What Questions Should I Ask Before Hiring a Pittsburgh Divorce Attorney?

A divorce consultation is a job interview. You are evaluating whether this lawyer is the right fit for what may be the most consequential legal matter of your life. Here are ten questions that separate the lawyers worth hiring from the rest, along with the answers that should give you pause.

The ten questions, in order of priority

1. What percentage of your practice is family law?

The right answer is 100% or close to it. Family law procedure is too local and too technical to be done well part-time. If the answer is "30% family law, 30% personal injury, the rest miscellaneous," keep looking.

2. How many years have you practiced exclusively in Allegheny County family law?

Numbers matter here, but so does specificity. Scott Levine has practiced exclusively in Allegheny County family law for 18+ years and 21+ years in total practice. That is roughly 5,000 days inside the same Family Division courthouse. The lawyer who can name the conciliators by reputation and tell you which judge favors which procedural posture has earned that knowledge through repetition you cannot fake.

3. Who will handle the day-to-day work on my case?

At many firms the partner you meet during the consultation hands the file to an associate the moment you sign. Ask directly who will appear at your conciliation, answer your evening emails, and walk into the hearing officer's office with you. If the answer is not "me," understand the implications.

4. What is your communication policy?

Will the lawyer return calls within 24 hours, or within 48? Are evenings and weekends fair game when something urgent comes up? The answer reveals how the lawyer treats clients in practice. Most firms promise responsiveness; fewer deliver.

5. How are your fees structured, and what is your honest range estimate for a case like mine?

Hourly billing is standard in family law. Ask for the rate, the retainer requirement, what tasks bill at full rate versus paralegal rate, and whether settlement and litigation paths produce meaningfully different totals. A lawyer who refuses to engage on cost is a lawyer who will surprise you with the invoice.

6. What is your read on settlement versus litigation for my facts?

A lawyer who says "we'll fight for you" without first asking whether settlement is possible is reciting a sales script. The right lawyer evaluates whether your case is one that should settle (most are), one that requires litigation, or one that might benefit from collaborative law or mediation. Each path has different costs and different timelines.

7. Have you handled cases similar to mine?

"Similar" might mean similar asset profile, similar custody facts, similar PFA backdrop, similar interstate complications. The lawyer who has handled five cases like yours can predict the procedural moves and pitfalls. The lawyer for whom your case is novel will be learning on your dollar.

8. What are the realistic outcomes I should plan for?

This is the test question: the lawyer who promises specific outcomes ("I'll get you 70% of the equity," "We'll get the kids 60-40") before reviewing the facts is selling. The lawyer who lays out a realistic range of outcomes given the facts is being honest about how Pennsylvania family law works.

9. Are you trained in collaborative law and mediation?

Not every case is suited to collaborative or mediation, but having those tools available expands the menu of resolution options. Many cases settle faster and cheaper through collaborative or mediation channels than through traditional litigation. Ask whether the lawyer is IACP-trained and whether they hold an active mediator credential.

10. Why should I hire you over the lawyer I'm meeting next?

Watch the answer closely, because a lawyer who lists vague superlatives ("we fight harder," "we care more") is selling. The lawyer who points to concrete facts such as case scope, recognition, communication, and fee structure, and then lets you decide, is operating from confidence.

Answers that should worry you

What to do next

The Law Offices of Scott L. Levine offer a free phone consultation for divorce matters in Allegheny County. The first call is the right place to ask all ten questions above, and you will get straightforward answers with no pressure to retain the firm.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most important question to ask a divorce attorney in Pittsburgh?

The single most important question is "What percentage of your practice is family law?" The right answer is 100% or near it. Family law procedure in Allegheny County is specific enough that a part-time family lawyer is consistently slower and less effective than a full-time one.

Should I get a second opinion before hiring a divorce lawyer?

Yes. Most family law attorneys in Pittsburgh offer free initial consultations because comparing options is healthy. Two or three consultations gives you a useful baseline. The right lawyer welcomes the comparison.

How long should a divorce consultation take?

A substantive divorce consultation typically runs 30 to 60 minutes. A 10-minute "consultation" that consists mostly of pricing and an engagement push is a sales pitch. Look for a lawyer who listens to the facts before recommending a path.

What documents should I bring to a divorce consultation?

For a free phone consultation, no documents are required, because the goal is to discuss your situation broadly. For an in-person consultation: tax returns from the past 2-3 years, recent pay stubs, lists of assets and debts (even rough), and any legal documents already filed or received.