Divorce lawyers – could easily be one of the most hated groups of individuals out there (second only perhaps to “lawyers” in general…)

So, it’s no wonder many separated or divorcing spouses are reluctant to get lawyers involved.  And I get it – many divorce and family lawyers are overpriced and needlessly aggressive.

There are certainly plenty of horror stories involving long, drawn, out, painful and astronomically expensive divorces.  And in the media, there’s no shortage of news involving crooked lawyers.  Not to mention TV shows and movies starring especially sleazy-looking divorce lawyers (greased back hair and all…)

Naturally, if you’re separated or considering divorce, you might want to avoid divorce lawyers at all costs  (no pun intended…).  Perhaps you prefer to try and work out a divorce agreement on your own or head to mediation (check out this article on to tell if divorce mediation is right for you).

The truth is, when it comes to choosing any professional, whether doctor or surgeon, accountant, plumber, contractor or anyone else, including a lawyer, there are good ones and there are bad ones.  The good ones will truly help you and get you to a better place.  But the bad ones can make your life a living hell.

The same is true with divorce lawyers.  And unfortunately, it’s far more often the bad experiences we hear about.  So, when choosing a lawyer to handle your divorce, it’s important to choose wisely.

Because even if you prefer to work things out between you and your spouse, it’s important not to overlook key issues and provisions that can land you in court after the divorce.  The most commonly overlooked areas generally involve alimony, child support, and college expenses.

By the same token, when it comes to things like amount and duration of alimony, and dividing retirement plans, premarital assets, inheritances, and businesses, you’ll need to defer to New Jersey law to determine what’s fair.

And overlooking such key issues not only can harm you financially, it can often require costly and unpredictable legal action to correct.  And perhaps most important is making sure your children’s needs in the divorce are properly taken care of.

It can be far more expensive to pay an attorney to try and fix a bad divorce judgment after the fact than to have a competent family lawyer in your corner in the first place.

Hiring the right divorce and family lawyer can give you the peace of mind that your divorce is being properly handled from the start so you can avoid costly mistakes you can regret for the rest of your life.

Also, a competent divorce and family lawyer can draft up your divorce agreement in the proper legal form so that it’s properly incorporated when the court enters your divorce judgment.

For more information about how to settle your divorce out of court or for a personalized consultation, please click here.