Divorce Attorney
Divorce attorneys must go through the same rigorous education and training as other lawyers do. A bachelor’s degree and a Juris Doctor degree from an accredited law school is mandatory in all jurisdictions. Prospective divorce lawyers usually take extra courses in legal writing, jurisprudence, family law, civil procedure, and argument and philosophy. Internships within law firms that specialize in family or divorce law can provide prospective divorce attorneys with experience in their field of interest. Divorce attorneys specialize in divorce law or family law and provide representation to one party of a divorce case. Their main goal is to guide their client through the entire divorce process, providing numerous services such as:
- Investigating the case to obtain evidence and follow the best path of legal action
- Write and file motions, contracts, and agreements
- Represent the best interest of their client
- Draft prenuptial, alimony and custodial agreements
- Provide advice on legal issues related to divorce
- Settle divorce cases through mediation to avoid court
Divorce attorneys represent their clients in front of civil, juvenile or probate courts. They take on cases that involve marriage termination, child custody, alimony, child support, and division of property that is jointly held. Some divorce lawyers only take on clients that are male, while other divorce lawyers only take on clients that are female. Some of them do pro bono work, while others charge large amounts for their time and representation.
Divorce Lawyer Salary
Salaries for divorce lawyers range widely due to factors such as location, employer, education, experience and benefits. According to the BLS, divorce lawyers with at least 10 years experience made an average median salary of $108,500, while new graduates averaged $68,500 in 2008. You must keep in mind that working in a firm vs working for yourself can provide you with more in bonuses, benefits, vacations, etc. When you are self-employed you must provide that stuff for yourself and your employees, which takes away from your annual profit. Still, working for yourself does have salary benefits such as being able to charge your own prices for your services and not having to ‘take a cut’.
Job Outlook for Divorce Attorneys
Fortunately for divorce attorneys and those who are interested in becoming a divorce attorney, the job outlook is great over the next 20 years. These days, over half of all marriages end in divorce. And with the amount of teenage pregnancies and marriages that happen way to early, the divorce rate is expected to continue to rise and divorce attorneys are expected to cash in. Divorce lawyers need a strong understanding of the policies and procedures related to divorces. Having excellent communications skills, as well as an ability to provide emotional support to clients can benefit many divorce lawyers. Providing compassion to clients during their divorce (a very bittersweet time for many divorcees) can help with referrals, word-of-mouth, and repeat clients. Job growth will continue to climb for divorce lawyers, however, competition is also a factor.
