After you’ve retained an attorney for your divorce, you’ll sign an agreement that outlines all of the responsibilities and expectations for each party. This retainer contract will include billing and costs, as well as information about who specifically will work on your case. In some cases paralegals and administrative staff might handle certain aspects, in other cases a lawyer might handle your needs directly.
Once you’ve got this paperwork taken care of, you’ll schedule your first meeting. This is not to be confused with a consultation, which is basically a meet and greet in which you’re gauging your comfort level with the firm. This is when you get down to the nuts and bolts of your case and actually begin working through your divorce issues.
So what can you expect out of this meeting? This depends on what’s going on with your case.
An overview of the first meeting
The initial meeting with your attorney is a good opportunity to ask general questions you have about your upcoming divorce. Your attorney will describe the processes available and the steps for each, and you can determine what seems to be the best route forward.
The first meeting also allows you and your attorney to get to know each other a bit better. Your attorney will ask about you, your spouse and your children. They will probably request you fill out a detailed client information sheet that includes all the information they need about your relationship and the issues that are likely to play a role in your divorce. Depending on those issues, they might offer referrals to third-party professionals, such as therapists, estate attorneys or financial planners.
The meeting is protected by attorney-client privilege, so anything you tell your attorney in this session is private. You do not need to worry about your spouse finding out the contents of the meeting.
For more information about what to expect from your first meeting, contact an experienced Minnesota divorce lawyer at Appelhof, Pfeifer & Hart, P.A.
