Tips on Choosing a Divorce Lawyer

A man was driving home and realised that it was his daughter’s birthday and he did buy her a birthday gift. He drove to Manor Park and ran to a shop and asked the store manager “How much for the Barbie doll?”

The Manager replied, “Which one? We have ‘Barbie goes to the dancehall’ for $2000.95, ‘Barbie goes to Negril’ for $2000.95, ‘Barbie goes shopping’ for $2000.95, ‘Barbie goes to the beach’ for $2000.95, and ‘Divorced Barbie’ for $8990.00”.

“Why is the Divorced Barbie $8990.00, when all of the other Barbies’ are 2000.95”? Dad asked surprised.

The Manager replied “Divorced Barbie had a very good lawyer and so she comes with Ken’s car, Ken’s House, Ken’s dog, Ken’s boat, Ken’s vacation home and last but not least, Ken’s furniture.”
It’s an amusing joke but it actually does raise the important question of how to tell a good divorce lawyer from the mediocre ones? The selection of a good Jamaican attorney can significantly influence the outcome of your divorce settlement, including your future financial position.

Consider the facts

When choosing a divorce lawyer in Jamaica, you should always consider the facts of your particular case. For example, if your case will involve child custody issues, then you should look for an attorney with experience in advocating for children. Have they handled adoption cases? If your case involves a particular type of asset, then it’s important to ask whether the lawyer has experience working with and valuing and those assets. A family business, for instance, requires particular skills to value and divide. Other examples of complicated assets that would require specialized knowledge and expertise could include stock options and pensions; you need a lawyer who is familiar with the issues surrounding the valuing of those assets, the consequences of the income tax law of Jamaica of dividing them, and so on.
Here are a few tips for what to look for when choosing a divorce solicitor:

1. Choose a specialist. A lawyer who mixes divorce in with other types of work may not necessarily have the same level of expertise as one who only deals with family law. Check out a prospective lawyers’ website to get an idea of how they operate and their level of professionalism.
2. Find someone who is good in and out of Court. Many divorce settlements can be negotiated without the need to resort to Court proceedings in Jamaica, but some will inevitably end up in front of a Judge. Your lawyer needs to be both a good conciliator and a strong voice in Court when the need arises. Hiring someone who has only one of these skill sets could possibly cost you dearly if their approach is at odds with your needs.
3. Experience. An experienced Family Law Attorney in Jamaica W.I. will provide invaluable advice and guidance on how your divorce should be handled. During a divorce, people are often in a highly elevated emotional state which can lead them to making decisions, especially based on emotions which they may regret in the long term. This can manifest itself in a number of ways such as the adulterer husband who is willing to walk away from his marriage with nothing to try to ease his feelings of guilt, or the rejected wife who wants to “go for the balls” regardless of the impact on the rest of the family. A good divorce lawyer will help you to come up with an intelligent and appropriate strategy.
4. Meet them. Arrange an initial consultation with the lawyer to get a feel for their level of professionalism and to see if they are someone you feel comfortable working with. You should come away from this meeting with a clear idea of how you stand legally, of what the lawyer can do for you and also a general estimate of the costs involved in filing your divorce.

When choosing a divorce lawyer in Jamaica, you should always consider the facts of your particular case. For example, if your case will involve child custody issues, then you should look for an attorney with experience in advocating for children. Have they handled adoption cases? 

If your case involves a particular type of asset, then it’s important to ask whether the lawyer has experience working with and valuing and those assets. A family business, for instance, requires particular skills to value and divide. Other examples of complicated assets that would require specialized knowledge and expertise could include stock options and pensions; you need a lawyer who is familiar with the issues surrounding the valuing of those assets, the consequences of the income tax law of Jamaica of dividing them, and so on.

It is advisable for you to find out whether the lawyer has any additional certifications or designations that could be useful in your specific case. Finally, I’d recommend that you find out whether the lawyer is affiliated with the Jamaica bar association.