Divorce Attorneys

50,071 verified divorce attorneys across the United States. A divorce attorney guides you through property division, spousal support, custody, and the final decree — contested or uncontested. Compare verified divorce attorneys nationwide by experience, peer ratings, and client reviews — get matched with counsel in any state, free for clients.

50,071 Divorce attorneys found

Atty. Sergio Cabanas, Esq.
Atty. Sergio Cabanas, Esq.
Pembroke Pines 35 yrs exp 5.0

Sergio Cabanas is a dedicated divorce lawyer and family law advocate with a deeply personal mission: to protect families from the very system that onc...

Divorce International Divorce Military Divorce Adoption Adoption Law +41
Atty. Amanda Medlin Bellotti
Atty. Amanda Medlin Bellotti
Evans 22 yrs exp 5.0

Amanda Medlin Bellotti is a lawyer practicing family law, alternative dispute resolution, mediation and 40 other areas of law. Amanda Medlin received ...

Alternative Dispute Resolution Family Law Mediation Adoption Law Alimony +38
Atty. Philip L. Arnel
Atty. Philip L. Arnel
Westwood 32 yrs exp 5.0

Philip L. Arnel practices at Law Office of Philip L.

Automobile Accidents Motorcycle Accidents Personal Injury Child Custody Child Support +20
Atty. Michael Maz Raheb
Atty. Michael Maz Raheb
Fort Myers 28 yrs exp 5.0

Michael M. Raheb has years of experience as a litigator and a track record of successful verdicts and case results.

Automobile Accidents Criminal Personal Injury Divorce Family Law +3
Atty. Kevin Patrick Seaver
Atty. Kevin Patrick Seaver
Boston 35 yrs exp 5.0

Kevin Patrick Seaver is a lawyer practicing child abuse or neglect (51a) reports, custody, adoptions and 18 other areas of law. Kevin received a B.S. ...

Adoptions Child Abuse or Neglect (51A) Reports Custody Appealing Supporoted Child abuse and/or Neglect Decisions Assessments +16
Atty. John H Schmidt
Atty. John H Schmidt
Shepherdsville 28 yrs exp 5.0

The founder of the Law Offices of John Schmidt & Associates PLLC, John has a personal devotion to help struggling families. The happiness and welfare ...

Child Custody Divorce Family Law Adoptions Advanced Health Care Directive +37
Atty. Timi Deann Tucker
Atty. Timi Deann Tucker
Melbourne 34 yrs exp 5.0

Timi Tucker has an outstanding track record with over 27 years experience, and is primarily focused on representing clients in Divorce, Dependency, In...

Dependency Divorce Injunctions Alimony Annulment +19
Atty. Evan Kyle Guthrie
Atty. Evan Kyle Guthrie
Charleston 16 yrs exp 5.0

Mr. Evan Kyle Guthrie is a lawyer practicing marriage & prenuptials, trusts, power of attorney and 20 other areas of law.

Marriage & Prenuptials Power of Attorney Trusts Business Car Accidents +18
Atty. Stephen P. Levesque
Atty. Stephen P. Levesque
Cranston 29 yrs exp 5.0

Stephen P. Levesque is a lawyer practicing bankruptcy, estate planning, probate and 6 other areas of law.

Bankruptcy Estate Planning Probate Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Chapter 7 Bankruptcy +4
Atty. R. Greg Andrews
Atty. R. Greg Andrews
Norman 25 yrs exp 5.0

Focusing his practice largely on complex civil litigation, R. Greg Andrews is the managing member at Andrews Law.

Employment Law Family Law Medical Malpractice Law Construction Law Criminal Law +11
Atty. Kyle J. Bristow, Esq.
Atty. Kyle J. Bristow, Esq.
St. Clair 14 yrs exp 5.0

Legal matters can be emotionally difficult unless one has an aggressive, intelligent, and vigilant lawyer who understands the legal system and who can...

Divorce Family Law Family Law/Domestic Relations Annulment Appellate Practice +74
Atty. Scott Andrew Ferris
Atty. Scott Andrew Ferris
Coral Gables 39 yrs exp 5.0

Mr. Scott Andrew Ferris is a lawyer practicing personal injury, criminal law, family and divorce and 3 other areas of law.

