2 Signs Your Divorce Lawyer Is Manipulating You

Just like in any profession, the majority of lawyers are honest and have their clients’ best interests at heart. However, there are always those who look to intentionally and unintentionally exploit others, and the legal profession is no exception. There are some lawyers who exploit their clients for personal gain, but they are in the minority. In most cases, if a lawyer is not acting in their client’s best interest, it’s probably due to unintentional mistakes or misunderstandings. However, there’s also the chance that an attorney might be looking out for themselves more than their clients.  During a divorce, some lawyers may resort to tactics that can drive up the costs of the proceedings. With the intense emotions that typically accompany a divorce (such as heartbreak, anger, guilt, and sadness), some attorneys can take advantage of their clients’ vulnerability and coax them into spending more money than necessary.  Our firm’s name reflects our driving principles; we’re here to promote smart divorces. We’re sick and tired of seeing good people being taken advantage of. Often this happens because they didn’t have the right legal representation. That’s why we’re committed to helping our clients achieve the best possible outcome in their divorce cases, while also ensuring that they stay financially and emotionally secure. At the end of the day, our goal is to make sure that our clients can move on from their divorce with their dignity intact and a brighter future ahead. We believe that a smart divorce is one that is handled with care, empathy, and expertise, and we’re proud to be a firm that upholds those values. At our firm, we don’t just listen to your concerns for a few minutes and call it a day. Our approach is much more involved, requiring active interaction, open communication, and quick problem-solving skills. It’s a balance of using both our extensive legal knowledge and practical common sense. We make sure to provide you with all the information you need to make informed decisions, even if that means telling you things that you may not want to hear. Honesty is always our priority, and we won’t sugarcoat anything or give you false hope. Our approach is thorough and comprehensive, leaving no stone unturned in our pursuit of a favorable outcome for you. We’re dedicated to providing you with the highest level of service, using our expertise and skill to help you navigate the legal system with confidence and ease.

1. A High Bill and A Long Fight

An over-passionate attorney can be both a good trait and a potentially expensive trait. It’s not extreme to say that any highly-charged life-event like a divorce can lead a person to being led astray. If you notice your attorney backing up every negative emotion you have towards your soon-to-be-ex then you should step-back and analyze the situation.  Just because your lawyer is good at arguing doesn’t mean it’s a good idea to fight over everything. The other person’s lawyer will also be determined. Going to court is not a sure thing. You need to make smart decisions about what to fight for and what to let go. Don’t let your lawyer’s anger make you more angry. Remember, the longer you fight, the more money it will cost. Unfortunately, there are lawyers out there who will drag it out just to up the bill. While there are cases that require a lot of time in court, be wary if your attorney jumps to that and does not propose alternate strategies first. Remember, your attorney has a duty to defend your best interests.

2. Is your attorney not saying no?

During the course of a divorce, there’s a lot of steps you need to take. There are even steps to take  after the final papers are signed and you’re ready to get back out there. Between the start and finish of your legal case, there’s a lot of opportunities for the word “No.” And we’ve seen many people either not say “No” or not get told “No” by their prospective divorce attorney.  What do we mean by this? Well, each divorce case is unique. And, this ain’t just something all attorneys says. Your friend’s case might require a very different approach than your case.  Sometimes what worked for your neighbor won’t work for you or may not even be applicable to your situation.  On occasion, your expectations may not line up with your facts and circumstances.  An inexperience attorney might be afraid to tell a client “no,” whereas an attorney who gets rich on fighting for principles over practicalities may never say “no” to a client. Attorneys need to be honest with their clients, especially when it is about something as important as your divorce. While we try to always be respectful to our clients, “no”, or a nicer version of “no”, is going to be heard by every single one of our clients, probably multiple times.  For most clients, this is one of their first times, if not their very first time, dealing with the legal world and court. When you hire an attorney, you hire an expert, someone to guide you, who knows the law and the intricacies of the court. You are not going to know everything about this world, and we don’t expect you to, that’s why you hired us! If we are not saying no to our clients, it means we are not being the best attorney we can be for them. We say no because we care, because in the end, it gets the best outcome for our clients. If your attorney is not willing to ever tell you no, they might not be the best person to fight for you and your family. 

Our Approach Is Smart

It goes without saying that our approach to divorce is not to sneak around and try to make an extra-buck. We thrive by seeing our clients thrive. We don’t want to see you spend any extra money on fees or other expenses that aren’t necessary. Our logical, level-headed approach to divorce and family law is grounded on getting our clients sensible outcomes and protecting their rights. If you’re involved in a divorce and you believe your attorney might be taking advantage of you, it’s never too late to move forward. Give our team a call!