Once you have appointed a Michigan child custody attorney, then it’s time to get into action mode. You have to take out the time and meet your lawyer a few times in the initial stages. Now, every lawyer relies on the client’s oral information as well as on the written documents he has gathered for the case. Now here’s how you prepare to meet your family lawyer for the first time:
What information does the lawyer require?
No child custody lawyer in the world will sit across the table and give you any useful information referring to important documents without hearing out all about the case. So, you have to gather the thoughts in your head and the documents in your drawers before you meet your Michigan child custody attorney. Here’s a list of documents and information you must get ready for that crucial first meeting:
Variety may not be the spice of the legal profession – but, yes, there are a few different types of a Michigan child custody lawyer. Here is how the family lawyer fraternity can be categorized into different types:
A. Based on the firm’s size
Sole proprietorship: About 50% of family lawyers run a sole proprietorship – in other words, they work for themselves. They have to do the entire running around, and if they take on more work than they can chew, then they come under pressure. However, in pressure situations, these solo lawyers (many of whom are considered very good family attorneys) then hire other lawyers to get the pressure off.
Small-sized firms: A small lawyers’ firm, also fashionably called a boutique, is typically made up of 2-10 lawyers. The quality of these firms depends on the caliber and experience of the lawyers running the show.
Medium-sized firms: Firms staffed with 20-50 lawyers make up a medium-sized firm. A few lawyers own the firm while the others form part of the staff. Most of the legwork and the initial preparation of cases are handled by the younger staff, while the seniors step in for the hearings or at critical moments.
Large firms: Any Michigan child custody lawyer firm that has over 50 lawyers is considered a large firm and any firm with over a 100 lawyers is termed as a mega firm. These large and mega firms feature many departments that specialize in different legal aspects. One big plus of these large firms is that they provide all the services under one roof as they are staffed with lawyers specializing in every branch of the law.
Law clinics: These clinics are specialty law firms that handle small-time, simple legal work. If your work is simple and requires minimum lawyer intervention then you must approach a law clinic. Law clinics keep their costs down by appointing paralegal assistants and using pre-printed standard forms. The minus with law clinics is that they cannot offer expert, in-depth advice.
B. Based on specialization
The law is vast and possesses enormous depth. No one lawyer can specialize in all of the myriad legal topics. In theory it is said that general Michigan child custody lawyer law firms can handle all cases – but practically speaking, a lawyer has to focus on a specific area. Some legal specialty areas are:
o Family matters, including divorce, and child custody and support.
o Wills and probates.
o Real estate, which includes acquiring or selling of real estate and construction
o Crime.
o Workers and trade union laws.
o Company law – mergers, dissolution, formation and taxation.
o Intellectual property law – patents, trademarks and copyright laws.
Certified specialists
There are some states in America where lawyers train in certain areas. These lawyers study further after their bar exams and pass additional exams – such lawyers call themselves certified specialists. When it comes to family law, certified specialists must continue their studies perpetually so that they are aware of the latest on child support, divorce, child custody, splitting of property, alimony and other family matters. The standards for their certification are high as they are set by the state bar council.
So make sure you know which Michigan child custody lawyer can help you win your case. Since there are many types you want to research and learn as much as you can about how to win so you can make all the best decisions regarding child custody law and your attorney.
By: Brent Delaurentis
