Areas Of Practice
Choosing an Attorney
Probably more than any other legal discipline, the practice of family law commands a wide array of knowledge and skills. An excellent family law attorney needs to have the attributes of a good trial lawyer, strategist, negotiator, conciliator, and counselor. He or she needs to be forceful where necessary and compassionate and understanding where appropriate. Knowledge of business, financial planning, taxes, real estate, forensics, valuation techniques and psychology are as essential as a thorough knowledge of the divorce laws. It is essential for the lawyer to have a network of relationships that can help clients through the sometimes difficult ordeal of divorce. Those relationships include not only experts, appraisers, accountants, counselors, mediators and judges, but more importantly, they include a positive and productive relationship with other lawyers. Without trust and respect between opposing attorneys in a divorce case, the client may be ill-served in resolving their own emotionally charged differences. Therefore, while many cases find the lawyers "in combat" over some tough issues, at the conclusion it is often said that they "worked together" on the case.