There is an old saying that in criminal court you have bad people at their best, but in divorce court you have good people at their worst.  A divorce sometimes brings out every negative emotion in the human experience and is the most stressful time a person and/or their children can go through.  When choosing an attorney to represent you, you need to be able to connect with that attorney.  Here are a few things they should be able to do:   -Ability to communicate well During your case, you will need to be able to effectively communicate your concerns and expectations to your lawyer, and your attorney will need to be able to clearly explain things to you regarding your case and provide you with realistic expectations. -Experience Your divorce case is likely to touch all aspects of your life-family, finances, retirement, career, etc.  To protect your interests, your attorney should be knowledgeable and experienced enough in his or her practice to deal with the complexities of your case, while allowing you to continue your daily life as much as possible. -Composure Your attorney's ability to maintain composure is not just about staying calm and focused with you, but also about exhibiting self-control before the Court or with your spouse's attorney, even if frustrated.  Look for a divorce lawyer who will represent your interests strongly, but who will not take it personally when things do not turn out exactly as your attorney intended.