Enhancing Communication With Your Attorney

There are several ways in which you can communicate with your divorce lawyer, but some methods may be more effective than others. When a marriage dissolves there are several important topics that need to be discussed and sorted out, such as child custody, visitation, division of property, and support. Communicating effectively with your attorney about such issues will help your lawyer properly gather the information that he or she needs to put your case together and can reduce your attorney's fees at the same time.

In-Person

Meeting with your attorney in-person is often a wise choice when there is an extensive amount of material to review. When you meet with your attorney face-to-face, there is less chance for distraction and it is more likely you will have the attorney's undivided attention. Any material you or your attorney may have can be reviewed and any questions can be addressed. Each party will have an equal opportunity to discuss and cover important details. Additionally, the amount of time spent in an in-person meeting is traceable and should be reflected accurately on your billing statement.

E-mail

Assuming your attorney checks his or her e-mail regularly, email communications can be very effective, especially if a response is not needed immediately or an attachment needs to be sent. Unlike faxes, there is usually no charge to receive an e-mail. However, there will be a cost for your attorney to review and respond to your e-mail. Therefore, it is extremely important to keep your e-mail concise and to the point. This is often a difficult adjustment for those who have a tendency to write wordy e-mails. Further, depending on how savvy your attorney is with technology, he or she may spend more time in an e-mail communication than if the message were communicated via phone or fax. Further, the amount of time an attorney actually spends in an e-mail communication is virtually untraceable, so you will want to closely monitor your bill to make sure the charges are reasonable.

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For more information, contact the Family Law Offices of Renee M. Marcelle at (415) 456-4444, or online at http://www.familylawmarin.com/




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