Through my research and talking to so many men who are going through a divorce, I have found that many hold the same common misconception. And that being that a self-proclaimed Divorce Attorney, good or bad, should also know how to handle child custody cases. Unfortunately, this is not always the case, and many times the client does not find that out until well into the custody battle. If you know that a child custody battle is in your future, you must prepare beforehand by choosing a good child custody lawyer who does divorces. This is an absolute must if you do not want to end up with a divorce attorney who dabbles in child custody battles!

Any attorney knows enough about the basics of divorce that they can get the job done. Just like any attorney can handle a DUI case or a basic bankruptcy. But child custody battles require special knowledge, and your run-of-the-mill attorney probably does not even know where to look for it, let alone put it into practice. Many guys out there make the mistake of trusting that their attorney would tell them if they are not best choice for a child custody case. My comment to that… Don’t bet on it! Child custody battles mean big money for any attorney and he/she is not going to willingly throw that away.  Remember to them, “It’s just Business!”

So what should you look for in a child custody lawyer who does divorces?  First off, be sure that the attorney that you are going to see specializes in Family Law.  Although, family law can include several different arenas, they still spend more than 90% of the time working on child custody issues.  So if they advertise themselves as a divorce attorney, and mentions nothing about family law experience, they are probably not even worth talking to.

Even if you find yourself a family law attorney, ask about their experience in child custody cases.  Ask them how often they win favorable decisions for their clients.  Ask them if they have any experts that they use, and what they do.  Ask them if they commonly represent men in custody cases, because there is often a big difference on what side they are fighting for.

In fact, ask them anything that you want to know.  That is the whole point of going to talk to an attorney in the first place.  Remember you are a prospective client.  Think of it this way… You are the employer who is interviewing potential employees, and if they are not right for the job, by all means Don’t Hire Them!!

I am far from an expert in child custody.  In fact, I consider myself extremely lucky that it was not a part of my divorce case.  But I have seen too many men get screwed when it comes to their kids to know just how important it is to be prepared.  If you want more specific information, I highly recommend “How to find the Right Attorney to Handle Your Custody Case”, a resource written by Dr. Barry Bricklin and Dr. Gail Elliot, two of the most highly respected child custody experts in the country. You will never be penalized for being too prepared!