Margaret Goodzeit
Divorce Law - Woodbridge, NJ

We get to know our clients at perhaps the most difficult time of their lives. I am able to empathize with a client's emotional despair during that very tough period, but at the same time keep them on course with the daunting task of preparing the case for resolution. And while I am understanding of a client's stress, I will not appease them by saying things they want to hear, or lull them into a false sense of security as to how their case will likely be resolved. Being honest with a client as to the ultimate outcome is paramount in my practice.

One of my biggest hurdles is disabusing clients of "bad information" they have received from friends, family and sometimes, unfortunately, other attorneys. Often they come to my office for an initial consultation with preconceived notions as to how they believe their matter will be resolved, but their idea of a "fair" resolution bears no resemblance to what the law provides. It is important to advise a client when his or her beliefs are not supportable.

The initial gathering of information from a client is extremely important. I do not follow a standard outline while meeting a client for the first time because each individual has a unique set of circumstances, and going down a checklist might result in the failure to obtain vital information. I find that taking control of the conversation and tailoring my inquiry to fit the circumstances as they are described by the client is a better way to start out the relationship.

A negotiated settlement - rather than a judge's ruling - is by far the preferred way to resolve a case. It provides the client the greatest control of the outcome. After all, the client is most familiar with the facts, and is most capable of determining what may be a reasonable outcome that will govern that person's life for the foreseeable future.

Unfortunately, we are seeing many cases which do not resolve before a trial date. The recent economic downturn has made people more concerned, perhaps even frightened, about their financial futures. More seems to be a stake, and they are more nervous about settling. In a way, leaving the decision to a judge relieves a client from accepting personal responsibility for the actual outcome. And while I believe that it is preferable for the parties to agree to a resolution of a divorce case, when the client does not want to settle, that client is entitled to a trial and will have his or her day in court.

I began my work in family law in New York when the New York Equitable Statute was in its infancy and I watched it develop. New Jersey's Equitable Distribution law is now more than 30 years old, yet we continue to see our courts reinterpret its meaning and application. As editor of the Family Law Section's publication, I have the privilege of reviewing articles written by very fine practitioners providing insight into changes in the laws, in advance of publication, and can incorporate those ideas into my practice perhaps sooner than other practitioners will be aware of them.

I imagine that I have remained in family law for more than two decades because I feel a sense of satisfaction when I see people, once at their darkest hour, emerge from their distress able to move on with their lives in a financially and emotionally secure matter.

Margaret Goodzeit
"One of my biggest hurdles is disabusing clients of "bad information" they have received from friends, family and sometimes, unfortunately, other attorneys. Often they come to my office for an initial consultation with preconceived notions as to how they believe their matter will be resolved, but their idea of a "fair" resolution bears no resemblance to what the law provides. It is important to advise a client when his or her beliefs are not supportable."