Do I Need a Second Opinion on my Florida Divorce?

Below is a story I heard recently from a man going through a divorce in Florida.

I am going through a divorce. It has been draining emotionally and financially. All my friends told me to get a good lawyer. I did. I found a well known divorce lawyer in my area and signed a retainer. I paid thousands of dollars when I hired my lawyer. I thought the money would take me a long way toward getting my divorce over and done. How wrong I was.

Months have now passed and I have had to come up with thousands more dollars for my lawyer and an accountant my lawyer said we had to have (even though I am financially knowledgeable). I’m not sure I’m any closer to getting my divorce done.

The other day I ran into an old friend. He divorced a few years ago. I started complaining about the time and money I was spending.

He told me the same thing happened to him, but he gained control back when he went for a “second opinion”.

What’s that I asked?

It’s like when you see a doctor and they tell you they have to operate, but you wonder if there is a less invasive alternative. So you go see another doctor for a second opinion. The second doctor may confirm what the first doctor said. Then you can have confidence that you really do need the operation. But sometimes the second doctor offers a completely different approach. Sometimes there is a “less invasive” alternative.

He told me that the lawyer he was using for his case was in a fancy office with lots of staff. They charged for everything – copies, stamping numbers on documents, you name it. The billing rate for the lawyer was so high he was afraid to call with questions. He began to feel like the case was running ahead without him. Yet he was asked to pay the ever increasing bills every month. He started to wonder if there was another “less invasive” alternative.

One day he went to see another lawyer in a small office for a second opinion. This lawyer didn’t have a fancy office or a large staff. But she did have excellent academic credentials, lots of experience and amazing reviews.

In one meeting she was able to explain what had happened in my case, what still needed to happen, and my options for getting from point A to point B – not in legalese but in business terms I could understand. It was like a mist lifted from in front of my eyes. Suddenly I could see everything clearly. I fired my lawyer and hired the new lawyer that day. My expenses were cut in half and the level of service I received doubled. I never had to waste time and money explaining myself to associates or other staff members. I never had to pay for copies again. I wasn’t surprised every time I received a bill. I was always aware of what had to be done before my money was spent. I was consulted and asked to make a decision on the cost/benefit of expensive actions beforehand.

The new lawyer couldn’t make the divorce process pleasant. She couldn’t make the case go away. But she was efficient, spoke in terms I could understand and always put my interests first. I felt like we were on the same team.

If you want a second opinion on your Florida divorce, call Miller Morse Law.