Divorces are a painful time. And it’s easy to think of a lawyer in that moment as something less than necessary. After all, you generally have to pay for their services, and who’s to say that it’ll turn out any good? Worst case, they’re simply using your bad circumstances to make money for themselves.

It may be hard to remember, sometimes, but there is one vital fact that you must not forget: even in a divorce, there is still a family. If you and your spouse have had children together, you will have a rough-enough time of it as it is. They won’t understand the reason for the divorce. [...]