Be honest
A woman needs to give her lawyer as much information as possible, even if it is negative, and respond to their requests for information as truthfully as possible. She needs to be clear and direct with her lawyer so the lawyer has a good understanding of the situation and the issues the woman is facing.
Be prepared
A woman should plan her meetings with her lawyer and bring an agenda or list of questions. This is something you can help her with. It is also helpful if she can make notes about her story to give to the lawyer to assist them in preparing court documents. Bringing an advocate to meetings with her lawyer is a very good idea. The woman should notify the lawyer that she will be doing this.
Take notes
A woman should take notes during the appointment – or you can do this in your role as her advocate – and summarize them verbally with the lawyer at the end to ensure that all of you have the same understanding of what has been said and what each of you is going to do next.
Be focused
It is often difficult for a woman who is experiencing trauma as a result of the abuse to stay focused and on topic, but this is very important. If possible, the woman should find childcare so she is not distracted by her children during her appointment and so the children do not have to listen to her discussing adult issues with her lawyer. You can assist her to stay focused during her appointment.
Ask questions
It is important for a woman to ask her lawyer what is expected of her. What documentation does the lawyer require to prepare the case? How often does the lawyer want to meet? Are there tasks the woman can take on to assist with her own case? She should also ask for clarification if she does not understand what the lawyer is telling her. You can take notes about this so the woman can better remember the tasks she has to complete after the appointment.
Be organized
A woman should always keep a copy of everything she gives to her lawyer and everything her lawyer gives to her. Ideally, she can keep all her paperwork in a binder or binders with some kind of indexing system so she can quickly find any paperwork she might need.
Be prompt
Good lawyers are busy lawyers. For this reason, it is important for a woman to arrive on time for her appointment or call to explain her delay. It is a good idea to know the lawyer’s cancellation procedure, including whether the lawyer charges a fee for cancelled or missed appointments. Women should also provide information at the lawyer’s request as quickly as possible. The more a woman follows through on requests made by her lawyer, the better the job the lawyer will be able to do.