Few things can be as heart-wrenching and emotionally exhausting as a divorce, a battle over your children or any of the other issues which arise when a family dissolves. For these reasons, I believe personal attention to my clients is essential.
Over the years, I’ve had partners and associates to help shoulder the pressures of a busy law firm. I soon discovered, however, that I practice best, and my clients’ needs are served best, when I handle their cases personally from start to finish. My clients never have to worry that I will send someone less familiar with their case (or less experienced) to represent them in court or at a settlement meeting. I derive great personal satisfaction from handling each and every aspect of my clients’ cases from inception to conclusion.
My decision to be – and remain – a sole practitioner allows me to provide the personal attention that each of my clients needs and deserves. It also means that I must, out of necessity, limit the number of cases I accept. If I were to accept every case, I would jeopardize my effectiveness on the cases of my existing clients. Instead, I strive to keep my case-load manageable so that I am available to my clients when they need me and when urgent matters arise.
The nature of matrimonial law requires that I appear in court numerous days a week. I find this unfortunate as almost all of these cases can and should be resolved in my office, not a courtroom. I also believe that most cases can and should be settled early on, without the needless expenditure of legal fees, and without prolonging the stress and unsettledness of a family dispute. Nearly every matrimonial case is settled; it’s the question of when it’s settled that is the real issue. I strive to resolve outstanding issues - no matter how problematic - at the earliest possible moment. By handling issues early and directly, a case can be settled at the lowest possible cost to my clients and enable them to move on with their lives.
However, litigation is sometimes unavoidable. If a client’s mortgage is several months in arrears, or their spouse is physically abusing them, or the children’s safety is at risk because of a parent’s alcohol or drug use, the best course is often the immediate intervention of the court. When the urgency of the situation requires it, I eagerly prepare and appear in court and aggressively seek the relief only a judge can grant.