When you need legal help with a family matter, it can be important to find a lawyer who is affordable. Of course, when you are dealing with this type of legal action, it’s also crucial to choose representation that is experienced and sensitive to family issues. When you choose a lawyer, make sure that you don’t sacrifice expertise in order for affordability! Look for a law firm that has a track record in the area of family law and that offers cost-effective options. Affordable family lawyers can be found closer to home than you might expect.

Experience and Accessibility

Many times clients access family law practitioners due to parenting and custody issues. In this type of case, the stakes are very high and reactions on both sides can be intense. If you need a custody lawyer, be sure to look for a firm with lawyers that possess a wide range of knowledge about family law, and who have experience with cases like yours. Each area of the law has its own particular procedural customs, strategies, and directions, and your lawyer should be familiar with these. Custody cases, for example, may require extensive knowledge about parents’ rights, duties, and responsibilities -- and your lawyer should be able to advise you on your specific situation.

Some of the aspects your lawyer may need to consider while pursuing your interests include:

• Creating shared parenting plans
• Negotiating parenting arrangements with the other parent
• Child support agreements
• Grandparents’ rights
• Adoption
• Surrogacy

Your lawyer must also have good personal skills; a good family lawyer is both patient and understanding.  In any custody dispute, people are dealing with deep emotions and are often experiencing a great deal of stress and uncertainty. Sometimes family lawyers must explore delicate issues such as parental alcohol or drug abuse, children’s health issues and special needs, violence, or child relocation and mobility rights. These kinds of issues need to be handled with tact and sensitivity.

In family law, listening is an important skill. Sometimes your lawyer needs to hear what is not being said as much as what is. In addition to listening skills, your lawyer should be able to communicate clearly with you. You’ll want to find a lawyer who will be able to accommodate your schedule as much as possible, and who works in your area. Many law firms have representatives in only one part of Australia, but better firms maintain a presence in Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney and Perth, as well as in smaller centres. Of course, it’s not always necessary to be able to meet face-to-face – many firms make excellent use of telephone consultations or video conferencing, too.

Fee Flexibility

Too often, legal clients are blindsided by costs that snowball out of control. Seek out a firm that can give you up-front information about costs. Some legal organisations offer a kind of "one-stop” solution that will assist you from beginning to end with legal assistance tailored to your needs at a fixed fee. Look for this type of law firm that offers a choice between hourly billing and fixed-fee services -- flexibility with the method of billing can help to keep your legal costs as low as possible.

When selecting a lawyer for family legal matters, choose wisely. Don’t sacrifice experience for affordability. Find an affordable family lawyer that will meet your expectations of both experience and budget.

Case Complexity Impacts Legal Fees

When it comes to custody cases, parents have several points to consider when selecting a legal team. Complex cases demand an experienced understanding of intricate family law. The more complicated a custody case is, the less affordable it may be for the clients who are working within a budget. As an example, Australian interstate relocation cases require firm and well executed arguments. The arguments must offer the court compelling reasons for separating a child from one parent. These reasons will need to support the children’s best interests and are often difficult to argue without a well experienced family law team. This is just one example of a complex custody case. Naturally, a case harder to present will come with a higher price tag. The resources the legal team will need to draw from to support the client’s needs will increase legal costs.