Not all divorces need attorneys, but make sure you fall into that category
While I believe the services I provide are helpful to my clients in reaching resolution, once and a while there are cases that I believe can be handled out of court or a lawyer's office. These cases are done with the help of a mediator, someone who acts as sort of an umpire while you and your soon-to-be-ex-spouse sort through your assets and demands. Using a mediator is usually regarded as a lower-cost way to handle a divorce, along with doing it yourself. However, while this might seem the right way to go, there are a few types of people who I would suggest not taking this route.
Pushovers If you are the type of person who caves in to demands easily, this is not the way to go. If you have even an iota of this type of personality in you, I suggest going the lawyer route, someone who will fight for you.
Couples who hate each other If you and your spouse can't stand talking to each other, how are you going to negotiate face-to-face without a fight breaking out? This is a prime situation where having someone going to bat for you is ideal and probably most conducive to getting things done.
If you are concerned your spouse is unpredictable If you have assets that you believe are at risk, or children that you believe could be taken away at a moment's notice, then you need a lawyer. A lawyer knows the law that can prevent your spouse from illegally selling your goods or disappearing with your kids.
If you just don't trust your spouse Think your spouse is hiding something from you like assets or something that can look poorly upon him in the court of law? Then that's not a time for a mediator, that's a scenario where a lawyer's ability to research and demand those hidden gems to be handed over comes into play.