Divorce is not a lot of fun. Even less fun is the bill you receive from your attorney for your divorce in McHenry County, Illinois. Here are a few tips that will help keep your bill down.
1. Collect your thoughts before you reach out to me.
I am more than happy to speak with you all day long, but I will bill you for every minute of that time. If you call me nine different times regarding nine different issues, your bill will be much higher than if you call me only once and save those nine questions for that one phone call. Keep a note pad with all of your questions for your divorce attorney. Use that note pad to make fewer, more productive phone calls.
2. Use email, not the phone.
Most attorneys provide better, more complete answers to questions in writing than over the phone. It takes less time to respond to emails than it does to talk on the phone.
3. Understand your attorney’s role in the divorce case.
Divorce clients tend to want their attorney to be a therapist, social worker, police officer, and problem solver in addition to being a lawyer. I have no problem helping you vent about your soon-to-be ex-spouse, but the truth is that you will likely have a more productive therapy session with a therapist. Before reaching out to your lawyer, you should ask yourself “Is this something I hired my lawyer to deal with?” I can promise you that your therapist’s hourly rate is lower than mine.
4. Don’t hide things from me.
Did you take your girlfriend for a weekend in Las Vegas? Do you have a separate apartment? Did you spend a couple thousand dollars on the kids for Christmas? If you did something that you do not want your soon-to-be ex-spouse to know about, you should tell me. I can’t help you unless you let me.