Criminal Law Family and Divorce Personal Injury Contested Divorce and Domestic Relations Criminal Defense +1
Atty. James Ralph Aulbaugh III
Atty. James Ralph Aulbaugh III
Dallas 18 yrs exp 5.0

Mr. James Ralph Aulbaugh III is a lawyer practicing business litigation, commercial litigation, divorce and 10 other areas of law.

Business Litigation Commercial Litigation Divorce Business Criminal +8
Atty. Louis F. Simonetti
Atty. Louis F. Simonetti
Syosset 38 yrs exp 5.0

Louis F. Simonetti is a lawyer practicing matrimonial, divorce, family law and 31 other areas of law.

Divorce Family Law Matrimonial Adoptions Alimony +29
Atty. Marc W. Roberts
Atty. Marc W. Roberts
Garden City 53 yrs exp 5.0

Mr. Roberts was a partner in a major Suffolk County law firm until 1997, when he established his own practice concentrating in matrimonial law and fam...

Divorce Family Law Matrimonial Law Child Support Counsel Fee Awards +9
Atty. James Earl Hensley, Jr.
Atty. James Earl Hensley, Jr.
Conway 27 yrs exp 5.0

James Earl Hensley, Jr. is a lawyer practicing personal injury, federal and state criminal and civil law, capital murder and 9 other areas of law. Jam...

Capital Murder Federal And State Criminal And Civil Law Personal Injury Accident And Personal Injury Adoption And Guardianship +7
Atty. Marck K Joseph, Esq. BCS
Atty. Marck K Joseph, Esq. BCS
Miami 15 yrs exp 5.0

Marck Joseph, Esq., is the founder and owner of The Joseph Firm, a South Florida-based practice focusing exclusively on Marital and Family Law. His st...

Family Law Family Mediation Marital Law Alimony Child Support +9
Atty. Louis A. Russo
Atty. Louis A. Russo
New York 19 yrs exp 5.0

Louis A. Russo is the founding member of Russo Law LLC, a New York and New Jersey business law firm focused on commercial contracts, business acquisit...

Contract Negotiation / Contract Drafting Contracts Mergers Acquisitions and Divestitures Admiralty and Maritime Law Breach of Fiduciary Duty (Duty of Care, Duty of Loyalty) +14
Atty. Jessenia Rosales
Atty. Jessenia Rosales
Tampa 9 yrs exp 5.0

Jessenia Rosales is a lawyer practicing family law, alimony, annulment and 113 other areas of law. Jessenia received a B.A. degree from University of ...

Alimony Annulment Family Law Arrest Warrants Assault And Battery +111
Atty. Michael A. Setlak
Atty. Michael A. Setlak
Fort Wayne 24 yrs exp 5.0

Mike began practicing law in 2002 in Fort Wayne and the surrounding counties. Mike has focused his scope of legal practice to all issues involving fam...

Divorce Domestic Partnerships Family Law Adoption Adoptions +77
Atty. Travis L Turner
Atty. Travis L Turner
Austin 23 yrs exp 5.0

Mr. Travis L Turner is a lawyer practicing family law, child custody, child support and 13 other areas of law.

Child Custody Child Support Family Law Alimony Child Abduction +11
Atty. Joshua Michael Floyd
Atty. Joshua Michael Floyd
Lewisville 14 yrs exp 5.0

Joshua Floyd has practiced with The Jimenez Law Firm since September 2012.Josh brings great energy, enthusiasm, and dedication to all his cases. He ha...

Criminal Criminal Defense Family Child Custody Child Support +2
Atty. Reagen Kulseth
Atty. Reagen Kulseth
Tucson 35 yrs exp 5.0

Reagen Kulseth practices at The Law Office of Reagen Kulseth Read Full Bio

Family Law Grandparents Visitation Rights Paternity Child Custody Child Custody Mediation +13
Atty. Justin D Riem
Atty. Justin D Riem
Cedar Rapids 13 yrs exp 5.0

Unlike many of my law school peers, I didn’t always know I wanted to be a lawyer. While attending high school in Minnesota, I was a bit of an entrepre...

Divorce Family Law
Atty. Robert Steele Cummings
Atty. Robert Steele Cummings
Pittsboro 19 yrs exp 5.0

Mr. Robert Steele Cummings is a lawyer practicing child custody, divorce & separation, speeding & traffic ticket and 1 other area of law.

