The first consideration in hiring a divorce lawyer is to examine the experience and qualifications the lawyer has in the field of divorce and other family law matters such as custody and support. Since there are no standards for specialization in New York, it is improper for any attorney to advertise that they specialize in any field of family law. What you should do is to examine the years of practice that the lawyer has devoted exclusively to domestic relations matters and does not hold him or herself out as accepting other matters such as criminal and negligence.
Once this search has been made, the next step is to see what honors or memberships in legal organizations that the lawyer belongs to. From there, check out the numbers of cases the lawyer has had on appeal, and the legal writings published, such as books and professional articles in professional law reviews.
You are now armed with sufficient background material to make your final selection.
No decision should be made until a personal consultation is had and you can determine whether you feel comfortable with the attorney and he has a good "bedside manner" Being understanding and responsive to your needs is a must.