If you’re facing a divorce and want to represent yourself in court, you might think a divorce coach is the best person to help you through the process. However, these coaches don’t necessarily give you the detailed legal guidance you’d get from an experienced legal coach.
There are a few crucial things to consider before choosing to hire a divorce or legal coach. Here’s the difference between the two, and what kind of help you should seek for your DIY divorce.
What is a divorce coach?
A divorce coach typically provides emotional support for a person going through divorce. They may advise their client on what to discuss with a legal professional, but they are generally not trained attorneys and cannot offer specific legal advice for your case.
Divorce coaches usually perform the following duties:
- Make sure the client is emotionally prepared to go through with a divorce if they are unable to work through the issues with their spouse.
- Build an emotional support network for the client.
- Offer a second opinion on certain financial or personal decisions that the client makes with a legal professional.
- Guide the client in short-term and long-term personal goal setting before, during, and after the divorce.
What is a legal coach?
A legal coach offers real-world, experienced legal guidance to help individuals who represent themselves in their own divorce cases. They are often experienced attorneys who can review your legal documents, explain the procedures for court hearings, help you respond to discovery requests, and prepare for trial if your case does not settle. They can also ensure you are using the correct language in your pleadings or court forms.
Because you are representing yourself and not hiring the legal coach to represent you as your attorney, this type of professional is a far more affordable alternative to full-service legal representation, while still giving you the benefit of their real-world legal experience.
Most legal coaches will do the following:
- Discuss legal strategy and giving legal advice based on their own expertise as an attorney.
- Review legal documents the client has prepared and offer recommendations for improvement.
- Assist the client in preparing an argument, especially if the other party has legal representation.
- Help the client build confidence in the courtroom with the appropriate legal terminology.
My Legal Case Coach: Holistic coaching for your divorce case
People often hire a divorce coach to work in conjunction with an attorney or legal consultant. My Legal Case Coach gives you the best of both in one easy-to-use service. Not only do we offer 1:1 assistance in completing our templatized legal case forms, but we can help you through the emotional and practical side of divorce.
When you work with MLCC through your divorce case, you’ll receive one free hour of personalized virtual coaching from a licensed Virginia attorney with your case form packet purchase. During this hour, you’ll be able to ask your Coach about anything related to your case, including how to best craft your argument so you can work toward the best outcome for you and your family.
We also offer affordable and effective ongoing coaching, available in prepaid blocks of time for as low as $100 per hour. Your Case Coach will be available on your schedule to meet via phone or video call, so you can develop the confidence you need to represent yourself in court.
We understand how difficult it can be to face a divorce case on your own, but DIY legal shouldn’t mean doing everything alone. If you’re preparing for a divorce, schedule your free 15-minute consultation with My Legal Case Coach to learn more about how we can help you.