You just found out you’re getting divorced. Your mind is running 1,000 miles an hour. Will the kids be OK? Will I have enough money? Where am I going to live? I understand. I’ve been there, too. As a divorce lawyer and divorced father of two, I know this time is full of uncertainty. That’s why I wrote my bestselling book, I Just Want This Done: How Smart, Successful People Get Divorced Without Losing Their Kids, Money, and Minds. Like
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After 16 years of helping people with divorce, I have a really good sense of what is wrong with the divorce industry. At the top of the list is a lack of transparency for how it all works which is partially brought on by the culture of lawyers hiding behind a fortress of information. Some attorneys fear that you won’t need them if they give you answers. Even well-intentioned subject matter experts (i.e. divorce lawyers) often fail to provide a
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In my work as a mediator, I’ve yet to hear a client tell me they want their kids involved in their divorce. However, when divorcing parents avoid talking about what needs talking about, the outstanding issues lead to future conversations that are more challenging than they need to be, more complicated than they need to be, and more likely to affect the kids. “I don’t want to stir the pot. I’d prefer to keep things calm,” a client recently told
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I want to protect my interests but I don’t want a long, messy and expensive divorce. Does this resonate with you? Probably. Contrary to popular belief, most people do not want to battle it out in divorce court or ‘lawyer up’ and let an attorney or judge call the shots about who gets what or where your kids live. But what happens when you’ve been married for a solid amount of time and you’ve acquired property along the way? Or one of
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Everywhere you turn, headlines read “Divorce Rate Skyrockets Amid Coronavirus Pandemic.” Same story, same anecdotal evidence from divorce lawyers. The truth is the more people spend time together in quarantine, the more their preexisting relationship issues are amplified. If they were struggling before COVID-19, their problems didn’t magically disappear during quarantine — instead, they led to a breaking point. Makes sense. Approximately 70% of divorces are filed by women and only after their marriage was on the rocks for years.
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Let me start off by saying, “Thank God for lawyers.” People in the legal profession do amazingly complex work and often make it look easy. Am I the only one who’s super grateful for them? Now that you know I don’t hate lawyers, let me tell you why you should consider hiring a divorce mediator who is not an attorney. The family law structure in this country is super complex. It’s managed to make a tragic situation — the death
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Divorce during a global pandemic sounds complicated, but it doesn’t have to be. We genuinely love our partners when we say “I do.” Many of us still love them even when it’s time for divorce. Just … not in the same way. Or maybe we don’t love them anymore. That’s not an indictable offense. These are normal life changes — not crimes or sins — and they’re no reason to turn feelings of guilt and shame into fire aimed at
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Online mediation has gained popularity in recent years as a dispute resolution process that utilizes online video conferencing platforms. Parties and a neutral mediator “meet” for remote sessions. Online mediation brings traditional mediation services to the comfort of home. During the current COVID-19 crisis, online mediation has helped parties resolve their divorces safely and without delay. Let’s explore the benefits of online mediation. Social distancing is built-in. National, state, and local governmental authorities have mandated social distancing to limit the
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If you have been delaying your divorce or are separated from your spouse but haven’t yet filed for divorce, this article is for you. You’re living in limbo right now, waiting for what’s next, and it’s not that great, is it? There are a lot of excuses: Divorce will cost so much. Everything is relatively smooth going right now, and I don’t want us to start fighting. What will it do to the kids? The divorce process will take forever,
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Mediation is a terrific alternative to working with a traditional lawyer and can save you quite a bit of money in the divorce process. Related: Which Type of Mediation Will Work Best for You? The Three Types – Explained One thing you need to know before working with a mediator is that mediators can provide legal information but they cannot in their roles provide legal or financial advice to either party. If you believe your understanding of your household financial situation is
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