Ours is very gratifying work - we have the chance to help people through what's probably the most emotionally wrenching period of their lives. That is an awesome and weighty responsibility. Divorce is a major intersection in people's lives.

The first consultation with the client is extremely important. Even the first 15 or 20 minutes on the phone is significant. I have to assess the characteristics of the case quickly - should I take the case? How can I contribute to a positive resolution? At this point in my career, I cannot accept all cases that I'm asked to review.

A lot of our work is managing expectations - of outcomes, of what the law can do, of what it is intended to do. The expectations of a potential client have a bearing on whether I take a case. Does the client have realistic expectations? If those expectations are unrealistic, is this potential client open to being convinced to the contrary? After we have reviewed all of the basic facts, we can make some estimates - what will equitable distribution likely be, based on what we know? What will maintenance and child support be, within, say, ten percent?

The valuation process is central to what we do - and nowadays that process is ongoing. The downturn in the financial markets has forced many, many renegotiations of old settlements. It's not uncommon to see someone's net worth plunge 50% -- and to see that person come back - only a year or two later -- and say, 'I can't pay the level of support I'm paying.' And physicians have been hit especially hard, in part because of the effects of managed care on their incomes.

I have handled high-profile and high conflict cases almost from the beginning, and in many respects my career has grown with the law itself. As attorneys who regularly help negotiate settlements, we have remarkable latitude. As a consequence, it's our responsibility to address our cases conscientiously and expeditiously.

Copyright © 2002-2008 The Ten Leaders Cooperative