What is a family lawyer and when might you need one? It’s not a question that you’ve likely thought about. That is, unless you’ve encountered a situation where you need a family attorney. That’s why we put together this little article. It’s a good idea to know what you need before you feel as though you need it. That’s especially true when it comes to matters of the family, which we usually think we can handle more or less on our own.

What is a Family Lawyer and What Do They Do?

When you start searching for lawyers and attorneys, you might be at a loss for where to start. What is a family lawyer, anyway? Is searching for a family attorney in Brainerd, MN the same as searching for one in Los Angeles, CA? Because lawyers tend to specialize (at least a little bit), it can be a bit hard to know which lawyers do what. Luckily, a family lawyer is pretty aptly named. There are a number of services that family attorneys offer.

In other words, “family lawyer” describes the services offered. It does not describe, for example, the lineage of the attorney’s partnership (that is, a family lawyer is not necessarily “family-owned,” as you might expect with some other businesses).

So what does a family lawyer actually do? What services do they provide? And how are you supposed to know if you actually need a family lawyer? All of those are excellent questions. And hopefully we can shed a little bit of light on each one of them.

What Does a Family Lawyer Do?

A family lawyer, generally speaking, will provide a wide variety of services, each of which apply somehow to where the law intersects with the family. You might think those places of intersection would be relatively rare. But once you start to think about it, you can see all kinds of ways that families and the law interact.

Some of the common services offered by family lawyers include:

  • Divorce services: The dissolution of a marriage is, unfortunately, one of the more common services rendered by family attorneys. Depending on how many assets and financial liabilities you might have, divorce can be an exceptionally complex legal process–one during which it really helps to have representation.
  • Child custody: Whether in regards to establishing parenthood or setting a visitation schedule, there are numerous ways in which child custody can be challenged or established in the eyes of a court. Therefore, child custody services are quite common for family attorneys.
  • End of life planning: Another area where a family attorney can come in handy is somewhat morbid: end of life planning. Whether it’s the issuance of wills or the drafting of a living trust, end of life planning can be quite, well, delicate. And it can give you substantial peace of mind to know that your wishes will be followed once you’re no longer on this earthly plane (or even before then).

How Do You Know When You Need a Family Attorney?

There’s always the temptation to believe that you can get something done yourself. That you can handle it. And that’s an especially potent feeling when it comes to matters of the family. It’s no surprise, then, that it can be somewhat difficult to even know you need a family lawyer.

But there are some things to keep in mind. The following might be signs that you need a family attorney:

  • You cannot keep track of all of your finances or assets
  • You do not understand the basics of the laws in your state
  • You have difficulty filling out the forms on websites such as LegalZoom
  • You are worried about another party having or retaining a lawyer
  • You would feel more peace of mind knowing a lawyer is one your side
  • You do not have the time to devote to the ins and outs of your particular case

This list is not meant to be exhaustive. There are so many good reasons to retain the services of an attorney. Indeed, the benefits of having a lawyer often far outweigh any of the costs, especially when you’re thinking about it in the long term.

Benefits of Having an Attorney

And there are definitely benefits to having an attorney help you through what could be a very trying time. Matters of the family tend to be, understandably, quite emotional. You aren’t always going to make the most rational decisions. And an attorney can guide you through the gamut of complicated decisions you’ll have to make.

Because family law isn’t always going to be very straightforward. And there could be consequences down the road that you can’t really anticipate. Having a lawyer can help ensure that you’re in a good position to make sure that your wishes are as legally sound as possible.

And having a lawyer can also protect you. Whether you’re drafting a will or filing for divorce, there’s a lot that could go wrong. And when something goes wrong when you’re dealing with legal documents, the consequences can be quite severe. Having an attorney on your side can help you get the best possible results.

Do you need a family attorney? What is a family lawyer? Hopefully we’ve helped you answer precisely those questions.