Meeting Your Family Lawyer For The First Time: What To Prepare

The breakdown of your relationship can be difficult to deal with. Seeing a lawyer for the first time can be equally as daunting. By taking the time to think about your situation and focusing on what you hope to achieve, you ensure that complete and fully informed advice is provided to you from the beginning. So, when you meet your family lawyer for the first time, what to prepare?

During these uncertain times, if you're looking for the best lawyer in Sydney CBD, NSW, Jeffrey of JCL Legal is available by mobile phone. Please call him on 0419 233 670.

Think About Your Goals

Before your first appointment with your family lawyer, take some time to think about your goals. A few ideas to get you started are to ask yourself the following questions:

• What’s important to me and my children?
• What are my short or long term goals?
• What are my immediate concerns?
• What am I most worried about?

These are questions that a good family lawyer asks people—either in their initial call or at the start of their first meeting. This allows you to work together to prioritise what is most important for you to share and focus on.

Write Down All Of Your Questions

Once you are in the meeting, it is easy to forget to ask something. So it is not a bad idea to make a list of your questions beforehand.

It is just as true that you will remember them all as soon as you get back in your car to head home. To avoid this happening to you, write down every question that comes to mind during the days leading up to your meeting. This way you will be able to move through them systematically and can leave your meeting confident that you addressed the big issues that are on your mind.

List Out All Of The Relevant Information About Your Divorce and Marriage

If there are any important details about your marriage and divorce, make sure that you write them down.

Your attorney will lead your initial meeting and guide you through the questions that they need answers to, but once you are moving through the meeting you may forget a major detail that will be extremely helpful to your attorney. To avoid this, make sure that you compile as much information in writing as possible so that your attorney has a document with the information that you believe is central to the case.

Information that demonstrates the employment of you and your spouse or partner, including tax returns, notices of assessment, and payslips will be helpful.

Create A List Of All Assets And Liabilities

In order for your family lawyer to advise you adequately, they will need to know all assets and liabilities held by each of you individually and jointly. These assets may include:

• Real estate;
• Personal assets such as vehicles, furniture, jewellery and contents;
• Bank accounts, stock or investment accounts, business accounts;
• Financial statements for the last three years for any private companies in which either your or your spouse have an interest;
• Details of any trusts in which either of you has an interest;
• Details of your superannuation or life insurance policies;
• A list of debts for each of you individually and jointly. This may include mortgages, credit cards, bank loans and personal guarantees.

Any information that you can collate as to assets and debts for both of you at the date of marriage or cohabitation, as well as any inheritance or windfalls received during or after the marriage and details of any substantial gifts from third parties (someone other than your spouse), will be of assistance.

Be Honest With Your Lawyer

While there are probably plenty of details of your marriage and divorce that may be sensitive, it is absolutely essential that you are completely honest with your lawyer.

You can be certain of one thing: if you leave out any important details with your lawyer, they will learn about them from your spouse and their attorney instead. Being honest with your attorney is the best way that you can help them prepare for your divorce process without them being caught off-guard about some surprising information that changes the situation.

Hire The Best Lawyer in Sydney Who Cares About Your Needs

Getting through a separation can be emotionally troubling. Our family lawyers are amongst some of the best in Sydney, who will take the time to listen to your concerns and work with you to determine the best way forward.