The best divorce lawyer for you is one whose answers you can verify: family law focus, trial experience, a clear fee structure, and who will actually handle your case. Wise & Associates in Louisville and Wise Law in Nashville answer these 12 questions in the consultation, which is free and by phone.
Ask every firm the same questions, and compare the answers you can check. Here is what to ask, what a good answer looks like, and how Wise & Associates answers.
1. Do You Practice Only Family Law?
A firm that handles divorce every day knows the statutes, the local rules, and the judges' procedures. Our answer: family law is the only thing Wise & Associates does.
2. Who Will Actually Handle My Case?
Ask for the name of the attorney who will appear in court for you. Our answer: in Louisville, Jennifer Frederick, Managing Attorney, and Christopher Wise, Founder. In Nashville, Paige Redd, Managing Attorney of Wise Law.
3. How Much Trial Experience Do You Have?
Even if you hope to settle, your lawyer should be ready for trial. Our answer: the firm's attorneys have handled hundreds of contested hearings and trials, with significant experience in cases involving guardians ad litem and custody evaluations.
4. Do You Bill Hourly or Charge Flat Fees?
Hourly billing makes the total hard to predict. Our answer: staged flat fees, never hourly. The upfront flat fee is between $1,500 and $5,000, depending on the case.
5. What Could My Case Cost if It Does Not Settle?
Ask how each stage is priced. Our answer: mediation, court appearances, and trial are each priced before they begin, and stages that are never reached are never charged.
6. How Long Will My Case Take?
A good lawyer gives a range and explains what changes it. Our answer: a typical uncontested divorce takes 3 to 4 months, and a typical contested divorce in Jefferson County or Davidson County takes 8 to 10 months or longer.
7. How Will You Communicate With Me?
Ask how fast the firm responds and how you will get updates. Our answer: the firm responds within 24 to 48 hours depending on the issue, within 24 hours in most cases, with updates by phone and email.
8. Do You Practice in My County?
Our answer: the Louisville office serves Jefferson, Oldham, Bullitt, Shelby, Spencer, and Henry counties in Kentucky. Wise Law serves Davidson, Williamson, Rutherford, Wilson, and Sumner counties in Tennessee.
9. Are You Licensed in My State and in Good Standing?
Check any lawyer's license yourself: Kentucky lawyers through the Kentucky Bar Association's lawyer directory, and Tennessee lawyers through the Board of Professional Responsibility's attorney search. Our answer: Jennifer Frederick has been a member of the Kentucky Bar since 2000. Paige Redd has been licensed in Tennessee since April 2020. Each office's attorneys handle only cases in their own state.
10. What Recognition Can I Verify?
Ask for the name, year, and source of any award. Our answer:
- Christopher Wise: Super Lawyers Rising Stars, 2023–2027; Louisville Business First 20 People to Know in Law, 2023 and 2026
- Jennifer Frederick: Walker Award for excellence in public advocacy, two-time recipient
- Wise & Associates: Best Law Firm in Louisville, The Courier Journal Best of Louisville (reader-voted), Winner 2022 and 2023, Top 3 2025 and 2026
11. When Do You Recommend Settling, and When Do You Recommend Trial?
Our answer: we work for the best possible settlement when the other side's offer is fair and reasonable, and we prepare every case as if it will go to trial. When the other side refuses to be reasonable, we would rather try the case than have you accept a bad agreement.
12. Is the First Consultation Free?
Our answer: yes. Consultations are free and by phone. You book a time, then call the office at your scheduled time.
How Wise & Associates Handles This
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I ask a divorce lawyer before hiring them?
Ask whether they practice only family law, who will handle your case, their trial experience, how they bill, what each stage costs, how long the case may take, how they communicate, and which credentials you can verify.
How do I check a lawyer’s license?
Kentucky lawyers can be checked in the Kentucky Bar Association’s lawyer directory, and Tennessee lawyers through the Board of Professional Responsibility’s attorney search.
Is a flat fee divorce lawyer a good idea?
A flat fee makes the cost predictable. Ask what the fee covers and how later stages such as mediation and trial are priced.
How does Wise & Associates charge for a divorce?
Wise & Associates uses staged flat fees, never hourly: an upfront flat fee between $1,500 and $5,000, with mediation, court appearances, and trial each priced before they begin.
Who handles divorce cases at Wise & Associates?
In Louisville, Jennifer Frederick and Christopher Wise. In Nashville, Paige Redd, Managing Attorney of Wise Law.
Is the consultation free?
Yes. Consultations at Wise & Associates and Wise Law are free and by phone.
Related Reading
- Pricing and staged flat fees
- How we work
- How much a divorce costs in Louisville and Nashville
- What to expect from a free consultation
Talk to a Divorce Lawyer in Louisville or Nashville
Consultations are free and by phone. Book a time, then call the office at your scheduled time.
Wise & Associates, Louisville: 303 Middletown Park Pl, Suite G, Louisville, KY 40243 · (502) 618-0000 · Book a consultation
Wise Law, Nashville: 4235 Hillsboro Pike, Suite 300, Nashville, TN 37215 · (615) 208-9190 · Book a consultation
Wise Law is the Nashville office of Wise & Associates, Louisville, Kentucky.
Attorney advertising. This article provides general information, not legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.