What Do The Best Family Law Attorneys Have In Common?

Learn what highly skilled and effective family law attorneys have in common

Let us show you the traits the best family law attorneys have in common

Whether you have a pending family law case or one upcoming, there is one thing you are sure of - you want exceptional representation. But what should that mean to you? Let us show you.

The best family law attorneys are excellent communicators

Communication is the cornerstone to exceptional representation. The best family law attorneys are great communicators with their clients, the opposing counsel and internally within their office.

"Amidst a major life crisis that turned my entire life upside down, when I was terrified, morose, and confused, I found Robert who helped me find clarity and calm throughout the legal process. He is always willing to go above and beyond when it comes to communication with clients - late night emails, weekend meetings if necessary, and quick response time for any and all questions. His team worked efficiently and effectively to get the job done." - By A.S.

What do we mean by communication?

Communication comes in two forms - proactive and reactive. Family law attorneys who engage in proactive communication:

  • Regularly keep their clients updated on the case's status, and
  • Proactively develop and refine strategy with their clients.

Reactive communication is exactly what it sounds like. When there is a sudden need to communicate, the communication occurs.

The problem with reactive communication as the dominant communication form is its dependence on external forces. Those who mostly reactively communicate wait for things to happen the great majority of time. Is that what you want? Of course not.

Different communication methods

The best family law attorneys also use different communication methods. Telephone, in person, email and videoconferencing are all effective. Which one is right for you depends on you, the case and the circumstances.

For example, if communication necessitates significant dialogue, email is likely not best. If the communication necessitates short questions and answers, email may work fine.

If the attorney and client need to review documents, that can be done in person. But if the documents are not extensive, the attorney and client can exchange the paperwork via email and communicate by telephone or videoconferencing.

Great communication builds the foundation for great representation.

The best family law attorneys are result focused thinkers and doers

Family law is one area of law where attorneys and the parties can get caught up in minutia that is time-consuming and does not advance the case toward resolution.

"Throughout the process they gave me great legal advise to avoid costly mistakes. Furthermore, they worked efficiently on my case by focusing their time on the issues that really mattered while avoiding legal fluff or minor issues that drag on. I highly recommend this law firm." - By Steven

At our family law firm, we begin every case with the end in mind by doing the following:

  • We ask ourselves what do we need to do to bring this case to resolution.
  • If settlement offers should go out early to resolve issues on a temporary basis, we start on that immediately.
  • If we need documentation from the other side or third parties such as financial institutions, we request that immediately.
  • Once we have what we need, we make offers to get issues resolved.
  • If the other side refuses to negotiate or resolve the issues in good faith, we proceed to court.

We do all of the above with your full participation, knowledge and consent. Family law cases are a full participation activity and you must be actively involved.

That result focused thinking and strategy is why our clients make comments such as:

"They bring all their resources, knowledge and relationships to represent their clients and choosing a firm to fight for your family is one of the most important decisions I've ever made. I'm a lawyer myself and don't throw away money but when you're in the fight of your life, responding to false allegations, protecting a long standing career/reputation, and fighting for future time with your children, YOU CAN'T AFFORD to cut corners to save a dime or two." - By J.F.

The best family law attorneys are problem solvers

We don't focus on problems. We provide solutions to problems. There is an expression that states if you find yourself in a hole, the first thing you should do is stop digging. We avoid the hole.

When a problem arises in any family law case (parentage or divorce case), there is no time to become emotional or lament. The best family law attorneys are solution focused on a short-term and long-term basis. Solution on a long-term basis focuses on avoiding this problem from reoccurring.

"This case had been going on for quite a few years and all advice I'd been given was negative and hopeless at best. My problems seemed to be insurmountable. I was literally at my wit's end. Amazingly, with their representation, the results they were able to obtain for me were better than I could have ever imagined. I'm usually not given to dramatic statements, but to say that I felt as if my life were suddenly "given back to me" is truly an understatement." - By M.W.

