Being entangled with the law is expensive. A simple traffic law disobedience will cost you hefty fines, whilst criminal cases would require you to pay thousands for a criminal defence lawyer in Singapore.

Divorce is also one of the most costly legal issues you could face. When you break down divorce costs, a huge part will go to the child support and wife maintenance, while a significant amount will go to your divorce lawyer in Singapore. The rest will be divided among court and other professional fees.

Most people reduce their divorce costs by not putting too much reliance on theirfamily lawyer in Singapore.

5 Secrets For Reducing Your Divorce Lawyer Fees In Singapore

Any private legal assistance, whether hiring a criminal or probate lawyer in Singapore, is expensive. After all, completing law school and passing the bar exams is not a walk in the park.

Legal assistance cost is a stumbling block for couples seeking a divorce. Fortunately, some tricks will help you reducedivorce lawyer fees in Singapore.

1. Pick a lawyer within your budget.

Before choosing a lawyer, clients must understand how lawyers charge. Most lawyers bill their clients by calculating the time they spend working on their cases. They usually present their hourly rates.

For example, if the hourly rate of a family lawyer in Singapore is SGD 60 and they spent a total of 100 hours on your case, their fee would be SGD 6,000.

The professional rate of your lawyer depends on the nature and complexity of the case, the results obtained, and the lawyer’s experience and reputation. So it is crucial to find a divorce lawyer in Singapore who is within your budget.

There are also other options for lawyers:

●    Public attorney

Governments provide free legal assistance and aid to those who can’t afford a lawyer.

●    Pro bono lawyers

Pro bono lawyers refer to lawyers who provide free legal assistance and aid. These lawyers can be members of non-government organisations, a lawyer friend or relative, or private law firms.

●    Pro se

Pro se means the client will represent themselves in court. Instead of lawyers, they will be the ones preparing for their case, attending all court hearings, complying with the rules and legal procedures, and defending themselves in court.

Meanwhile, the court will subject them to the same standards as professional lawyers.

Clients must be resourceful when looking for the rightdivorce lawyer in Singapore.

2. Opt for uncontested divorce or divorce mediation in Singapore

 There are two primary types of divorce: contested and uncontested.

A contested divorce happens when both parties don’t agree with the post-divorce plans and arrangement. Their case will be brought to court, where the judge will decide on the final post-divorce arrangement.

An uncontested divorce happens when both parties find no issues with the post-divorce arrangement. Their case will be brought to court without any adversarial litigation process. An uncontested divorce is a process than a contested divorce, although both may require a divorce lawyer in Singapore.

On the other hand, divorce mediation in Singapore does not need lawyers. It needs neutral mediators working and helping the parties agree on a post-divorce arrangement.

Uncontested divorce and divorce mediation in Singapore require less time from lawyers, meaning lower professional fees.

3. Do your homework

One way to reduce your lawyer’s time on your case is to do some of their jobs yourself.

Here are some assignments you can complete on your own:

●    Compiling all your financial-related documents

Your lawyer may ask you to collect all your financial-related documents, such as income tax returns, net worth statements, a list of assets and properties, prenup papers, and more.

These are crucial papers for the division of assets, child support, and wife maintenance in Singapore.

●    Answering Interrogatories

Interrogatories are sets of questions about yourself, family life, and relationships. You must answer them truthfully in all details. Otherwise, your lawyer will interview you themselves to fish for better and more detailed answers from you.

Your lawyer can immediately proceed to the following steps when you have all the needed documents prepared.

4. Combine your communications

Clients fail to realise that their bills run whenever they call their lawyers back and forth for questions. To avoid this unnecessary billing, you can raise your concerns and questions in one communication.

The first step is to list all your questions or things you need enlightenment. If you need immediate answers, you can call your divorce lawyer in Singapore. Keep track of your phone calls with your lawyer. As much as possible, answer your lawyer’s call immediately. Otherwise, your lawyer will spend hours trying to reach you, or they will work on your case late.

Email is a better communication medium with your lawyer simply because you can relay all your concerns without time restraints. Moreover, you can review their reply repeatedly if you need clarification.

When writing an email, be detailed and specific to avoid miscommunication and ambiguous answers.

If your questions and concerns can wait longer, you can wait for your scheduled meeting.

5. Do not create issues

 Do not create issues if you want uncontested divorce or divorce mediation to work out in Singapore.

The last thing you want to do is to spend money on your divorce lawyer, who will fight for your SGD 800 used plasma TV. Yes, some objects may have sentimental value, but clients must keep in mind the cost-benefit analysis.

When it comes to properties and assets, such as houses, vehicles, stocks, and bonds, it is better to consult your accountant before instructing your lawyer to fight for them.

The key is not to let emotions get ahead of you and create unnecessary and costly issues. Speaking of emotions, venting out to yourdivorce lawyer in Singapore. Although their pieces of advice are logical, they also run your bills.

Hire a professional therapist dealing with emotional and mental stress.

Conclusion

Divorce is physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausting. Divorce is also expensive, but trying these tips will reduce your divorce lawyer fees in Singapore.

Quahe Woo & Palmer

Do you need a family, probate, orcriminal defence lawyer in Singapore? Quahe Woo & Palmer has the best lawyers in the country! Visit Quahe Woo & Palmer today.