Best Ways to Avoid Conflict of Interest With Divorce Lawyer
Avoiding conflict of interest is one of the professional duties of a lawyer. They must protect the rights of their clients and keep their professional and private interests different from each other. It is unethical for a lawyer to let their personal matters come in the way of their professional duties towards their clients. They also have to avoid conflict of interest between their clients. If their duty towards a client negatively affects another client, they must avoid such a situation since it will be a conflict of interest.
All lawyers must follow such rules, be it divorce solicitors or compensation claim solicitors. It is important since every client has the right to be represented ethically by their lawyer. It is not fair towards a client if their lawyer has a bias towards them since it will come in the way of receiving a fair chance of justice. Thus, a conflict of interest should be avoided at all costs.
As a client, there are a few ways in which you can ensure that there is no conflict of interest with your divorce lawyer. You might find these tips helpful:
1. Research Your Lawyer Before Meeting Them
You must research your lawyer before meeting with them. You should know what kind of matters they specialize in. You can read their review and go through their previous cases before meeting them. That way, you will know what kind of skills and experience they have and if they are right for your specific case. Usually, women opt for female divorce lawyers while men go with male ones.
2. Come Prepared For Your First Meeting
Your first meeting with your divorce lawyer is the chance to determine if they are the right lawyer for you and if you have any conflict of interest with them. In the first meeting, you can discuss the specifications of your case where you can give them all the important information that they need to know. You and your partner mustn't have the same lawyer. It will affect the judgment of the lawyer and will be a conflict of interest. Since you and your partner will have different wants and expectations from the divorce mediation lawyer, it makes sense to have different lawyers that will help you according to your different desires.
3. Mention All The Relevant Facts To Your Lawyer
It is helpful to both you and your lawyer to mention all the important information that your lawyer needs to know about. It will save a lot of time if you do not hide anything from them. Since every case is different and unique, you will have to communicate to your lawyer what you want to get out of the divorce and separation agreement. Not being honest about any aspect of your case can prove to be a conflict of interest. You need to be truthful about your goals with your lawyer regarding matters like residential responsibility and schedule for visitation for the children, child support, and shared property.
It is important to trust your divorce lawyer and to be honest with them. It is unethical and harmful to you if you withhold information from your lawyer since they will not be able to represent you properly. You can also opt for a family mediator who will be able to resolve your issues with your spouse and help you find a resolution.
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