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319 Park Lake Circle
Orlando, Florida 32803
E -mail: mikerathel@yahoo.com  

Phone: (407) 999-9596
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Former Prosecutor Michael Rathel is ready to assist you through this difficult time.  Call Now... for your FREE price quote.  (407) 808-3269 (Attorney's Cell Phone)
 

Divorce Home - Uncontested Divorce - Contested Divorce
Child Support - Custody - Property Division - Alimony

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Orlando Divorce Attorney You Can Trust

At the Rathel Law Group we handle both contested and uncontested divorces, as well as all matters relating to family law.  Mr. Rathel is both a former mediator and prosecutor who has the experience and qualifications to assist you in your family law case.  Protecting your rights and that of your family will be our top priority. 

We handle the following matters:

Divorce Custody Child Support
Alimony Modification Paternity
Dependency Property Settlements Dispute Resolution
Restraining Orders Support Enforcement Injunctions

At the Rathel Law Group you will receive the personalized attention that you deserve.  We have provided you with attorney Michael Rathel's private cell phone number so that you can get a hold of him with your questions at anytime.

Article written by Michael Rathel of, The Rathel Law Group 

Deciding which attorney you should use in your divorce is a difficult decision.  I would encourage each and every person contemplating the hiring of a divorce or family law attorney in the Orlando, Florida area to look carefully at several factors before making their decision.  The decision of who to hire could greatly affect the outcome of your case and make the overall journey through the divorce process more productive.  The following factors should be taken into account: 1. how many years experience does the attorney have? 2. Does the attorney primarily practice family law? 3. How easily accessible is your attorney? 4. Do you have a clear understanding of how much the attorney is going to charge you? 5. Did a prior client refer you to that attorney?  Are you comfortable with that lawyer?  I will talk about all of these factors which in my opinion will allow you to improve your chances of hiring the best attorney for your particular needs. 

How many years experience does the attorney have? Does the attorney primarily practice family law?

Many clients come to me and hire my services after already hiring a previous attorney.  Often times they tell me that they found out that the attorney they initially hired specialized in personal injury or criminal defense and took their family law case on without fully understanding on how to assist them in the appropriate manner.  Choosing an attorney who is well versed in the issues surrounding divorce and family law is critical to the quality of legal service that you receive.  This can be easily ascertained in part by simply asking the question of “how many years has the attorney practiced family law and how many cases have they handled?”  If the answer is “I handled my sister’s divorce” than you should probably think long and hard about being the practice case for an attorney who has little to no experience.  I know many lawyers who are great personal injury lawyers or criminal defense lawyers but know very little about what goes into helping someone through the divorce process.  Many people think that any attorney can help them with a divorce and this could be a major mistake since there are many issues surrounding a divorce case that require an experienced lawyer in which to handle.  Make sure you ask the right questions first! “How many years experience do you have?  Do you primarily practice family law?”

How easily accessible is your attorney?

Prior to my becoming a lawyer, my wife and I hired a lawyer to assist us in our own personal legal matter.  Once we retained the lawyer we were never able to get in touch with him and it seemed like the only people we were allowed to speak with was the lawyer’s support staff.  Hiring a lawyer who is easy to contact is very important to the success of the divorce process.  Make sure that you have all of the lawyer’s contact information and clarify what type of communication will be allowed once you hire the lawyer.  I currently give out my cell phone number to all of my clients for emergencies in order to keep an open line of communication with my clients.  

How much is the lawyer going to charge? 

It is important to make sure you have a signed contract with the person you choose to be your lawyer.  Make sure that contract clarifies who will be responsible for the filing fees, costs associated with the case and the lawyer’s and support staff’s hourly rates.  If your lawyer offers a flat fee service make sure that the contract clearly states what that flat fee will or will not cover, and whether supplemental services like filing fees and additional costs are included, or if they are an additional sum that you must plan for.  It is important to understand that if you cannot continue to pay your lawyer than most likely that lawyer will withdraw from your case.  That means it is very important for you to determine in advance whether or not you can afford the legal services being offered for the divorce or family law case by that particular lawyer.  If you cannot continue to pay and the lawyer withdraws from your case, in most cases you will not receive a refund because a lawyer sells his/her time and that time has already been used.  It is a horrible experience to get 75% of the way through your case simply to have the lawyer withdraw and you lose all of your money and all of that time.

Did a prior client refer you to that Lawyer? 

It has been my experience that I get the best services when a friend or colleague of mine tells me how good a particular product or service was when they used it.  Referrals are a wonderful way to find out about a lawyer especially if they are a prior client of that lawyer or a relative of the prior client.  Ask your friends, “What was it like to work with that lawyer? Did the lawyer treat you with respect?  Did the lawyer return your phone calls? Did you have to pay more than the contract stated?  What was the outcome of your case?”   

Are You Comfortable with the Lawyer?

This is a tough one because being comfortable with a lawyer is one thing, but finding a lawyer that you’re comfortable with and meets all of the above requirements is the hard part.  But it is important that you get along with the lawyer and feel comfortable with them.  You don’t have to be friends with the lawyer but understanding where they are coming from and being comfortable is very important.  If you don’t feel comfortable with a specific lawyer, keep looking.  I meet potential clients all of the time that I don’t feel that I can work with, and I tell them that I think it would be in their best interest for them  to hire another lawyer and I often refer them to a colleague that would be a better fit.  If I can turn away paying business, then feel comfortable in knowing that you should also find the right lawyer who will adequately represent your best interest.

Call Now 24/7 and speak with Orlando attorney Michael Rathel, (407) 808-3269 cell.

Orlando Divorce Resources:
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