Getting a divorce in Singapore can be an arduous process if you do not receive the right advice and assistance. While divorce is not something most couples would like to talk about, when things come to the end of the road, sometimes, it is the only way out.
How can this painful process be made as painless as possible?
For a smooth and painless divorce process, you should find the best divorce lawyer in Singapore that is most suited in your circumstances to aid you with the necessary divorce proceedings. Given that Singapore has more 400 law firms handling divorce matters, you will certainly be spoilt for choice when looking for a Singapore divorce lawyer. Following these 5 tips will help you find the most suitable family lawyer in Singapore to suit your immediate needs.
TIP 1: KNOW BASIC DIVORCE PROCEDURES
Before you dive head-on into looking for a divorce attorney, you must first understand basic divorce procedures in Singapore. This is because there are only a limited number of instances where you can get a divorce under Singapore law. Specifically, there are only 5 grounds of divorce which you must fall within before you initiate a divorce proceeding.
Next, you must also be able to determine whether you are engaging in a contested divorce or an uncontested divorce. This is because the requirements for each is different.
For a contested divorce, you and your spouse cannot agree either about getting divorced or about the terms of the divorce. More work will have to be done by the lawyer and you may need to appear in the Singapore Family Court.
For an uncontested divorce, you and your spouse agree on everything and only a lawyer is required to draft the necessary documents. You do not need the court to make the determinations for you.
TIP 2: UNDERSTAND THE COST STRUCTURES
A good divorce lawyer in Singapore does not only provide top-notch services, but also charges a reasonable price for his/her services. To make sure you get the best deal, do familiarise yourself with the cost structures so that you can make a cost-efficient choice engaging a family court lawyer.
For an uncontested divorce, you can request for a flat fee if you and your partner had agreed on the terms of divorce.
For a contested divorce, the cost varies according to how much is contested, but you should still make sure that the lawyer handling your divorce is transparent in his or her charges.
It is extremely important that you understand how you will be billed and charged at every stage of the divorce process.
Image from Shutterstock, Asian woman with tablet against sun.
TIP 3: ASK YOUR FRIENDS FOR ADVICE
Yes, you heard us right – ask your friends for advice!
Nothing beats hearing first-hand how a lawyer handles a case and whether he or she is competent. If you are comfortable, do ask your friends or relatives for recommendations of family law firms and divorce lawyers. You might just find something that suits you!
TIP 4: GOOGLE!
Google is anyone’s best friend. Do an internet search for terms like “good divorce lawyer Singapore”, “top divorce lawyers Singapore”, “best divorce lawyer Singapore” and “cheap divorce lawyer Singapore”.
Spend some time looking through the online profiles of lawyers for divorce to see if there are any divorce attorneys who provide the services which you are looking for. You will be able to get a rough idea of what kind of family lawyers there are in the market and their respective prices.
If you have a name in mind and you are looking for specific law firms and/or specific lawyers, you can search for them directly in Google, or head over to the website of the “Legal Services Regulatory Authority (LSRA)” which provides a listing of all the divorce law firms and family divorce lawyers licensed to practise family and matrimonial law in Singapore.
TIP 5: MAKE SURE HE/SHE HAS GOOD QUALITIES
The most important part about looking for the best divorce lawyer for yourself is to make sure that he/she possesses all the necessary qualities, namely:
Experience: Your divorce attorney should have vast experience and knowledge in divorce law and matrimonial proceedings.
Engagement: Your family lawyer should constantly involve you in the case and update you on a regular basis. After all, it is your divorce and you should know how it is proceeding.
Good Reviews: While this is not a strict requirement, a top divorce lawyer with good reviews would normally be one who is widely thought of as being capable. It is definitely better to engage a divorce lawyer who has received positive feedback as compared to one who has not.
Suitability: The family court lawyer must suit your working style. If you prefer someone more affable, look for a lawyer that is good-natured and patient. If you prefer someone who is more affirmative, look for a lawyer with a more aggressive personality.
Following these 5 tips would help you nail down your options and enable you to find you a good divorce lawyer that is best suited to help you with your current circumstances.
Ultimately, you should bear in mind that this is a major life decision you are making and you deserve all the help that you can get.
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These tips are great...With the help of these tips, it can help me in finding divorce lawyer in Singapore. Thanks for sharing with us.
To be honest Mate, the first 5 to 10 pages of google search when using 'good lawyer, top lawyer' etc, are plagued by websites made by law firms writing on the topic of 'best lawyers Singapore' to get google results, and there are not a single blog or website written by independent bloggers who recommend, or reviews by people who have used the lawyers.. a total conspiracy of silence that does not allow any universal and independent review of which lawyers are good. ALL Singaporean lawyers are 1. greedy, 2. don't do as you ask unless it suits them and 3. threaten to dismiss themself when you insist on something they don't want to do.. 4. if you ass them to do something that embarrasses or uncovers wrongdoings of the state or the legal system, they will put their tails between their legs and run.. so they are self censored, and wont do anything except take all your money, and sit there letting the judge tell them what to do. I have hired four different lawyers over the last 4 years there, and 2 of them misrepresented me, and the other 2 took lots of money and didn't get a single thing done. You are in a dire situation if you need a lawyer in Singapore, because they are like a load of prancing primadonnas who think they are entitled to take money and do as they wish.. which they do, as it is almost impossible to get a lawyer to sue another lawyer, and the Law Society makes it very difficult to file a complaint too. Bunch of criminals in suits they are all of them.
Definitely stay away from Amy Lim Law, and Allan Johns Law.. also BRL Law Corp are extortionate and dont get a single thing done.. thats three lawyers you should NEVER use
And Ray Louis!!! He is a real criminal in suit!!!