Child Custody Divorce & Separation Speeding & Traffic Ticket Criminal Defense
Atty. Brandon B. McDonald
Atty. Brandon B. McDonald
Henderson 18 yrs exp 5.0

Brandon B. McDonald is a lawyer practicing family law, adoptions, alimony and 39 other areas of law.

Adoptions Alimony Family Law Annulment Business +37
Atty. Mitchell John Howie
Atty. Mitchell John Howie
Huntsville 22 yrs exp 5.0

After serving as a federal prosecutor in both: The United States Air Force, Judge Advocate General Corps for over 4 years; and as a Special Assistant ...

Corporate Law Criminal Law Family Law Divorce Juvenile Law +4
Atty. Brian Andrew Kirlew
Atty. Brian Andrew Kirlew
Miami 17 yrs exp 5.0

Brian Andrew Kirlew is a lawyer practicing criminal defense, white collar crime, family law and 16 other areas of law. Brian received a B.S. degree fr...

Criminal Defense Family Law White Collar Crime Child Custody Child Support +14
Atty. Christina M. Jimenez
Atty. Christina M. Jimenez
Lewisville 19 yrs exp 5.0

Christina Jimenez founded The Jimenez Law Firm in North Texas and her home region of Midland-Odessa with the goal of providing the best possible crimi...

Child Custody Divorce Family Adoptions Child Support +9
Atty. Mark A. Chinn
Atty. Mark A. Chinn
Jackson 48 yrs exp 5.0

Founder of Chinn & Associates, Mark A. Chinn is a seasoned Jackson, Mississippi family law attorney who has dedicated his career to helping clients th...

Family Law Fault-Based Divorce Proceedings Irreconcilable Differences Divorce Annulment Child Custody +8
Atty. Dawn Michele Saddik
Atty. Dawn Michele Saddik
Boca Raton 27 yrs exp 5.0

Ms. Dawn Michele Saddik is a lawyer practicing family; marital and family; mediation; alternative dispute resolution; family law, family, divorce & se...

Divorce & Separation Family Family; Marital and Family; Mediation; Alternative Dispute Resolution; Family Law Mediation
Atty. Daniel Joseph Marchese
Atty. Daniel Joseph Marchese
Rochester 14 yrs exp 5.0

Daniel Joseph Marchese is a lawyer practicing family law, divorce without children, child custody dispute and 9 other areas of law. Daniel received a ...

Child Custody Dispute Divorce without Children Family Law Asset Dispute Divorce +7
Atty. Calvin Kourosh Azadi
Atty. Calvin Kourosh Azadi
Miami 10 yrs exp 5.0

Calvin Kourosh Azadi practices at Azadi Law Read Full Bio

Immigration And Nationality On the Non-Immigrant side (Visa) Treaty Country Investors/Professionals (E-2) Alimony Asset Protection Trust +79
Atty. Gigio Koshy Ninan
Atty. Gigio Koshy Ninan
New York 15 yrs exp 5.0

I am the CEO and Co-Founder of Shankar Ninan & Co., a law firm that provides comprehensive legal services to small and medium-sized businesses in New ...

Contracts Employment Authorizations Employment Visas Business Confidentiality Agreements +43
Atty. John Daniel Hodson
Atty. John Daniel Hodson
Vacaville 41 yrs exp 5.0

John Daniel Hodson is a lawyer practicing family law, divorce, military law. John received a B.S. degree from Rollins College in 1980, and has been li...

Divorce Family Law Military Law
Atty. Marie Hylan Hopper
Atty. Marie Hylan Hopper
Pittsboro 22 yrs exp 5.0

Ms. Marie Hylan Hopper is a lawyer practicing child custody, speeding & traffic ticket, divorce & separation and 2 other areas of law.

Child Custody Divorce & Separation Speeding & Traffic Ticket Estate Planning Probate
Atty. Patrick Joseph Reilly
Atty. Patrick Joseph Reilly
Venice 46 yrs exp 5.0

Patrick Joseph Reilly is a lawyer practicing estate and trust litigation, divorce, complex civil litigation. Patrick received a B.A. degree from Washi...

Complex Civil Litigation Divorce Estate And Trust Litigation
Atty. Alan Harold Landman
Atty. Alan Harold Landman
Melbourne 38 yrs exp 5.0

Mr. Alan Harold Landman is a lawyer practicing dui & dwi, divorce & separation, criminal defense and 3 other areas of law.

