Whether you are going through a divorce, adopting a step-child, dealing with an inheritance, or any other family law, your attorney should always be a rock you can depend on during the process. This person, or team, should always be on top of things to ensure that your legal matters are taken care of promptly and in a way that works for your best interests. But what if you’ve started thinking that you need a new family law attorney? What signs should you look for that you are just not compatible? Here are three warning signs that you should consider hiring new representation.
1. You are always playing phone tag.
Lawyers can be very busy people, but the chances are that you are also a very busy person in your job. It is your attorney’s job to represent you, and they can’t do that if they aren’t in contact with you. If you find that your phone calls are always going unanswered, especially for longer than five or six business days in a row, this is an issue.
2. The attorney doesn’t seem well-organized.
If your attorney is always asking you to send them documents you sent last week, or asking you to meet to discuss paperwork you already signed off on, then there is a definite problem. Of all the people involved in a family law matter, the attorney should be the most organized one of all. They should always be on top of your case, and be well aware of what is and isn’t happening. Some leeway for human error may be allowed if you are working with a whole team of attorneys, but a lack of planning and order is a bad sign.
3. The attorney is always pushing back deadlines.
Sometimes the court system requires that deadlines get pushed back. Emergencies pop up, judges get busy, and court dates get changed. But if the attorney themselves is always changing the deadlines for filing paperwork or meeting with other parties, chances are they have missed their original deadline, or know that they won’t be able to stick to it. This shows a lack of time management and that is not a good sign for legal representation.
If you are looking for a great family law attorney, contact us at Michael C. Craven Divorce Lawyers Chicago in Lake Forest today.