MEETING OPTIONS DURING THE CORONAVIRUS: The Law Offices of Peter Van Aulen understands your concerns regarding the spread of the Coronavirus, and now offers different meeting options to our clients and those seeking legal representation. All meetings, including initial consultations, can be handled either through the phone, FaceTime, Zoom, or in person.
If you are like many individuals preparing to commence a New Jersey divorce case, you may be facing an array of different emotions. You may be apprehensive, angry, depressed, and frustrated to name a few. These feelings may be magnified as you prepare to attend a divorce attorney initial consultation. Because your emotions are running high, you may wonder whether or not you should bring a friend along with you to a divorce attorney initial consultation.
As with so many things in life, there are pros and cons to having a friend accompany you to a divorce lawyer initial consultation and case evaluation. In this article, we discuss these positive and negative aspects of bringing a friend with you to a divorce attorney initial consultation. We turn first to certain advantages of having a friend present at an initial appointment with divorce counsel.
Advantage #1: More Immediate Emotional SupportWe noted a moment ago, emotions understandably may be running hot and high as you move towards pursuing a divorce. One of the primary benefits of bringing a friend along to an initial consultation is emotional support. Having the presence of a friend can provide the necessary encouragement and comfort to assist you in more easily getting through that initial encounter with legal counsel.
Advantage #2: Recall Details of Divorce Attorney Initial ConsultationAnother advantage of bringing a friend is that they can help you recall critical details from your initial meeting. After discussing complex legal matters related to your case, it’s likely that you may forget some essential points by the time you leave the lawyer's office. A friend will be able to remind you of these critical details and ensure that nothing slips through the cracks.
Advantage #3: Extra Set of Eyes and EarsA third benefit is that your friend can act as an additional set of eyes and ears during your conversation with the lawyer. It’s possible that they may pick up on something small but important that could have otherwise been overlooked. Moreover, having someone else in the room who understands all sides of the story, including yours, can help your lawyer gain a better understanding of the situation and advise on better approaches to take in order to achieve a favorable outcome for you in court. (As will be discussed in a moment, there are situations in which legal counsel will not allow a third party into a meeting with a client.)
We now take a moment to discuss some potential disadvantages to bringing a friend along to an initial consultation with a divorce lawyer
Disadvantage #1: DistractionA potential disadvantage of having a friend present at an initial consultation with a divorce lawyer is that such a presence could distract from important topics being discussed during the meeting. While it can be comfortable to have someone else there as moral support, having a friend along might inhibit the prospect of a full and complete discussion of important matters.
Disadvantage #2: Confidentiality ConcernsAn attorney being initially consulted may not permit a friend to actually sit in the office during the appointment itself. Attorney and client confidentiality is defeated when a third party is in the room when legal counsel meets with a client. Depending on what will be discussed during the initial session with a client, a divorce lawyer simply may not allow a friend to sit in on the appointment and case evaluation itself.
Disadvantage #3: DiscomfortWhile initially having a friend come with a person to an initial consultation with a divorce attorney might provide support initially, ultimately it might leave that individual in need of legal assistance becoming uncomfortable. A person seeking a divorce may end up not wanting to discuss certain issues with an attorney when a friend is present.
In conclusion, before you actually bring a friend with you to a divorce consultation, contact the attorney’s office beforehand to see if having someone else along will even be acceptable or permissible. In the end, you may be able to have a person accompany you to the office – which might be helpful. However, that friend may not be able to sit in the appointment itself. If you have any questions and would like a free consultation, call 201 845 7400.