Should I hire Hofheimer Family Law?

If you’re facing a possible divorce or custody case, you’re probably wondering how to proceed. There are a lot of factors involved and, as a result, a lot of choices to make, especially at the beginning of your case. It’s hard to know what path to travel down, especially when you’re not sure what shape your case may eventually take, and being expected to start making these kinds of big picture decisions in the beginning can be daunting.
If you’re like most women, you’re wondering whether you even have to hire an attorney. After all, wouldn’t it be better if you could move past this without involving attorneys? Certainly it would be cheaper, right? And, beyond all that, if you DO decide to hire an attorney, whom should you hire? Obviously, you’ve found this page because you’re thinking of hiring an attorney, and specifically, you’re considering hiring Hofheimer Family Law.

Should I hire Hofheimer Family Law?

You’re definitely in the right place, and it sounds like you’re absolutely asking the right questions—which, frankly, is a great place to start. Today, I plan to go into a little more detail about hiring an attorney. How do you know whether you’ll need to hire? Can you handle your case on your own? You can stop reading after those bits, if you like, and you decide you don’t need any more help. If, on the other hand, you decide to hire an attorney, I’ll tell you a little bit more about how we work as a law firm. I’ve never written anything like this, but then I started thinking—wouldn’t someone who is considering hiring us want to know, from someone on the inside, what it’s like to work with us? I think you might. I think I have an interesting perspective, and one that will help you as you begin to make decisions about your case, whether you decide to hire us (or any attorney, for that matter) or not.

Do I even need to hire an attorney?

Of course, you’d like to NOT hire an attorney. Whenever I talk to a woman about her case she tells me, usually pretty early on, that she can’t afford to hire an attorney. Sometimes, though, you really can’t afford NOT to hire an attorney. But I’m getting a little ahead of myself.
There are lots of different kinds of cases out there. It’s not just a divorce case or a custody case; there are lots of differences and nuances across each category, too. You can have a contested divorce (meaning that you go to court and let a judge decide how everything will be divided) or an uncontested divorce (where you’re able to reach an agreement with your soon to be ex about how all your assets and liabilities will be divided). You can have a custody case where you reach an agreement, too, or a complicated custody case where you delve into more issues, like the special needs of your child, relocation, or obtaining supervised visitation. There are a lot of different ways your case can go!
For more information about the types of divorce and custody cases, click on the hyperlinks provided here (I separated them out for divorce and for custody, so make sure to click on the appropriate topic). It’s a little outside the scope of this article to go into deep detail about how they differ from each other, but, as you’re making decisions about your case, it’s definitely something you should know.
A lot of times, in uncontested cases (cases where you and your husband are able to reach an agreement on your own), it’s not necessary to have an attorney, though you may choose to (and most people do). Keep in mind that negotiating your own result, particularly in a divorce, can cost you more later on down the road—if, for example, you give up rights to an asset that the court would have automatically given you. I’ve seen lots of women write worse agreements for themselves than even their husband’s attorneys would draft, simply because they aren’t aware of the laws. If you’re going to do it yourself—that’s fine—but do your due diligence and make sure that you have up to date, Virginia specific information about what your rights and entitlements are.
Not sure what you should receive? It’s not a bad idea to come in and talk to an attorney, even just for a consultation, just to get an idea, even if you have no intention of hiring an attorney later. Want an even more budget-friendly option? Attend our monthly divorce seminars, our Custody Bootcamp for Moms seminar (which was designed specifically for Virginia moms preparing to represent themselves in custody, visitation, and support cases at the juvenile and domestic relations district courts), or one of our books. We have a book on divorce and one on custody, and both are available to you for free if you fill out the form and request it. If you receive one of the books, you’ll also be invited to participate in a divorce or custody e-course (which is completely free to you) and is filled with tips and tricks specifically designed for you by one of our licensed and experienced Virginia divorce and custody attorneys.
Most of the time, in contested cases, it’s not really possible (and certainly not advisable) to represent yourself. The court system is pretty complex, and rules are constantly changing. You’re taking a big risk if you try to litigate your own case (though, legally, you are certainly allowed to do so). If you suspect that you and your husband (or child’s father) won’t be able to reach an agreement, you should definitely at least talk to an attorney before you make any potentially costly mistakes.
Still wondering whether you can handle your own case? Find out whether you can really represent yourself in a divorce case—or a custody case—by clicking the links provided, and filling out the form to get your free report delivered to your email inbox instantly.
There is tons of information out there that will help you make the best decision possible when it comes to the decision whether or not to hire an attorney. The choice is certainly yours!

If I DO decide to hire an attorney, should I hire Hofheimer Family Law Firm?

It’s a good question! After all, a lot of what will happen to you over the coming days, weeks, and months will have to do with the attorney you choose to hire. There are lots of different attorneys out there and, obviously, there are good ones and there are bad ones. You want to hire one of the good ones—and, not only a good one, but the RIGHT one for your particular case.
At Hofheimer Family Law, we represent women only in divorce, custody, and support cases. I’ve been here for just over 5 years now (my goodness, now the time has flown), and I can tell you with certainty that we are different from most law firms.
Charlie Hofheimer started the law firm more than twenty years ago now because he saw unfairness in the way the court system and the law treated women going through divorces. Now, his daughter, Kristen Hofheimer, runs the firm and, I have to say, Kristen is one of the kindest, most compassionate, most intelligent people I have ever met. She’s an amazing attorney, and one with heart.
I work with a number of other attorneys, too – Sheera Herrell, Shannon Lemm, Caitlin Walters, and Sarah Haight.
After five years here, I can honestly say that I trust this group of attorneys (and their paralegals) completely, and I’d be happy to have any of them represent me in a divorce or custody case. They are honest, hardworking, and are respectful of their client’s money. They believe in what they do, and are compassionate advocates for the women they represent.
I don’t think you’ll find another firm that values their clients the way we do. It’s one of those core values that has been ingrained into us, and we are very passionate about providing an excellent service to our clients. We offer tons of free resources for Virginia women, have authored a number of books on divorce and custody related topics, teach both divorce and custody seminars, and, in general, do a lot of work to make sure that Virginia women have the information they need to make careful, considered choices when it comes to their family law cases.
We also offer Girl’s Night Out events, all paid for by the firm, to give our current, former, and prospective clients a chance to get out, socialize, network, and meet other local area women. We pay for the food and the drinks—so all you have to do is show up. No one else is providing this kind of service for Virginia women—here, or anywhere else, for that matter.
If you’re looking for a family law firm, consider us. You won’t be disappointed. For more information about our free resources, seminars, or to schedule an appointment with one of our licensed and experienced Virginia divorce and custody attorneys, give our office a call at (757) 425-5200.