Seeking a Second Opinion in Your Family Law Case 

Any participation in a family law matter is stressful and often takes a significant personal, financial and emotional toll on a litigant going through it. One thing that distinguishes family law matters from many other kinds of law is that in family law, we often deal with everything that matters most to our clients: their families, their children, their financial future, all of it is often wrapped up in the outcome of one, single case.  

As we tell our clients, given the importance of what we address and deal with, it is of upmost importance that you have the right attorney for your case- the one you feel confident, secure and that they are capable of handling the situation in the best possible way for you. When you are questioning whether you have the best attorney for the job, it is absolutely time to seek a second opinion. If you have researched whether you need a second opinion, for example, that is probably a good sign that you do.  

What does Getting a Second Opinion Entail and What are the Benefits? 

If you receive a serious/significant medical diagnosis, often patients will seek a second opinion before deciding on a final treatment plan. Just like medical professionals, lawyers are professionals and two equally capable, competent lawyers could give very different advice in the circumstances. A family law matter is often similar to a serious legal “diagnosis”. Before investing considerable time and money in the continued process of your case, it is worthwhile to spend a small amount to seek out a second opinion. If you have unanswered questions, you are frustrated with the status of your case, you are second guessing your current attorney or you feel that your concerns are going unaddressed, it is probably a good idea to get a second opinion. If you have attended one or more hearings and felt that you were unprepared for the hearing- or that your attorney was unprepared, you don’t know or understand the strategy of your case or even if you are seeking confirmation that the advice you have been given is good advice, it is likely appropriate to get a second opinion.  

What Does Getting A Second Opinion Entail?  

A second opinion is a general/high level review of your case, its current status and the information/advice you have received so far. Often, when we provide a second opinion consultation, our conclusory advice is that your current attorney is doing a great job and you should have significant confidence in the handling of your case. At other times, clients will share that the communication or the approach to the case has broken down to the point that they need to obtain new counsel. Please note that seeking a second opinion consultation is confidential and you are not required to tell anyone else that you have had such a second opinion strategy session.  Our goal, whenever possible, in providing a second opinion is to restore your confidence in your current counsel in reassuring you that your case is on the right track, moving forward. Alternatively, often our advice is to provide you with a list of thoughts and questions to take to your current counsel to ensure you are being proactive in working with them to get your case on the right track.  

The cost of a second opinion is quite small compared to the overall/total cost of your case. Therefore, if you are questioning the need to obtain a second opinion, we would be honored to provide you with a consultation. Please call our office at (816) 208-8130 to get your consultation/strategy session scheduled.