One of the first things I ask my clients is: What do you want to get out of this process. On its face that may sound like an easy question. But people entering into divorce don't always have a clear idea of that they want. So I will spend a good deal of time, especially in the beginning, simply getting to know my client, just to get a sense of their feelings at the moment, and their priorities, what they want to accomplish.

One of the most important things I mention is that the process is not going to be over tomorrow. The courts are backed up, and they cannot hear your case, or any case, right away.

One other thing: Honesty is pretty helpful - all around. We're simply not in the business of making false promises. Some over-promising lawyers may be confused with used-car salesman, but that is simply not us. There's no way we can represent anyone without a strong degree of trust, and honest exchanges.

Sometimes I think my job is 25% serving as a legal counselor - and 75% serving as, well, a counselor. There's so much emotion in divorce, and a good bit of negative energy, that part of our work involves assessing the tempers and temperaments of everyone, so we can map a workable plan, a viable strategy.

Our objective is to get our client down the road, with a lasting agreement, and make sure we don't have to modify it later on. Don't want to end up with an unworkable, screwed up order from the court.

To be any good at what we do, you must have some backbone - you must be willing to head to court when the circumstances require it. And we are always ready to do that.

I do a lot of custody work, and we all have developed some expertise in tax liability matters - who is assuming what in a divorce. What it comes to a contested custody case, I always recommend that you showcase how good a parent you are - and don't denigrate the other side.

Our state laws governing divorce have changed quite a bit. It used to be that father almost never was awarded custody, unless he could prove that the mother had a serious substance abuse problem or something like that. But times have changed. Now there is more negotiation on custody than there has ever been.

Founding partner Harry Tindall and Angela Pence England are great leaders - Harry of course is one of the greats of our profession. And even before I joined the firm I had retained Angela as a mediator. She is an excellent lawyer, especially on financial matters. I think our firm has a tradition of excellence - and results - and our clients recognize that.