One of the things that we as lawyers often forget is that we can be intimidating. One of the first things I tell clients who come to visit with me for the first time is that they have nothing to be afraid of. I pride myself in not trying to pull one over on a…
Category Archives: How we work
Common QDRO Questions and Answers
QDRO’s are a source of lots of confusion for clients (as well as many attorneys). Here are some answers to questions I get on a pretty regular basis: What is a QDRO? A QDRO is short for “Qualified Domestic Relations Order”. It is a court order that is usually signed by both parties (making it…
5 Raleigh Divorce Lawyers join Separating Together
I guess these things aren’t quite official until there is a press release about it. Just announced – myself and four other Raleigh Divorce Lawyers have joined Separating Together, a Collaborative Family Law Practice Group in Raleigh, North Carolina. All of us have pledged to restrict our law practices to resolving family law matters without…
Questions about a Collaborative Divorce Practice
In response to my most recent blog post, I’ve received some questions about what taking my family law practice 100% Collaborative means for the remainder of my practice… Here are some of the questions I’ve received and my responses: Does this mean that you’ll only do collaborative divorces? Actually, No. It only means that I…
How do I decide whether to accept a case?
Whenever I sit down with someone that has a legal problem, I have to determine whether that client is a good fit for my law practice, and also whether I would be the best lawyer for them. For some lawyers, this decision is easy – if the client is willing to write a check, they…
What financial documents do I need to disclose in my Divorce?
Every state is different when it comes to financial disclosures that must be made in your divorce case. In North Carolina, the disclosures that are required depend in large part on what type of relief is being requested. Where Child Support is at issue, one set of documents is required, where spousal support is at…
How does Collaborative Divorce work?
Many people still don’t understand exactly how collaborative divorce works – here is a brief rundown of the process. Both parties start by selecting a collaborative lawyer to assist them in their case. This is probably the most important step, and one that many people fail to get past. The key here is that both…
Collaborative Divorce is great for the kids
I came across a great article today that illustrates just why collaborative divorce can be such a great thing for the children of divorce. The article profiles a family from Rochester, New York that is going through a collaborative divorce with children – successfully. On anther note – I was forced to go to court…
What happens at the first Collaborative Divorce Meeting?
Ok – so you’ve made the smart decision to proceed with a collaborative divorce. You’ve talked to your attorney, your spouse is on board as is their attorney, and you’ve gathered all the documents you need for that first 4-way meeting. Now what? You may be feeling a little nervous, anxious, and perhaps a bit…
Why I like Collaborative Divorce so much…
I just started another Collaborative Divorce Case yesterday (meaning that we had the first four-way meeting with another attorney and her client). It was another shining example of why Collaborative Divorce is such a great thing for clients that are willing to work with one another to resolve their case with less stress and pain…