Of course, any divorce or parentage case can be unpredictable and it is rare everything goes exactly the way a spouse or even a spouse's attorney may have hoped. But so long as the client and family law attorney's attention is on reasonable solutions, no problem should come up that is insurmountable or that interferes with a family law case's reasonable resolution.

The best family law attorneys are tactical strategists

I sometimes hear other family law attorneys say the craziest things regarding their representation style. I have heard lawyers talk about how they will "paper" the other side "to death." They use terms like "going for the jugular" as if they are some wild, rabid beast. They refer to a family law case as a "war" they want to start. Lawyers like this are far too common and I assure you they are not the best but some of the very worst family law attorneys out there. Usually they just want your money and do not give a darn about your needs.

A smart person should never fall for this type of nonsense. A divorce or parentage case should be handled with integrity even when dealing with a very difficult person on the other side.

"The integrity with which everyone on my case presented never faltered. Neither did their organization, competency or knowledge base. There was exemplary legal guidance and compassion for the realities of the family law system every step of the way." - By A.C.

What sets our highly respected and trusted family law firm apart from many others is we are tactical in how we handle a client's case. We set goals and put together a strategy that makes logical and legal sense for our clients. We follow the law strictly, we are zealous advocates of our client's position but we are also very objective with our clients in our evaluation of the facts.

We do not cheerlead or blow sunshine a client's way just to get that client to litigate an issue. Instead, we have discussions about the strengths and weaknesses of a position, how the law applies to the facts and what a client's options are.

"They are a competent and objective professional family law firm who provides sound and consistent counsel…They strike the right balance between taking assertive positions and the legal cost of those decisions so that I could exercise appropriate judgment on each issue. I found this approach to be quite unique and it ensured I reached a highly satisfactory judgment. I highly recommend working with them." - By R.C.

This tactical strategy serves our clients well because they do not invest unnecessary emotions and money on the process. If the other side is going to be difficult and cause our client's attorney fees to increase, we go after the other side for those fees when proper to do so.

It is all about intelligent representation. That is what you want in your family law attorney, not a barking dog.

The best family law attorneys are transparent with their fees and billing

Lawyers who lie to their prospective clients about fees or costs do so for one reason - to get the client to retain them and pay a deposit. They just want the money.

Unlike those types of lawyers, our family law firm's attorneys are candid and honest with all prospective and actual clients about attorney fees and costs. If we believe a case will cost many thousands of dollars above a prospective client's ability, we tell the prospective clients that upfront. We never want a person to hire us if they cannot afford the case in front of them.

During representation, our existing clients can at any time find out what their fees are and that information is available up-to-date at all times.

I feel as though Robert has always been completely honest with me in managing my expectations and timelines and keeping them realistic. He has always taken the time to make sure I understand the law and the situation without ever talking down to me or making me feel uneducated.

My case is now in the post judgement phase. Robert increased my custody dramatically, helped me reach a great settlement agreement on finances and property, and was even able to win a judgment on attorney's fees when the agreement wasn't honored. Robert fought for me honestly and fairly. He never used any tricks, lies, or under-handed tactics. He just used truth, knowledge of the law, what was right, and incredible attention to detail the entire time." - By ND.

If we expect there will be external costs in the future for items such as forensic accountants, court appointed experts, vocational evaluations or more, we tell a client that. We never want the client to be surprised by the fees and costs.

While of course fees and costs are simply never predictable, especially because you can never know how reasonable or unreasonable your spouse or the other parent will be, that does not mean you should be prepared to write a blank check to your family law attorney.

Our family law firm's transparency with fees and costs allows our clients to make intelligent decisions and budget the case in front of them, whether it be a simple one, one that is highly complex or anything in between.

Ready to talk about your case?

Are you ready for exceptional representation for your family law case? We have offices throughout Southern California.

To learn more about our family law firm's services and fees, check out our FAQ page.

We look forward to helping you.

Reviews do not guarantee you will get the same or similar result but they do help you see that good people can get fair results in family court. None of the reviews or anything else written on this website, are a guarantee, warranty, prediction or assurance regarding the results that may be obtained in your case. Every case is dependent on its own facts. Please use common sense. Your results may vary.