They say “blood is thicker than water”, and that’s often very true. However, the complexities of human relationships sometimes creates complications that put that saying in doubt. Matters such as separation, divorce, child custody, child support and alimony, parental visitation, child adoptions, protection of grandparents rights, spousal abuse, and modification and enforcement of orders, often necessitate the services of a family law lawyer in Lancaster County to sort things out.
These are complex issues are often very sensitive, and always charged with emotion. Dealing with them on your own, or relying on untrained “honest brokers” to diffuse the situation can sometimes create an even more volatile situation. And to deal with some of these issues highlighted above, you have no other recourse than to find a reliable family law lawyer who practices in Lancaster County to secure the best possible outcome for all parties concerned.
Family matters, such as child custody, alimony or spousal abuse are often high-stake cases, requiring your lawyer to have considerable experience and knowledge to secure your rights. Therefore, when looking for a family lawyer, you need to exercise good judgment and a sound selection approach to help you choose one that’s right for you.
It is always good to have a legal firm, rather than an individual practicing attorney, represent you. Although, at the end of the day it will be a single lawyer from the firm who will advise you, he or she will have the backing of other lawyers within the firm to also tap into, should the need arise.
Make sure that the family law lawyer in Lancaster County you engage works with an organization that’s been in business for a long time – preferably 50 years or more. While new entrants into the legal arena may offer you extremely low prices or may attract you with other seemingly attractive terms, it is their relative inexperience in matters of the law that should make you gravitate towards more seasoned law firms.
Look for a lawyer that has formal education from reputable institutions. Ask if he or she is a graduate of well known institutions such as Susquehanna University, and whether they have earned their Juris Doctor from institutions such as the University of Pittsburgh, the Dickinson School of Law or the Washburn University of Topeka.
Also, make sure they are members of the Pennsylvania and Lancaster Bar Associations.
While the law firm’s reputation and history matters, it is the experience of the individual lawyer that you must also consider. Ideally, the lawyer representing you should have at least 30 years of experience, and should have a track record of serving the Lancaster County community for at least that long. Individuals with such strong ties to your community are more likely to give you a vigorous representation, as opposed to someone from outside the community.
As strong family ties are for families, so also a family law lawyer Lancaster County, like Going and Plank, should have strong ties to the community to represent you successfully.