The purpose of our study was to discover which client traits, case factors and process characteristics are significantly associated with increased settlement costs. This information can help attorneys manage client’s expectations, minimize disruptions to the collaborative process, and provide a more positive collaborative divorce experience for clients. Assessing Case and Client Characteristics It’s relatively easy for attorneys to discern if there are complex financial issues involved in a … [Read more...]
Challenges for the Stay-at-Home Parent Facing Divorce
Due to many factors, such as increasing child care costs, philosophical resolve, or stress of managing home and life, many couples make a conscious decision at some point in their marriage to have only one parent work outside the home. When parents make the decision to divorce, one of the many difficult aspects to consider occurs when one parent is displaced as he or she has not worked in the labor force for a substantial number of years but worked in the home providing unpaid services for … [Read more...]
Stages of Emotion in Divorce
Your spouse steps into your room and says: “We need to talk.” Immediately, your stress level jumps and you feel defensive, but you can’t avoid the issue so you face the music and agree to talk. After a few preliminary comments about how unhappy she has been for the past several months, your spouse tells you, “I don’t want to be married to you anymore. I have hired an attorney and she will be sending you papers later this week. I want you out of the house as soon as you find an apartment.” You … [Read more...]
Practice Tip: Work-Life Balance in Law Practice, Part 2
Balancing Work and Life in Solo Practice If you want to be your own boss, choose an area of law that appeals to you, fits your life style, and solves important problems for your clients. For example, I personally manage a solo firm limited to Collaborative Family Law, Probate, Wills, Trusts, and settling estate related litigation. There are many areas of law that offer opportunities for professional achievement, personal satisfaction, and flexible control of your time. The trick is to find an … [Read more...]
Practice Tip: Work-Life Balance in Law Practice, Part 1
The key to work-life balance is to work effectively and spend your leisure time efficiently. Most of us waste too much time on nonproductive tasks, work inefficiently, and we spend leisure time shopping, cleaning, caring for children, washing the car, and doing laundry rather than enjoying a hobby or being with our family. How do you find time to relax, take a vacation, read a book, or spend an evening with your family? The answer is to become more efficient at work and fit personal tasks into … [Read more...]
Practice Tip – Balancing a Legal Career and Family
A majority of American lawyers experience significant anxiety, depression, or substance abuse during their career. Attorneys have a higher incidence of anxiety and depression than any other professional group. Depression begins during the first year of law school and attorney’s emotional distress grows throughout their career. Attorneys don’t start out being more depressed than other people—first year law students have levels of depression and anxiety similar to the general population. However, … [Read more...]
Practice Tip – Best Blogging Practices
As part of our Collaborative Divorce Texas marketing campaign, we are asking members to submit a 500-700 words blog on any topic relevant to collaborative divorce. To help you develop topics and draft new blogs your newsletter editor will offer a few suggestions on how to create a blog that attracts potential clients’ attention. Topics Current Topics: You can write about current topics in the news, such as the holidays, vacation time, or back to school. Issues clients face before, … [Read more...]
Practice Tip – Can I Date During My Divorce?
The question “Can I date during my divorce”? comes up all the time in collaborative divorce practice. I tell my clients it’s not a good idea to date until the divorce is final. However, some clients still date during their divorce because they’re lonely or want to feel better about themselves. After all they think, “What could go wrong on a simple date?” Unfortunately, lots of things. There are good strategic, legal and emotional reasons not to date during a divorce. But, if a client must date, … [Read more...]
The Importance of Gratitude in Your Practice
November is the month of Thanksgiving, where many of us reflect on what we are grateful for. If you haven’t considered the value of gratitude in the collaborative process, I encourage you to give it some thought. Gratitude is infectious, motivates others, and strengthens team relationships. An environment full of gratitude encourages team members and clients alike to give their best. Gratitude is a core of principle needed for team effectiveness and growth of the collaborative movement. Many … [Read more...]
