What Family Law Can Do For You: It’s Not Just Divorce
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The field of family law is exactly what the words say: law related to families. That means more than divorce.
In Ohio, where I grew up and returned for law school at Case Western Reserve School of Law, the common nomenclature is domestic relations. Reflecting on the work I do, I believe Ohio has that right. The work I do as a Family Law Mediator and Attorney is all about relationships.
In decades of practice as a family law attorney, I’ve learned a thing or two about relationships. What works, and certainly what doesn’t. So when a person is deciding whether to split from their spouse, I can help.
Even if they decide to stay together, the workbooks that I offer every client are great tools for couples to use to open discussions about themselves, their relationship, what they want, and what they don’t want. Check out Our Family in Two Homes and Designing Our Future Together.
Know Your Partner, Know Yourself
Some religions require pre-marital counseling to look at many of these issues, and I believe all people should do this work before they commit to a long-term legal relationship.
But the truth is most of us don’t. And so when we run into challenges and conflicts, we often don’t know what to do. Divorce these days seems like an easy out, but it is not!
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And because no relationship is easy sailing at all times, it benefits every person to examine who they are, who they want to be, and how they want to show up in relationships.
This resource can help couples find new ways to get through inevitable conflicts.
Try Everything First
Something else I offer is relationship mediation. Because there are things in your marriage that can lead to divorce, why not bring in a neutral third party who can help you work through conflicts and avoid a breakup?
Some people are averse to therapy or couples counseling. As a lawyer with deep skills in shared financial and property assets, I often help couples navigate conflicts over money, and what lurks behind those disagreements.
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Also when it comes to kids, there’s benefit in bringing two people together instead of just talking to your own therapist. This way, you gain a different perspective on the challenges. I can recommend Co-Parenting Counselors and other professionals skilled in guiding couples through these bumps in the road.
But of course, a family law attorney is in the business of managing the legal aspects of marriage, including post-judgment issues that arise for divorced families.
Alternative Approaches to Conflict Resolution
So many people want to avoid returning to court post-divorce, but they don’t know how to handle issues that arise. I use my skills in Collaborative Divorce and Conflict Resolution to help people resolve conflicts.
We find a way to work together by thinking outside the box, being creative. In high-conflict cases, many attorneys believe there are only one or two options, court being the prevalent one, letting a judge decide a family’s fate.
I disagree. There are a host of options to satisfy both clients, and by having a discussion about what matters most to each parent and getting creative, we can come to resolution without court intervention.
What all of these situations share in common is a willingness to talk about what’s behind a particular issue, so you don’t get entrenched in a war where you end up hating each other.
What all of these situations share in common is a willingness to talk about what’s behind a particular issue,
Even couples who divorce don’t start out hating one another. They may be sad that the marriage is ending or mourn the death of the dream of forever.
But the combative practice of traditional court-based divorce can lead to pretty bitter rivalries and opposition between former spouses.
Build & Keep Trust
I try to help couples maintain the trust they have, build trust on a different level, and find new ways, calmer ways, to work through life’s challenges. We all face them at one time or another—why not bring our best selves to face whatever comes, and use the skills of a family law attorney to benefit all involved?