A lot of people have been asking lately, “How’s the new business going?”
Not long ago, I announced that I’m pivoting my family law practice away from litigation and focusing on out-of-court, proven processes like Collaborative Divorce and Mediation. This isn’t a “new” business! Transitions Legal continues to go strong, and the firm’s foundational principles remain consistent. We are only wrapping up the litigation arm of the practice.
Photo by Chris Lawton on Unsplash
This isn’t something that happens overnight!
What people don’t understand is that divorce cases in general do not move fast, and litigation cases in particular take so long. Dependent on the court, the attorneys and the clients, they’re not easy to wrap up.
I made a decision to pivot and make a change to not take any new litigation cases, but that doesn’t mean that magically all the litigation I’ve been working on is gone.
This is how business planning goes. I made a decision, and now I’m putting that decision into action.
But every litigation case that was already in the works, is still a process that has to be completed. So while all of my new cases are with clients who want to avoid the adversity of litigation, it will be a while still until all of the existing litigation cases are finalized.
(For reference, a few of these cases started early in 2024! Do you see now why I’m pivoting?)
That’s the thing with litigation. It can take a really long time before your divorce is final. A year, two years, maybe longer. And who wants that?
I’m grateful that I’ve been able to practice family law in a variety of ways for all the years that I’ve been a lawyer. And I’m grateful that there are a variety of approaches to divorce law.
It’s never a one-size-fits-all situation, especially with two people and assets and children and more.
Which is why I’m making this pivot in the first place.
Photo by Alexa Williams on Unsplash
Because of limited resources compared to the numbers, courts try to one-size all cases, to make it easier to work them through the court system. I understand why they do this. It makes sense for the structure and flow of the courts.
But it does not benefit the divorcing couple and their family. The longer you’re stuck in transition mode, the more delayed your healing will be. And there is always healing to be done when you divorce, no matter who initiates it.
It’s a change, and changes take time. Or the way we look at it at Transitions Legal, it’s a transition from one state of being to another, and the mind and the body have to shift and process the change before they can move on in a healthy and productive way.
So yes, my new business plan is going well—REALLY WELL!
AND, my commitment to successfully concluding the various litigation cases remains strong. It’s a process, and it takes time, and I’m patiently along for the ride.