Criminal Defense Divorce & Separation DUI/DWI Domestic Violence Family Law +1
Atty. Martin J. Rosen
Atty. Martin J. Rosen
White Plains 59 yrs exp 5.0

Founding Editor, Domestic Law Review, 1982. Editor, Domestic Law Review-West, Family Law Section, 1992-1998.

Divorce Family Law Matrimonial Law Adoption Law Child Custody +7
Atty. Marc Evan Rovner
Atty. Marc Evan Rovner
Oceanside 38 yrs exp 5.0

Marc Evan Rovner is a lawyer practicing real estate, residential real estate, commercial real estate and 10 other areas of law. Marc received a B.A. d...

Commercial Real Estate Real Estate Residential Real Estate Alimony Buy Sell Agreements +8
Atty. Anthony David Storm
Atty. Anthony David Storm
Beverly Hills 16 yrs exp 5.0

Anthony David Storm is a lawyer practicing family law, community property law, divorce and 6 other areas of law. Anthony received a degree from Univer...

Community Property Law Divorce Family Law Child Custody Marital Property Settlements +4
Atty. Barbara Jean Leach
Atty. Barbara Jean Leach
Orlando 19 yrs exp 5.0

Barbara Jean Leach is a lawyer practicing animal law, bankruptcy, family law and 9 other areas of law. Barbara received a B.A. degree from Rollins Col...

Animal Law Bankruptcy Family Law Alimony Chapter 13 Bankruptcy +7
Atty. Peter John Louie
Atty. Peter John Louie
Virginia Beach 17 yrs exp 5.0

Peter John Louie is a lawyer practicing criminal defense, family law, divorce and 6 other areas of law. Peter received a degree from Grove City Colleg...

Criminal Defense Divorce Family Law Child Custody Criminal Law +4
Atty. Josh Dean Lee
Atty. Josh Dean Lee
Vinita 19 yrs exp 5.0

Mr. Josh Dean Lee is a lawyer practicing administrative law, criminal defense, divorce and 6 other areas of law.

Administrative Law Criminal Defense Divorce Driving While Intoxicated Employment +4
Atty. Richard George Fonfrias
Atty. Richard George Fonfrias
Chicago 30 yrs exp 5.0

Rich Fonfrias is a respected Financial Rescue and Bankruptcy Lawyer based in Chicago, Illinois. He has practiced law for 13 years and has in-depth exp...

Bankruptcy Chapter 11 Bankruptcy Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Chapter 7 Citation to Discover Assets Creditor Defense +6
Atty. Paulina Forrest
Atty. Paulina Forrest
Fort Lauderdale 16 yrs exp 5.0

PAULINA FORREST is a graduate of the University of Central Florida (B.A., 2007) and Florida Coastal School of Law (J.D., 2010). She graduated law scho...

Agency Adoptions Alimony Family Law Annulment Assisted Reproductive Technology +74
Atty. Stephen Wright Williams
Atty. Stephen Wright Williams
Huntsville 16 yrs exp 5.0

Mr. Stephen Wright Williams is a lawyer practicing adoptions, child custody, interstate child custody and 22 other areas of law.

Adoptions Child Custody Interstate Child Custody Child Abduction Child Abuse and Neglect +20
Atty. Kristopher John Kest
Atty. Kristopher John Kest
Orlando 21 yrs exp 5.0

Kristopher Kest is the founder of Kest Family Law, P.A. He practices and mediates exclusively in the area of marital and family law.

Child Custody Divorce & Separation Family Family & Marital Law Mediation
Atty. Sara Gharib Khaki
Atty. Sara Gharib Khaki
Atlanta 18 yrs exp 5.0

Mrs. Sara Gharib Khaki is a lawyer practicing social security disability law, administrative law, divorce & separation and 3 other areas of law.

Administrative Law Divorce & Separation Social Security Disability Law Child Custody Family +1
Atty. Jonathan E von Kohorn
Atty. Jonathan E von Kohorn
Fairfield 22 yrs exp 5.0

Jonathan E von Kohorn is a lawyer practicing child custody, alimony, family law and 1 other area of law. Jonathan received a B.A. degree from Universi...

Alimony Child Custody Family Law Divorce
Atty. Candice Christy Davis, Esq.
Atty. Candice Christy Davis, Esq.
Norcross 4 yrs exp 5.0

Candice Davis founded The Davis Family Law Firm in Norcross, Georgia with a singular mission: to provide the kind of sophisticated, personalized legal...

