# Hey Olivia, What Questions Should I Ask at My First Divorce Attorney Consult?

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/divorce-happens-6931880/hey-olivia-what-questions-should-i-ask-at-my-first-divorce-attorney-consult
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/divorce-happens-6931880/hey-olivia-what-questions-should-i-ask-at-my-first-divorce-attorney-consult.md
Podcast: [Divorce Happens](https://stenobird.com/podcast/divorce-happens-6931880)
Published: 2026-06-15T15:05:00+00:00
Episode link: https://www.freshstartsregistry.com/divorce-happens
Audio file: https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/2c0f6585-701a-4322-be0d-3c22bc9db80b.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/divorce-happens-6931880/episodes/hey-olivia-what-questions-should-i-ask-at-my-first-divorce-attorney-consult
Duration seconds: 478

## Resource

What questions should you actually ask at your first divorce attorney consultation? In this solo episode of Divorce Happens, Olivia answers a listener letter from someone terrified she'll sit through her first consult, nod along, and walk out without asking a single thing that mattered — then spend three days replaying everything she wishes she'd said. If that fear sounds familiar, you're not failing. That blank-brain overwhelm is what shock does to all of us in that room. So Olivia hands you the cheat sheet: the exact questions to ask a divorce lawyer, the ones too many people only think of afterward, and the single most important thing to pay attention to that has nothing to do with the law. This is the divorce consultation prep you wish someone had handed you before you walked in, so you leave with real information instead of regret. THE QUESTIONS TO ASK YOUR DIVORCE ATTORNEY (COVERED IN THIS EPISODE): What's your experience with cases like mine, specifically? How to tell whether an attorney has handled your kind of divorce, whether that's high-conflict custody, hidden or controlled finances, business and self-employment assets, or interstate situations. What is your communication style, and who will actually work on my case? How to avoid hiring an attorney and then hearing only from a paralegal for six months. How exactly do you charge, and what burns through a retainer faster than people expect? Understanding divorce attorney fees, retainers, and hourly rates before you're emotionally deep in the process. What's your approach, and does it match what I need? How to tell whether an attorney is litigation-minded, negotiation-first, or mediation-focused, and which is right for your situation. What are the biggest mistakes people make early in a divorce? The proactive…

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## Transcript

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