you remember Arnold Becker, from the 1980s television series, L.A. Law? Arnie was a handsome divorce lawyer who usually represented shapely, attractive females with whom he had flings. These days, Arnie could be disbarred in most states for inappropriate relations with his clients. However, most of these states do allow lawyers to have intimate relationships with clients after the divorce.
Hiring the Flirt as a divorce lawyer can be an advantage when the Flirt uses their skills on opposing counsel or on an easily-flattered judge. However, this is a long shot. You are better off choosing a divorce lawyer for their legal experience, their skill, and their ability to handle you divorce quickly and efficiently.
