Would you ever try “speed divorcing?”

If you have ever filed for divorce in Las Vegas, you know that starting the divorce process can be daunting. There are so many divorce professionals out there – family law attorneys, mediators, financial advisors and the like – that finding the right people to place on your ‘divorce team’ can be a monumental task. Often, people hire divorce lawyers based on the recommendation of a friend or an online review, only to learn later that the attorney was not the right lawyer for their situation. This can be a costly, time-consuming error.

In an effort to help people avoid these errors, one entrepreneur has created an event aimed at allowing divorcing people to meet, get to know and choose the right divorce professionals to guide them through the process. Called ‘speed divorcing,’ the event follows the format of speed dating, where participants spend 15 or so minutes talking to each professional before the buzzer goes on and they move on to the next person. Instead of potential suitors, however, participants are meeting divorce lawyers, financial advisors, mortgage brokers, therapists and others who are often necessary to navigate a divorce.

According to the creator of speed divorcing, one of the most important aspects of the event is asking the right questions of potential divorce team members. Some possible questions include: What is your preferred method of communication? How often should I expect a response from you? If an associate or paralegal does some of my work, are the fees less?

The goal, says the event creator, is to help people avoid spending unnecessary money on people that don’t help their case. “I’m trying to help people be smart from the start,” she said. “If you begin your divorce volatile and hire the wrong people you’re likely to end that way as well.”

Source: CNBC, “Speed Divorcing: Like Speed Dating, Only…” Cindy Perman, April 24, 2012