Written by Natalie Bogdanski, Family Lawyer Magazine contributor
Family law attorneys can help people in the process of divorce in ways that no one else can. Friends and relatives can be a great source of emotional support, continuity, and help with practical tasks of parenting or moving to a new residence, but they do not have the professional knowledge to separate a couple’s finances and establish a parenting plan. People from all walks of life go through divorce, but something that almost all of them have in common is that they feel overwhelmed. The best family law attorneys empathize with their clients but also set boundaries so that they can focus their attention on all their clients and get a satisfactory outcome in all of their cases. Here are some things to understand about client-centered family law.
Client-Centered Family Law
Divorce is a 24/7 job, but you cannot be at your clients’ beck and call around the clock.
Family law is one of the professions where you interact directly with people in distress and where they are the beneficiaries of your services. This is something you have in common with healthcare professionals and social workers. Your clients are angry and afraid about what is going on with their families. They need your guidance with so many big and small matters. You can successfully help your clients get to a financially stable future where they have a harmonious relationship with their children. In order to do this, though, you must avoid burnout. This means that you must set boundaries about how quickly your clients can expect a response from you and which problems you can help them with.
Be Clear With Your Clients About When to Expect a Response
In one of your first meetings with each client, you should set expectations for successful attorney-client communication. Let clients know when to expect emails to which they must respond promptly in order to meet a deadline. Tell them that they can send you an email, text message, or voicemail at any time and that there are certain hours each week when you will respond to communications from clients. Of course, there are always exceptions for emergencies, such as if a client’s spouse closes the marital bank account without warning or files for a restraining order against the client based on false accusations of domestic violence and child abuse. If clients know when to expect a response, and if you consistently meet that expectation, clients are less likely to bug you with a constant barrage of messages.
Connect Your Clients to Other Resources They Need
Client-centered family law is about helping your clients get the resources they need. You can help your clients get a realistic picture of how their finances will be in the short term after divorce. You can also advise them, in general terms, about successfully co-parenting their children with their ex-spouse. It is not your job, however, to support them at every step as they manage their finances and interpersonal relationships. Keep a list of mental health counselors and debt relief lawyers to whom you can refer your clients. You are helping simply by asking, at your next meeting, whether the client called to set up an appointment with a mental health counselor if your client expressed interest in seeing one.
Offer Different Services at Different Price Points
Some family law attorneys exclusively market their services to high-net-worth clients who have piles of money to spend on an acrimonious divorce, but a more sustainable business model is to make your services affordable to the widest range of clients. If possible, offer a flat fee for simple services such as uncontested divorce or, if your state has an option for summary dissolution of marriage, for this kind of divorce. When a client’s case could go the conventional route of contested divorce or, alternatively, as collaborative divorce, let the client know from the beginning how much he or she can expect each option to cost.
No matter your client’s budget, it is always helpful to offer flexible payment options. In some cases, the client does not have any money to pay you because the other spouse controls the purse strings, and most of your payment will be delayed until the client receives a divorce settlement. Offer installment payment options so that clients will choose you without having to worry about you sending debt collectors after them.
Sources
https://www.lawpay.com/about/blog/client-centered-lawyering/
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