Child Custody Divorce Family Law Child Support Guardianship and Conservatorship +1
Atty. James Randall Krenis
Atty. James Randall Krenis
Jackson 25 yrs exp 5.0

James Randall Krenis is a lawyer practicing personal injury, dui/dwi, no fault divorce and 8 other areas of law. James received a B.A. degree from Rut...

DUI/DWI No Fault Divorce Personal Injury Auto Accidents Child Custody +6
Atty. Linda Peters Chrzan
Atty. Linda Peters Chrzan
Fort Wayne 40 yrs exp 5.0

Phi Alpha Delta.

Collaborative Law Domestic Relations Family Relations Child Support Disputes Contested Adoptions +12
Atty. Carlos Mariano Lastra
Atty. Carlos Mariano Lastra
Bethesda 34 yrs exp 5.0

[Si Hablo Espanol] “My singular focus is to achieve the client's goals in a professional, cost-effective and strategic manner, to ensure that the resu...

Divorce & Separation Domestic Violence Family Law Child Custody Child Support +1
Atty. Yonatan S. Levoritz
Atty. Yonatan S. Levoritz
New York 21 yrs exp 5.0

Yonatan Levoritz, AV Rated by Martindale-Hubbell, is widely recognized as a champion for the rights of his clients, and has an enviable record of winn...

Divorce Family General Practice Alimony Divorce Mediation +14
Atty. Ms Tamara Nicole Mulembo
Atty. Ms Tamara Nicole Mulembo
Tucson 20 yrs exp 5.0

Ms Tamara Nicole Mulembo is a lawyer practicing criminal defense, criminal law, federal criminal law and 14 other areas of law. Tamara received a B.A....

Criminal Defense Criminal Law Federal Criminal Law Alimony Appellate Practice +12
Atty. Brett Ryan Wishart
Atty. Brett Ryan Wishart
Irvine 21 yrs exp 5.0

Brett Ryan Wishart is a lawyer practicing divorce, family law, dissolution of marriage and 13 other areas of law. Brett received a B.A. degree from Br...

Dissolution Of Marriage Divorce Family Law Child Custody Child Support +11
Atty. Eric G. Reis
Atty. Eric G. Reis
Dallas 30 yrs exp 5.0

Mr. Eric G.

Divorce And Family Law Estate Planning & Individual Estates And Probate Family Office Tax Health Care +6
Atty. John Philip Larochelle
Atty. John Philip Larochelle
Providence 32 yrs exp 5.0

Achieving outstanding results for my clients is worth the time that it takes to be thoroughly prepared for aggressive advocacy. I am a former Rhode Is...

Criminal Law Domestic Relations Family Law Capital Offenses Child Custody +17
Atty. Nancy L. Giardina
Atty. Nancy L. Giardina
Syracuse 31 yrs exp 5.0

Attorney Nancy Giardina's practice is devoted exclusively to helping families. She is committed to solving problems in a way that best serves her clie...

Collaborative Divorce Divorce Mediation Family Law Advising Clients Who are Involved in Mediation and Reviewing Agreements Child Custody +7

What is Divorce?

Divorce is the branch of law that governs the rights, obligations, and disputes that arise within its subject matter. In the United States, divorce sits at the intersection of statutes enacted by Congress, the regulations issued by federal agencies, the laws passed by all fifty state legislatures, and the body of judge-made decisions known as the common law. Because every state writes its own version of the rules, the way divorce works in one jurisdiction can look noticeably different from how it works in another, and that is one of the main reasons attorneys in this area focus their practice geographically — to stay fluent in the local statutes, court rules, and judicial preferences that shape outcomes.

At a practical level, Divorce attorneys spend their time on three categories of work. The first is advice and prevention: counselling clients on how to structure transactions, draft documents, and conduct business so that legal risk is minimised before a dispute ever begins. The second is transactional execution: producing the contracts, filings, notices, and registrations that the law actually requires to make a decision legally binding. The third is contested representation: defending or pursuing a client's interests when a dispute escalates to negotiation, regulatory enforcement, arbitration, or litigation in court.

