What are the qualities that you should look out for in a Singapore divorce lawyer?
Students at UNISIM
Ms Charlotte Lee, a divorcee, will be starting law school at UNISIM. She was divorced about 9 years ago. She just left her job in the navy then and was having financial difficulties. Unable to afford a Singapore divorce lawyer, she turned to a pro bono lawyer. She now manages and train volunteers at the Lions Befrienders Service Association. Lee’s impression of law is “hard work and stressful”.
Another student, Ms Faith Tan, is a paralegal who will be starting the Bachelor of Laws course. She knows that family law is not glamorous- there are no $50 million deals to close. However, she recognizes that the practice of family law is meaningful as a Singapore divorce lawyer is able to help people during the hardest parts of their lives.
Reasons for shortage of Singapore divorce lawyers
There is a shortage of Singapore divorce lawyers in Singapore. One of the reasons may be the lower pay. Fresh family lawyers earn about $1,000 to $2,000 less than their peers in corporate law. Companies tend to have deeper pockets than individuals in marital problems. Further, firms which specialize in family law are usually smaller and they are not able to match the pay of bigger firms.
Given that the monetary rewards do not commensurate with the long hours and hard work, many lawyers do not start off with family practice.
See: Amelia Teng,“Genuine interest needed to last in community practice”, The Straits Times, 4 October 2016
Singapore divorce lawyer
As the title rightly suggests, you need a Singapore divorce lawyer with genuine interest. A Singapore divorce lawyer with genuine interest in family practice will likely devote the bulk of his practice to family law.
Family law Singapore is unlike many other areas of law. It is not just about winning or losing. In fact, it seldom is about winning or losing. Most of the time, it is about problem-solving.
What do you do with your HDB property? Do you sell it and split the proceeds? Or do you have it transferred to one party?
What about the children? How often will they see the parent without care and control?
Who will maintain the children? How will parents work together to minimize the impact of the divorce on the children?
As a Singapore divorce lawyer, there are many non-law aspects to consider.
A lawyer may have decades of experience, but if he does not specialize in family law, he may only be conducting a few divorce cases a year. Will he/ she truly be able to master the intricacies of family law?
Contact us today if you wish to speak to a Singapore divorce lawyer who specializes in family law.
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