Fighting the legal battle for a child’s custody can be physically, mentally, and emotionally challenging. A child custody lawyer can provide some relief to parents to ensure timely justice. However, child custody proceedings typically involve highly complex issues, making it difficult for parents to find a lawyer who can approach such subjects practically and sensitively. So, here are some tips to help one find a skilled and experienced child custody attorney:

1. Check and cross-verify the attorney’s credentials
The first and most essential step to hiring the right child custody lawyer is checking their credentials, including qualifications, license, overall experience, any specialization courses in family law and child custody, and years of experience in this specific subfield of law. Moreover, one should cross-verify these details by looking up the attorney in the state bar association directory.

2. Seek references from lawyers
Child custody lawyers who have been referred for their work are more likely to be sincere and reliable. Besides seeking references from family members, friends, colleagues, etc., asking for recommendations from court clerks, the state bar association, and certain courts is a good idea.

3. Interview child custody attorneys
After shortlisting attorneys based on their credentials and experience, one should actively interview the lawyers, providing them with an overview of the case and asking them to provide examples of similar cases they have successfully handled. Such interviews also allow one to determine the child custody attorney’s approach to dealing with cases, intent to help the client, and implementation of acquired legal knowledge and skills.

4. Compare different lawyers’ proficiencies and rates
The next step is to compare the rates quoted by different lawyers vis-à-vis their professional qualifications, experience, specialization, and approach. It is not a good idea to compromise on the lawyer’s expertise for price and vice versa. Hence, the best bet is to shortlist a lawyer who is adequately experienced in the field while charging a reasonable fee that falls into one’s budget range. Understanding the standard fees charged by child custody lawyers while making this decision is important.

5. Gauge how empathetic and sensitive the lawyer is
An aspect that many people miss out on while selecting a child custody lawyer is their level of compassion and empathy, i.e., their ability to view situations from another person’s perspective and genuinely care about the other’s wellbeing. Since child custody is a highly personal and sensitive matter, a child custody attorney should be able to empathize with the child whose custody battle is being fought in court and understand the parent’s agonies while evaluating the case. Therefore, the lawyer’s emotional intelligence should be as much a selection criterion as their qualifications and experience.

6. Judge the lawyer’s ability to use legal reasoning and strategy
The ability to use legal reasoning and present compelling arguments in court is one of the most apparent signs of a good lawyer. Thus, a child custody lawyer should be able to view the situation practically, observe and grasp all the minute details of the case, and make use of legal reasoning to find ways to win the custody case. The first session with a child custody lawyer should not be a monologue at the client’s end; the lawyer should actively provide directions on how the case must proceed for the client to gain the child’s custody.

7. Hire a lawyer with good communication and listening skills
One of the most important skills for a lawyer is communication, specifically the ability to present counterarguments and provide evidence-based justifications. At the same time, the attorney should be able to listen to arguments and counterarguments by the opposing lawyer, client, and other entities involved. Such aspects should be carefully examined during the initial conversation with a child custody attorney.

8. Allow the attorney to speak to the child separately
This step should be the final determining factor for hiring a child custody attorney. The child at the center of the legal battle should be allowed to decide whether the lawyer can adequately ensure justice. Further, a conversation between the attorney and the child is essential for the former to understand the child’s preferences and feelings. However, the child should not directly interact with every attorney being interviewed because the situation can be highly stressful for the child. This step should be carried out only once the lawyer has met all other set criteria and has been almost finalized by the parent.

Finally, suppose the child custody lawyer does not meet one’s expectations or optimally fulfill the parent’s or child’s requirements. In that case, the parent should let go of the lawyer and immediately look for another. It is best to avoid continuing with the same lawyer, as a strong, evidence-based approach is essential to winning a legal custody case.