The clients who hire Divorce lawyers range from individuals navigating a single life event to multinational corporations with complex regulatory exposure. What unifies them is the need for an experienced lawyer who knows the relevant code sections, has appeared in the relevant courts, and can translate the strategic options into language a client can act on. AttorneyQnA currently lists 50,071 verified divorce attorneys across the United States, each with a public profile showing their bar admissions, years in practice, and the kinds of matters they have handled — with the deepest concentration of practitioners in California.

When do you need a Divorce attorney?

Most people contact a divorce lawyer for one of two reasons: something is about to happen that they want done correctly the first time, or something has gone wrong and they need it fixed before it gets worse. The earlier you involve counsel, the more options you usually have, and the lower the cost of getting to a resolution tends to be. The scenarios below are the ones we see most often on AttorneyQnA from prospective clients searching for divorce representation.

You are about to sign a binding document

Once your signature is on a contract, settlement, lease, or release, your bargaining leverage drops sharply. A short pre-signature review by a divorce lawyer is the cheapest insurance you can buy.

You received a letter, demand, or notice

Cease-and-desist letters, regulatory notices, and demand letters all start clocks. Missing the response window can convert a manageable problem into a default judgment or formal enforcement action.

Your matter has a deadline you can name

Statutes of limitations, filing windows, and appeal periods are jurisdictional — courts cannot extend them as a favour. If you can identify a date that matters, you need a lawyer before that date arrives.

The other side has hired counsel

The moment opposing counsel appears, the conversation moves out of normal English and into procedural language. Continuing unrepresented usually means losing ground you cannot recover later.

You are weighing strategic options

Forming an entity, choosing a venue, structuring a deal, or selecting a remedy each has long-term consequences. A consultation at the planning stage is far cheaper than redoing it after the fact.

Your situation crosses state lines

Multi-state matters bring conflict-of-laws questions that change which statutes apply and which court has authority. An attorney licensed in the right jurisdiction is not optional.

If any of the situations above describes where you are right now, the next step is a focused consultation. Use the Ask a Lawyer tool for short written questions, or browse the 50,071 divorce attorneys listed above to book a paid consultation directly.

How to choose a Divorce attorney

The single biggest factor in choosing a divorce lawyer is fit with your specific matter. A lawyer with twenty years of divorce experience but no exposure to your particular sub-issue can easily be a worse choice than a five-year associate who has handled the same problem repeatedly. We recommend running every prospective lawyer through the same five-step checklist before signing an engagement letter.

  1. Bar admission in the correct jurisdiction. Confirm the lawyer is admitted in the state — and where relevant, the federal district — where your matter sits. The lawyer's profile on AttorneyQnA shows every bar admission on file, and the underlying state bar's "lawyer lookup" tool will confirm active standing in under a minute.
  2. Direct experience with your fact pattern. Ask plainly: "How many matters like mine have you handled in the last three years, and how did they resolve?" An honest answer reveals more than years-in-practice alone.
  3. A written fee agreement. Whether hourly, flat fee, contingent, or hybrid, the engagement letter should specify what is included, what triggers additional charges, and how disputes are handled. Avoid lawyers who resist writing the terms down.
  4. Communication cadence. Decide upfront how often you expect updates, who your day-to-day contact will be, and what response time is reasonable. The number-one complaint filed with state bar grievance committees is not malpractice — it is non-communication.
  5. Conflict check + reputation pulse. Make sure the lawyer has run a formal conflict check, then spend ten minutes reading independent reviews and any public disciplinary history. The state bar's website is authoritative for the second; the lawyer's AttorneyQnA profile collects the first.

Once you have a shortlist, schedule consultations with two or three. Lawyers vary widely in temperament, and the right strategic match for your case is sometimes the second or third lawyer you meet — not the first.

How much does a Divorce lawyer cost?

Legal fees in the United States are not regulated by a uniform schedule, so what you pay a divorce lawyer depends on the billing model the lawyer offers, the complexity of your matter, and the local market. There are four billing structures used in this practice area; most engagements use one, but hybrid arrangements are increasingly common.

1. Hourly billing

The default model for most non-contingent matters. Rates for divorce attorneys in the U.S. typically range from $150–$250/hour in smaller markets to $400–$700/hour in major metropolitan areas, with senior partners at large firms commanding $900/hour and above. Hourly billing is fairest when the scope of work is genuinely unpredictable, but it creates an incentive structure that the client has to monitor.

