Monthly Archives: November 2007

Alternate Dispute Resolution Options for Divorce in New Jersey – Part II: Early Settlement Panels

Posted in Alternate Roads in Family Law, Divorce & Seperation, Family Law Basics | |

Even in the most amicable of divorces, issues often arise which create disagreements between spouses, which invariably result in delays in the divorce process. The most common issue attributable to disputes and delays is the division of property and finances. At some point, usually early on in the process, spouses want to know who gets what and how much of it. These may seem like simple inquires, but settling on a fair and equitable distribution of property and finances can be a long, difficult and costly proposition.

Continue reading →

How Attorneys Choose Clients: My View

Posted in Attorney Client Relationship, Divorce & Seperation, Family Law Basics | |

My fellow Mac Lawyer, Ben Stevens, of the South Carolina Family Law Blog had a great post of original content on how attorneys choose clients.

I had a few thoughts and some questions for Ben.

First, unless I’m making a conscious decision to accept a matter pro bono, I make it a point to only take on clients where I am sure I’m going to get paid. This could be from funds that the client has (we often represent the “advantaged” spouse) or from funds that we get from the advantaged spouse to even the playing field. This isn’t a cold decision, but I have an obligation to provide for my family and I can’t, literally, afford to expend time and effort where there isn’t a reasonable assurance of getting paid for my effort.

Continue reading →

How to Save on Legal Fees for Your Divorce

Posted in Attorney Client Relationship, Divorce & Seperation, Family Law Basics | |

You might think that a lawyer would be opposed to telling you how to spend less money on his fees, but not so. Most of the suggestions made below, by another lawyer no less, are things with which I whole-heartedly agree. A lot of the time a lawyer spends on the stuff he’s telling you to do yourself or avoid all together are the kind of work a sophisticated lawyer would rather not do anyways.

The truth of the matter is that our firm is comprised of specialists. While we can do the routine work, a better use of our skills is on those complex matters. For the rates you are paying for our services, you should expect that we’re going to work the really difficult stuff. The other stuff is just a matter of your pain threshold for the monthly bill. I suggest that you manage your legal budget for divorce accordingly.

Continue reading →