If you’re a woman considering filing for divorce, you might be wondering how to select an attorney and if there are special circumstances you should consider to help guide your decision. Selecting a generalist family law attorney is fine most of the time. But in our experience, there are cases when it makes sense to hire a divorce attorney for women. Below we’ll discuss when to consider hiring a women’s family law attorney.
5 Situations to Hire a Divorce Attorney for Women
1. When Your Partner Is Refusing to Pay Spousal Support
While many couples divorce amicably, there are, unfortunately, instances when the process becomes adversarial. It often happens when there are disagreements over the need for or the amount of alimony. The refusal to pay appropriate spousal support often goes hand in hand with attempts to hide or minimize assets and other aggressive tactics.
Working with a women’s family law attorney who knows the tricks most often used to deprive women of their rightful support is the best way to protect yourself in these situations. An experienced divorce lawyer for women can quickly and efficiently develop a plan to protect you and your financial future in the face of this type of behavior.
2. When Your Partner Is Demanding Excessively High Alimony
In the past, women were almost always the party requesting spousal support, a fact that’s no longer true. Many women now earn more than their spouses, and some men in these situations choose to file for alimony. Women in these cases face different challenges than those experienced by those attempting to secure spousal support, so it pays to work with an attorney who has successfully represented women being sued by their husbands for alimony.
The attorney’s experience will save you time and money, as they already know what motions to file and what argument to make before the court. And working with a women’s family law attorney also can prevent you from making serious mistakes that can actively decrease the likelihood of obtaining the financial outcome you desire.
3. When You’d Like a More Comprehensive Approach
Many firms that specialize in representing women work with a whole-client mentality created to provide clients with the support they need throughout the process. If you’re feeling particularly uncertain about what’s going on in your life, trying to understand the details of a complex legal process on your own can quickly become overwhelming.
Many women find that attempting to obtain reassurance from a firm or attorney not equipped with the necessary emotional intelligence can increase their sense of distress. Clear, patient explanations often go a long way when it comes to making clients feel comfortable and at home, which ultimately allows them to concentrate on getting back on their feet. This sense of support and the peace it brings to everyone involved simply can’t be underestimated.
4. When You’d Like Help Establishing Your Post-Divorce Life
Many women look back on the period immediately after their divorce as a time filled with uncertainty. For those partnered for several years, the sense of confusion can be particularly strong. They suddenly have full responsibility for things their former partner usually handled, like financial planning and dealing with major home maintenance issues.
Many firms that only represent women understand these needs and actively work to establish community connections to assist clients as they assume these new responsibilities. And don’t forget to take care of your mental and emotional health. Good women’s family law attorneys can often point you in the direction of social services and support groups with the resources to help you get through a difficult period with a sense of calm.
5. When You’re Dealing With a High-Asset Divorce
High-asset divorces often become contentious because of the complexity of the issues involved. In addition, these cases often involve highly charged child custody and asset division issues. Obtaining good representation from the start can often prevent a great deal of acrimony. Women attempting to obtain a fair settlement in these situations often find themselves overwhelmed by the sheer number of factors they need to consider and keep in mind.
And tension often arises as spouses realize the number of details that simply haven’t been agreed upon. Retaining an attorney with experience representing women in high-asset divorces can go a long way when it comes to knowing all the details are being properly handled and taken care of at the appropriate time.
It’s the best way to ensure important issues aren’t accidentally forgotten, leaving open the potential for hostility between divorcing spouses.
It’s absolutely possible to get through any divorce with your finances and dignity intact, particularly with the right support and representation. If you’re a woman facing any of the circumstances discussed above, we encourage you to consider working with a divorce attorney who concentrates on representing women. It’s the best way to protect your assets and your future and get you moving positively towards the next chapter of your life.
