Free Divorce Consultations Are Not So Complimentary

Getting Exactly What You Don’t Pay For

by Michael Heath

“Free” anything is often tempting. Who doesn’t like being rewarded with a gift or belonging to a workplace having a kitchen stocked with help-yourself beverages and snacks. Just about everyone at one time or another have received free tickets to an entertainment event. Search the internet for divorce attorneys and one discovers offers for a free consultation. It is important to beware of what is really being given away.

What the Free Divorce Consultation Really Means

There are many divorce lawyers out there so getting new clients can be a competitive endeavor. To stand out, some firms offer a free consultation. Providing a no-cost first meeting can cause many to pick up the phone and reach out. But what should the caller expect? If one imagines an appointment with an attorney to discuss the details of their divorce free of charge, they are likely to be disappointed. The initial call is almost certainly going to be with an intake specialist who asks a lot of questions. The collected data is then analyzed to determine if there is a case in which the firm is interested. In other words, there is a lot of giving and not too much getting.? ?

There are practical reasons for this beyond seeing if there is a case that suits the firm. Lawyers have malpractice insurance protecting them from lawsuits brought by clients, but not for nonclients. Aware of this stipulation, they are not inclined to offer advice to those who have yet to become paying clients. Another consideration concerning divorce attorneys is that if they get into the particulars of a marriage, they can no longer represent the opposing spouse if that person were to knock on their door. Once a lawyer discusses a case with one spouse, legal ethics prevent them from representing the other. ?Charging a fee for consultations helps discourage one spouse from bouncing around to different lawyers who would then be disqualified from counseling their marital partner. ?

Becoming a lawyer takes a lot of education, time and effort. The results of those achievements allow them to provide legal services and advice, so it is understandable that they want to be compensated for that work. A lawyer who is paid for their time is much more likely to give undivided attention. In addition, a substantive meeting of this type allows a spouse to get a sense of a lawyer’s style and approach in handling their case. ?

If It Sounds Too Good…

There is an adage that cautions there is no such thing as a free lunch. Behind the curtain of a free consultation is usually a catch. Paying for time with a divorce attorney to discuss the major life hurdle of ending a marriage should be considered money well spent.