Your first meeting with a divorce lawyer can be daunting. Divorce is a life-altering decision. Not knowing what to expect makes the situation all the more harrowing. What do you need to bring with you? What questions are you likely to be asked? The stress of the unknown can be overwhelming. In this article we will discuss what you need to know about your first meeting with a divorce lawyer.

Documents You Need

In order to be prepared for your first meeting with your divorce attorney, there are a couple of documents you can prepare to make the meeting run a bit more smoothly. Firstly, you will need a biographical statement. This document contains information about you and your spouse that includes your name, address, phone number, place of employment, date of birth, driver license number, social security number, the same list of information on your spouse, your date of marriage, and the name, age, and sex of any children you may have.

The second document you need is a narrative of your marriage. This should include information about yourself and your spouse such as how and where you met, how long you have been together as a couple, your marital problems, your children, and what you think will be the complicated issues to work through in the divorce.

Questions You May Be Asked

At this first meeting, besides these documents, your attorney may ask a series of questions to better understand you, why you are seeking a divorce, and what the next steps need to be. These questions include but are not limited to the following:

  1. What is your current living arrangement?
  2. How long, if at all, have you been separated?
  3. Do you share children?
  4. What is the cause for wanting a divorce?
  5. What are your must-haves in a divorce outcome?

Know What You Want

In order for your attorney to get the best result, they need to know what your objectives are. If your attorney needs to advocate on your behalf, it is essential that you are open and honest with them about all of your assets, needs, wants, strengths, and weaknesses so they can be fully prepared. Be sure to be as thorough as possible in outlining your reasons for divorce.

You should also be prepared to answer questions about your spouse, such as what you think will be the things that your spouse will want to negotiate for in the divorce. The more information you are able to provide upfront, the better it will be for you in the long run. In addition, it is a good idea to have list of questions of your own to ask the attorney in regard to what you need to do next and how you can work through the divorce process step by step.