What I love about what I do is that the law allows for a range of skills: Not simply an intellectual depth but street smarts and toughness. Being an effective lawyer involves clearly seeing the issues, reducing them to their lowest common denominator - and then addressing them. We bring logical thinking and communication skills to every case - but I still consider myself a pretty scrappy lawyer.

I think the most important thing for any lawyer is to achieve an effective level of communication. Understanding the client, whatever walk of life he or she is from. And understanding their expectations.

It’s my job to give the client a game plan. I tell them, ‘You’re going to be a participant in this.’ I’m not making the decisions - WE’RE making the decisions.

Family law is not a physics formula. And the process shouldn’t be a conflagration. I can’t predict outcomes. It’s difficult to anticipate how a spouse is going to react, how a lawyer is going to react, and how you are going to react. Realism and practicality - those are the two most important ingredients to the divorce process.

Clients will come in and ask me, ‘Do I go for jugular?’ And I’ll say that I’m aggressive enough for everyone in the room.

Obviously the innocent bystanders are the children. So there are big risks to turning the divorce process into a domestic Chernobyl. There are some things that cannot be repaired, particularly children.

Even though many of my clients are business owners, professional people and CEOs, I treat each case with the same great effort to achieve the best possible result.

I like helping people, especially when they are in a really bad point in their lives. Over the years I’ll see old clients - at the mall or at the movies, in town. They’ll be with their kids - whom they fought for in court. And that old client will walk up to me and say, “You really made a difference in my life.” That’s the reward for me. It’s the reward of making it happen for my client.

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