Your divorce case is a life-changing experience that deserves to be handled with the utmost discretion and professionalism by your legal representative. However, for many lawyers your divorce might be just another case number which they hope to finish quickly. As a result, their service may suffer and you could find yourself confused, stressed, and unhappy with the way your case is proceeding.

If you are unhappy with the way your divorce is being handled, it might be a good time to change lawyers. You are never stuck with your initial choice; you have the right to discontinue with one attorney and retain a new one. Doing so may help get your case back on track and heading in a direction you are more comfortable with.

Here are three reasons why you should consider switching attorneys:

Your Lawyer is Not Answering & Slow to Return Calls

Communication is pivotal to an attorney-client relationship. Without constant updates and counseling, clients can often become lost as to the direction their case is going, any steps they may need to take, and more. Likewise, your lawyer should be able to answer your questions and return your calls in a timely manner.

It is important to be respectful of your attorney’s time, but it is also reasonable to expect them to return your calls quickly, if they are not available when you call. If your lawyer constantly forces you to wait longer than 24 hours to call you back or same day if it is an emergency, then they may have too many cases on their plate, which means your case is likely not receiving the attention it deserves. This is a great reason to switch attorneys.

Your Lawyer Lacks Professionalism

Your lawyer should treat your case with the utmost professionalism. This includes a good amount of self-discipline and only taking a case load they can handle to give each one they do take the attention it deserves. Divorce cases may not affect your lawyer’s life, but it is monumental to yours, and your lawyer should treat it as such.

If you find your lawyer is constantly missing deadlines or showing up late to appointments, this is a red flag that you should consider switching. Missing a deadline on an important piece of paperwork can significantly jeopardize your case, possibly even costing you an important decision. Not to mention it will really annoy your judge.

Your Lawyer is Pressuring You to Settle

For many lawyers who take on large caseloads, their ultimate goal is their paycheck at the end when they collect their fees and move on to the next client. These lawyers will often try to close cases quickly with whatever settlement they can come to and will pressure their clients into these settlements. This is not ideal as this usually causes clients to take settlements which make them ultimately unhappy with their case outcome and with their service.

Your lawyer needs to recognize that this is your case primarily, so you as the client are in charge. If you are not happy with the direction your case is going, their responsibility is to listen to your concerns and address them. While it is also your lawyer’s responsibility to set reasonable expectations, you should be able to voice your concerns and have your lawyer address them throughout your case. If your lawyer refuses to do this, it is strongly advised that you discontinue with them as your advocate as soon as possible.

Please call the firm today to schedule a consultation to discuss your options about retaining a new attorney.