While “divorce” is a legal term indicating the termination of a marriage, emotionally, financially and in every way imaginable, it carries enormous significance. Divorce is a life transition unparalleled. Guiding clients through the landmines of the divorce process requires a delicate balance of compassion for the client’s state of mind and legal maneuvering through negotiations or court litigation.
When counseling a divorce client we talk about both process and substance. The “process” decision considers the options of negotiation, mediation, collaborative law and litigation. The “substance” conversation discusses issues such as: child support; alimony; division of the marital home; retirement and other assets; division of debt; parenting plan for when each parent sees the children; allocation of educational expenses; filing of tax returns; etc.
A few nuggets of wisdom from the firm:
“Goodwill doesn’t breed goodwill”.
This means that you should not offer goodwill gestures during the divorce with the expectation that the gesture will be returned in kind. The rules of engagement are different in the divorce context. Offer goodwill if you wish, but know that it may not be reciprocated.
“The strongest form of negotiation is refusing to negotiate.”
The one who wants to settle will make obvious gestures toward settlement. If the other side does not want to settle, or is being strategic, they will not even engage in settlement negotiations. When one side of a negotiation refuses to engage there is no alternative other than wait, or litigate.
At Sassoon Cymrot Law, LLC, we’ll handle your case with the expertise you need and the compassion you want. Call us for a complimentary 30-minute consultation.
