Above all other areas of law, matters related to family law can be some of the most challenging for families. Consulting with a Calgary family law team can help you navigate your legal situation and help you protect you and your family’s best interests.
Separation is an emotionally difficult time, with high legal and economic stakes. Hiring a family law lawyer can be the most important step you take when your marriage breaks down, to best protect you legally. Your family law lawyer will provide important legal advice and negotiate legal actions on your behalf.
There are many benefits to hiring a family law lawyer to represent you legally, some of which are outlined here. The benefits of having family law representation include: expert knowledge and experience, case management, objectivity, lowering the stakes to find a reasonable resolution, using alternative dispute resolution and avoiding litigation where possible, saving time and money, and reducing stress.
EXPERT KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE
When you hire a family lawyer, you gain the benefit of that lawyer’s understanding of family law legislation, legal procedures and the available resolutions and remedies that can make a significant difference to your case. A family law lawyer often works with a team of experts and consultants who have experience in specialized areas. Your family law lawyer knows what you are entitled to under the law, what may be attained if court if necessary, and what is reasonable to request.
If the matter is contentious and a court proceeding becomes necessary, an experienced lawyer will be able to prepare the necessary documentation and speak for you. He or she will focus on the salient points and best evidence to use as exhibits, helping to preparing an affidavit in a short, concise, effective manner. Your lawyer can also conduct case research in order to tie in relevant cases that support your position in a factum.
CASE MANAGEMENT
It can be quite a relief to have a legal expert on your side to manage your case, including how to respond to third party correspondence. Without the advice of an experienced lawyer, your emotions might get in the way, your response could be unfocused, filled with hearsay, and you might miss or misrepresent important facts or dates that can prove extensively damaging to your case. When you retain a family law lawyer to represent you, he or she leads the case, advocating for you. Your lawyer will prepare all the correct documentation, using the required format (e.g., sworn affidavit), ensure that court pleadings are executed properly and serve and file all the documents within the required time limits. If trial becomes necessary, your lawyer will speak for you and seek to achieve the best possible outcome for you.
OBJECTIVITY
A family law lawyer is a trained legal expert who listens carefully to your case, reviews the documentation available, evaluates the facts, and provides professional legal advice as an outsider to the situation. An objective, impartial view of the case from your lawyer can help you to put matters into context, especially when encountering a highly contentious issue.
LOWERING THE STAKES TO FIND A REASONABLE RESOLUTION
Separation and divorce often involves high stakes, which your lawyer can help to lower. Your lawyer can level the playing field for you and negotiate with the legal counsel of your ex-spouse to achieve a resolution that avoids court. Your lawyer will encourage communication to help establish a common ground and arrive at an agreement that is reasonable, fair and the best outcome for your children. For example, your lawyer may include a financial professional that works in the interest of both parties or recommend a parenting coordinator to develop a parenting plan and schedule. By contrast, without a lawyer, your spouse and/or his or her counsel may try to leverage issues against you in order to try to achieve a more favourable outcome for themselves.
USING ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION AND AVOIDING LITIGATION WHERE POSSIBLE
An experienced family law lawyer will be able to tell you whether your separation may be best resolved through alternative dispute resolution process such as collaborative law or mediation to avoid the unnecessary risks of trial. Your lawyer knows that going to trial entails significant risks and the process can be quite costly for you, both emotionally and financially. Having the necessary experience to utilize knowledge effectively, a family law lawyer may be able to move proceedings from a losing battle in trial towards a fair resolution for both parties in mediation.
SAVING TIME AND MONEY
Having a family law practitioner on your side will save you both money and time in the long run because he or she can tell you from the outset what course of action is recommended. Your lawyer may be able to resolve matters quickly and efficiently with the other party’s counsel than you and your ex-spouse could on your own. Family law lawyers aim to resolve matters early in the separation process as possible, before matters become more heated.
REDUCING STRESS
When going through a separation, you may find that your emotions are high as you go through immense levels of stress and lack support from the partner you have issues with. An experienced family lawyer handles your issues with compassion, relative ease and provides you with context. Your family law lawyer may also refer you to a counsellor who can lower your stress during this challenging time. Keeping your stress level down will help you to make better financial and legal decisions and is best for your children. Your children already have their own stress to deal with in the separation of their parents.
CONTACT DUKESHIRE LAW OFFICE IN CALGARY
Dukeshire Law Office has been practicing divorce law in Calgary for nearly 40 years. We are a collegial law firm with a lawyer who is highly experienced in family law, wills & estates, real estate, guardianships and other legal services. Our lawyer is dedicated, compassionate about helping each client through a difficult period. The skills, experience and knowledge that we bring to the table helps us achieve results that are fair and minimize any chances of future conflicts.
Contact us to arrange a consultation for your family law legal needs. We can prepare a customized separation agreement, with clauses related to property division, spousal support, child support, and child custody and access. We can also prepare a divorce judgment, restraining order and any other emergency order needed. We also provide prenuptial agreements, cohabitation agreements and can seek variations to agreements. Let Dukeshire Law Office in Calgary take care of your legal interests. Call us at 403-286-7008.