There's no question I have a pragmatic approach. I look to solve problems and reach a fair result for my clients, yet never selling them short. I never take a "scorched-earth" approach, and hopefully have never burned any bridges. I have always felt that those types of approaches were not in my clients' best interests.

And I am known for working for a fair resolution in custody and parenting issues. As I tell my clients, what's best for the children is ultimately best for you. A parent cannot always call the shots. We are always looking for what's in the children's interests, even if the outcome means an unorthodox schedule rarely heard of. I believe in creative, but workable, solutions.

I also focus on business issues, such as valuation, ownership and transactional matters. I have worked building businesses, not just law firms, and I have a great respect for people who have worked to build a practice or business. I can relate to it.

I know I am one of those rare attorneys who has relocated in mid-career. It has not been easy and I wouldn't advise it for everyone. But I've been fortunate. There is a great synergy here at ShounBach. We care about the people who work here and that constantly shows in the way we serve our clients.

There is that old saying that an attorney has many clients but a client only has one attorney. As President and managing partner, I encourage the team approach - we are one of the largest matrimonial firms in the state, and our clients benefit from our resources, our breadth, and our expertise.

I try to maintain about 10 to 15 cases at a time, no more. The plain fact of the matter is, I want to focus personally on every case I handle, because generally the stakes are quite high. Some cases, of course, are better suited to less costly legal advice: When a case is straightforward and uncomplicated, and does not require the highest level of expertise, it would be irresponsible to encourage a client to hire an expensive attorney. Fortunately, in our firm of sixteen attorneys (all of whom concentrate their practices solely on divorce and family law) we do have legal associates who can handle less complex cases quite capably, and with fees that are more appropriate and affordable.

A successful practice in matrimonial law really does not vary from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. Whatever the venue, the attorney has to make sure the client is satisfied, and that the clients are put in the best position possible to move ahead with their lives.