How do you choose a solicitor?

[unexpectednewstart]

I had an initial consultation with a solicitor at a family law firm this week. They seemed quite good and are members of resolution. Should I shop around? They've quoted about £10K total cost but said it could be as much as £25K. Does that sound right? I'm not sure I've got the emotional energy to contact lots of firms.

[NotSuchASmugMarriedNow1]

It does sound about right yes and if you like them then go ahead and use them and save the time you would have spent shopping around for something else

[unexpectednewstart]

Thanks.

Great username by the way, I feel exactly the same!

[tisrainingagain]

Yes mine will end up being between 25 and 27 K I think.

[unexpectednewstart]

is that between the two of you, or have there been particular complications which have pushed the cost up?

[tisrainingagain]

No that was just me. Not sure what h’s costs are but they are much much smaller.

We went we far as the second financial hearing, and hearings in general cost a lot of money. H was not co-operative at all either, which meant a lot more work for my solicitor. Had H been easier and not so unpleasant, my costs would be a lot smaller, but I could not have gone through the whole divorce (not quite over yet) without my solicitor - precisely because H was so difficult and unpleasant.

[bangingmyheadoffabrickwall]

Crikey that’s high!

My parents divorced and even with a barrister and going to court, my mum only load about £5,000.

[tisrainingagain]

You can’t really compare two divorces - and I was in court twice. H was extremely uncooperative on every front. Had he cooperated from the start, it would have been a lot cheaper. He also mostly had no representation, and “piggy backed” off my solicitor a lot.

[tisrainingagain]

But yes it’s a lot of money. I probably had a bit too much contact with my solicitor, which didn’t help. That’s not the main issue however.