2. Flat fee

Increasingly used for well-defined transactions — incorporations, will drafting, single-issue filings, uncontested matters. A flat fee tells you exactly what the deliverable will cost, and the lawyer absorbs the risk of unexpected complexity. Ask whether the flat fee includes filing fees, third-party costs, and any post-filing follow-up.

3. Contingency

Where it is permitted by the rules of professional conduct — most often in plaintiff-side divorce work involving monetary recovery — the lawyer is paid a percentage of the proceeds, typically 33% before suit is filed and 40% after. The client pays nothing if there is no recovery. Contingency fees align the lawyer's economics with yours, but the percentage compounds across time, so very strong cases sometimes do better on hourly billing.

4. Retainer / subscription

A monthly fee that buys a defined block of access or hours. This is common for businesses with ongoing divorce needs — contract review, employee questions, regulatory check-ins. A subscription smooths out spending and gives the lawyer a reason to know your operation in depth.

Whichever model you choose, ask for an itemised written estimate before the engagement begins, and ask explicitly what is not covered. Surprise expenses are the most common source of attorney-client friction.

Frequently asked questions about divorce

How quickly can a divorce lawyer review my matter?

Most lawyers can schedule an initial consultation within 1–3 business days. Urgent matters — pending deadlines, time-sensitive notices, court-ordered hearings — should be flagged in your first message; many lawyers reserve emergency consultation slots for that reason. If you need a written answer faster, the Ask a Lawyer tool typically returns answers in under 24 hours.

Do I need a divorce lawyer in my exact city, or anywhere in my state?

Bar admission is the controlling rule: any attorney licensed in your state can represent you in that state's courts and agencies, regardless of which city they're based in. Practical proximity still matters for in-person meetings, local court familiarity, and access to the local bench and bar. For state-level filings and remote-friendly matters, an attorney elsewhere in the same state often works fine.

Will an initial consultation cost me anything?

Many divorce attorneys offer a free 15- to 30-minute initial consultation; others charge a flat consultation fee that may be credited against the engagement if you hire them. The lawyer's profile lists the consultation policy. Free does not always mean better — a fee-based consultation is sometimes the sign of a lawyer who treats their time, and yours, seriously.

What documents should I bring to the first meeting?

Bring every contract, notice, letter, filing, or written communication connected to the matter; a written timeline of events with dates; the names and contact details of every other party involved; and any deadlines or hearing dates you are already aware of. Even an incomplete file is more useful than a verbal summary alone.

Can I change lawyers if I am not happy with mine?

Yes. Clients can discharge their lawyer at any time, for any reason, by written notice. Your case file belongs to you and must be transferred to your new counsel. Any unpaid fees through the date of discharge remain owed; any unearned advance must be refunded. If you are mid-litigation, the court typically must approve the substitution, but approval is routine.

How long does a typical divorce matter take?

It depends almost entirely on whether the matter is transactional or contested. A transactional matter — a contract, a filing, a single-step transaction — can resolve in days to weeks. A contested matter — anything involving disputed facts, court intervention, or regulatory action — typically takes months at minimum, and complex cases can run multiple years. Your lawyer should give you a realistic outside estimate at intake.

Are divorce lawyer fees tax-deductible?

It depends on the nature of the matter and current tax law. Fees connected to producing or collecting taxable income, managing investment property, or operating a business are often deductible; fees for personal matters generally are not. Because rules change, confirm deductibility with a tax professional for the year in which the fees are paid.

What is the difference between divorce and the related practice areas?

Divorce overlaps with several adjacent areas — see the related-practice-area grid below for direct links. Choosing the right lawyer often means picking the one whose primary focus matches the heart of your problem, even if multiple labels could technically apply. When you are unsure, list your situation in your own words to two lawyers from neighbouring areas and ask which one of them is the better fit; honest lawyers will tell you.

Find divorce attorneys by state

Each state link below opens the divorce roster for that jurisdiction, with the local statute of limitations, court-system overview, and verified attorneys.

Divorce Law Firms

Main Law Firm Logo

Main Law Firm

Winter Park

Walton Law Firm Logo

Walton Law Firm

San Marcos

Bruner Law Firm Logo

Bruner Law Firm

Fort Walton Beach

J&Y Law Firm Logo

J&Y Law Firm

Los Angeles

West Law Firm Logo

West Law Firm

Charleston