How to Find the Best Ellicott City Family Lawyer

Marriage, relationships, and parenthood can be wonderful and fulfilling, but issues may sometimes arise. Whether your marriage is strained and may lead to a divorce or you are fighting a stressful child custody battle, hiring a lawyer may be your greatest chance to achieve peace and protect your rights. However, not all lawyers are created equal, which is why it is important to know how to find the best Ellicott City family lawyer.

Family Lawyer Practice Areas

Family lawyers are skilled and experienced in navigating the legal process for issues involving families. These issues may occur between couples or parents and children, or they may even involve unique issues for same-sex couples. Within these relationships, decisions must be made so that the rights of all parties are protected.

Divorce is one of the most common practice areas, which often requires lawyers to reach agreements related to property division, spousal support, and child custody and support. Child custody is the legal responsibility parents have to care for their child, while child support is a court-ordered financial obligation one parent or another has for their child.

Other practice areas include domestic violence protective orders, adoption, and all issues surrounding same-sex couples.

Top Qualities of Great Family Lawyers

Family lawyers undergo much of the same education as other lawyers, but what sets them apart is the nature of the cases they handle. While most lawyers work on cases that only involve one client, family lawyers have to consider several parties when providing counsel. Their roles and responsibilities are nuanced, so they should possess unique qualities and skills. If you need a family lawyer, here are some qualities you should look for:

• Compassionate and Considerate – Family lawyers handle sensitive family issues, so they should be compassionate, caring, and considerate when dealing with their clients. Many clients are navigating circumstances that shatter their lives, such as divorce, so a good lawyer should handle the emotions that may arise while listening to their clients’ concerns.
• Aggressive – Even though good family lawyers convey soft skills, like compassion and empathy, they should also be aggressive and assertive when representing their clients. Oftentimes, family law clients are at risk of losing everything: their assets, time with their children, and their marriages. Therefore, their lawyer should be aggressive when working to make sure their clients receive what is rightly theirs.
• Knowledgeable – A qualified and skilled family lawyer is familiar with every aspect of family law. The laws surrounding family issues are different from criminal law and other types of legal practice. These laws may also change over time. Therefore, family lawyers should stay abreast of current developments and legal practices.
• Professional – Because many emotions may arise, family lawyers should stay professional at all times. Clients need to know that they can lean on their lawyers and that their most personal information will be kept confidential. Because family lawyers handle sensitive paperwork, documentation, and correspondence, they should hold themselves to the highest standard of professionalism.
• Available – Family lawyers should be available to their clients when they need them. Because family law deals with multiple people, circumstances may change at a moment’s notice. For example, a couple could have a custody agreement in place, but one party relocates. This is a major change that requires the lawyer to be ready and available to help their client with any modifications.

How to Find a Family Lawyer in Ellicott City

There are many resources available to find a good family lawyer in Ellicott City. Once you are clear on the qualities you expect in your lawyer, you can begin your search. You may want to start with the Maryland State Bar Association to be sure your lawyer passed the bar. You can also check the District of Maryland court website, which has its own bar member search.

Searching for referrals is also a credible way to find a lawyer in Ellicott City. If the lawyer has a proven record of success, their former clients are liable to praise them and refer them. Knowing someone with personal experience with a lawyer may sometimes be more valuable than a website search.

In any case, it is important to do extensive research before settling on a lawyer, as they all have varying fees, experience, skills, and success rates.

FAQs About Family Law in Ellicott City,MD

How Do You Interview a Family Lawyer?

To interview a family lawyer, you should come prepared with a list of questions that gives you insight into their capabilities and qualities. You should also research their background, education, success rate, and fees. Doing your research beforehand can improve your success in finding the right lawyer for you.

When Should You See a Family Lawyer?

You should seek a family lawyer if you need legal advice or representation about a family issue. Examples of cases that require a family lawyer are:

• Divorce
• Child custody
• Child support
• Adoption
• Protective orders
• Post-divorce modifications
• Prenuptial and post-nuptial agreements
• Separation agreements
• Same-sex marriages, child custody, and child support

What Are the Top Qualities of a Family Lawyer?

Some of the top qualities of a family lawyer are compassion, aggressiveness, knowledge, accessibility, professionalism, and experience. Family lawyers are unique in that they should not only be good mediators and able to deal with complex emotions, but they should also have a solid knowledge of the law. They should stay abreast of any changes in family law as well as have a high success rate.

How Do I Check If a Lawyer Is Good?

There are many avenues for checking if a lawyer is good. First, you can search for any lawyer on the Maryland Bar Association website, or you can search for any bar member on the District of Maryland court website. Word of mouth is also an option, as personal experience and referrals can sometimes outweigh information posted on a website.

A Trusted Family Lawyer With Years of Experience

At the Law Offices of Todd K. Mohink, PA, we have over 25 years of experience in litigating family law cases. We possess the qualities necessary to ensure success for our clients, both inside and outside the courtroom. Our clients are our partners, and we are available to them through every stage of the legal process. Contact us today if you need a compassionate, aggressive, and highly qualified family lawyer.