How do you find the best family law attorney in Arizona? While there may be a number of attorneys who might think they are the best, I doubt anyone could truly lay claim to that title. (And if anyone claims he/she is the best then you need to rush out of his/her office and find someone else.) I think the real question should be, how do you find the best family law attorney for you?
First, you should start with what makes a good and successful attorney. BUSINESS INSIDER compared a number of the best attorneys in the United States and what made them successful in an article entitled, “11 Lawyers You Don’t Want to See Across the Aisle” (http://www.businessinsider.com/10-lawyers-you-dont-want-to-see-across-the-aisle-2010-1?op=1 ).
As you might expect, there were some common themes to what these top lawyers said about what makes a good lawyer. Here is just a sample of some of their comments from the article:
The ability to think like the jury and to “make complex matters understandable…without being condescending;” a talent for anticipating the ways the examination of the witness can go wrong and having a contingency plan for all of them. – Phil Beck (victorious in the Bush v. Gore case and has defended Bayer).
The ability to “make the complex simple.” A great trial attorney must also have “excellent people skills” and be a “good story teller,” though one, of course, a jury finds credible. – Ted Wells (defended Citigroup and Exxon Mobile)
As a bit of an Abraham Lincoln scholar, these comments seemed very familiar based on how Lincoln practiced law. As summed up on www.historynet.com: “Since most of those who served on the juries in these small towns were farmers and other country folk, Lincoln–himself a product of a rural environment and by nature a slow talker–recognized the need to argue his cases in the simplest and most straightforward manner.” (http://www.historynet.com/abraham-lincoln).
In family court, a judge decides the case rather than a jury, but in my experience, explaining complex issues in a simple and straightforward manner and having a good courtroom demeanor and approach with the judge, his staff, witnesses and even the opposing attorney are huge factors in being successful in court.
While it is not perfect, the initial consultation is a good indicator about the attorney you hire. Is the attorney personable? Are you about to easily communicate with him/her? Family law issues such as dividing property from the marriage, spousal support, child support, custody and more can be difficult to understand by reading the Arizona Family Law Statutes. Does the attorney you are consulting with explain the family law issues in a way that you can understand?
Positive word of mouth is another good indicator of an excellent attorney. I have been very fortunate to have had many cases referred to me by my clients and have even had a good number referred to me by attorneys and parties that were on the opposite side of my cases. While you may not know someone who knows a family law attorney, you can also try searching the internet for the attorney or firm where she/he is employed.
One of the advantages we have here at Rowley Chapman & Barney is that we have three family law attorneys and thus, you have three different options in finding the right attorney for you. All of us are passionate about the law and strive for excellence in court.
We are based in Mesa but handle cases in Phoenix, Scottsdale and throughout Arizona. Give us a call at (480) 833-1113 and come in for a consultation.
Attorney Profile: Joshua R. Boyle, Divorce Attorney in Mesa, Arizona
