A child custody dispute is difficult and stressful enough without adding to your stress with an ill chosen child custody legal professional. This article looks at why your choice of child custody lawyer is different from choosing a lawyer for other legal problems such as litigation or crime.

All parents who are unfortunate to have experienced the failure of a relationship are in danger of adding to their misery with a tough and expensive child custody dispute. Consequently your choice of lawyer is critical but you need to be aware of a few vital facts before you run the risk of compounding your difficulties, particularly your child.

Child Custody Law Is Different

Child custody law is different from a road traffic case or a property transaction or indeed most other types of law. The approach of your attorney in a child custody dispute has the potential to exacerbate an already fraught situation. The last thing you need is a gung ho, aggressive lawyer who adopts a win at all costs attitude. You need one whose first reaction is to encourage the parents to try to settle the matter themselves without the need for a court battle or aggressive letters between legal professionals.

When the dust settles you will be left with your relationship with your ex partner and your child and the state of this relationship will be severely dented if you have engaged in a needless and protracted and expensive set of legal proceedings.

The goal of your attorney should be to bring about a settlement or agreement which is in the best interests of your child, you and your ex partner. This will not be achieved by a macho approach and an attempt at victory no matter what the price.

When you go to visit your prospective attorney for the first time watch out if he/she recommends mediation, counselling or other forms of dispute resolution. If he/she does not I would be very slow to hire him/her without considerable searching around for an alternative.