ecialties (often personal injury) because they hear how much money they can make in family law. Family law isn't taught in law school, these attorneys are learning on the job. Worse, they don't know anything about finances and complex issues with stocks, corporations or even a family business. They don't know whereMany people hire a wedding planner, but no one thinks to plan a divorce which is more complex. What happens is predictable. No plan, no goal, just money down a rabbit hole. Money to the lawyers, lost custody battles, lost assets, and lots of surprises.

People come to me miserable and complaining about their lawyers and how their case is falling apart. What do I hear the most?

Losing custody to abusers

Losing money to spouses who hide assets.

Spent a lot of money and see no results.

Talked into expensive referrals to therapists, accountants and others.

The attorney is too busy to talk.

The attorney missed a deadline or didn't do discovery.

Ignored by the attorney.

Verbally abuses them.

Threatens to quit right before a trial or hearing if more money isn't paid right away.

How did it get to this point? You felt so comfortable in the first meeting. The attorney promised you the moon and you felt so taken care of.

The problem is this: divorce has become a cash cow as it has become increasingly popular and complex. It has become so expensive that half of the divorcing population can't even afford an attorney and are forced to represent themselves. The attorneys often come from other specialties (often personal injury) because they hear how much money they can make in family law. Family law isn't taught in law school, these attorneys are learning on the job. Worse, they don't know anything about finances and complex issues with stocks, corporations or even a family business. They don't know where

wyers and how their case is falling apart. What do I hear the most?

Losing custody to abusers

Losing money to spouses who hide assets.

Spent a lot of money and see no results.

Talked into expensive referrals to therapists, accountants and others.

The attorney is too busy to talk.

The attorney missed a deadline or didn't do discovery.

Ignored by the attorney.

Verbally abuses them.

Threatens to quit right before a trial or hearing if more money isn't paid right away.

How did it get to this point? You felt so comfortable in the first meeting. The attorney promised you the moon and you felt so taken care of.

The problem is this: divorce has become a cash cow as it has become increasingly popular and complex. It has become so expensive that half of the divorcing population can't even afford an attorney and are forced to represent themselves. The attorneys often come from other specialties (often personal injury) because they hear how much money they can make in family law. Family law isn't taught in law school, these attorneys are learning on the job. Worse, they don't know anything about finances and complex issues with stocks, corporations or even a family business. They don't know where

he attorney missed a deadline or didn't do discovery.

Ignored by the attorney.

Verbally abuses them.

Threatens to quit right before a trial or hearing if more money isn't paid right away.

How did it get to this point? You felt so comfortable in the first meeting. The attorney promised you the moon and you felt so taken care of.

The problem is this: divorce has become a cash cow as it has become increasingly popular and complex. It has become so expensive that half of the divorcing population can't even afford an attorney and are forced to represent themselves. The attorneys often come from other specialties (often personal injury) because they hear how much money they can make in family law. Family law isn't taught in law school, these attorneys are learning on the job. Worse, they don't know anything about finances and complex issues with stocks, corporations or even a family business. They don't know where

moon and you felt so taken care of.

The problem is this: divorce has become a cash cow as it has become increasingly popular and complex. It has become so expensive that half of the divorcing population can't even afford an attorney and are forced to represent themselves. The attorneys often come from other specialties (often personal injury) because they hear how much money they can make in family law. Family law isn't taught in law school, these attorneys are learning on the job. Worse, they don't know anything about finances and complex issues with stocks, corporations or even a family business. They don't know where

ecialties (often personal injury) because they hear how much money they can make in family law. Family law isn't taught in law school, these attorneys are learning on the job. Worse, they don't know anything about finances and complex issues with stocks, corporations or even a family business. They don't know where to look for hidden assets, and if they do, they don't know how to litigate in this area. Women are often unschooled in finances and the power imbalance of the economic situation forces them into a situation where they leave a lot of community property money on the table.

Is every attorney a bad one? No, and if your case is simple, almost any attorney can walk you through it. The problem arises with more complex cases. Even family law "specialists" are no guarantee of competency, though their ads might make you think otherwise.

Don't look for A Rating in attorney ranking books. They are useless. Your friend's attorney may be a place to start but each case is different, his or her attorney may be incompetent in your case.

"It can sometimes take an attorney to size up another attorney- and the weak ones out there are legion - and the "certified" ones can be certified idiots - unfortunately." Those are words from a litigator who assists people in choosing attorneys. He brings skills from his background to help others identify a good attorney. A 'good' attorney has a goal for your case based on a thorough understanding of the issues. A good attorney knows when to negotiate, when to fight and how to do it so you don't spend all your mone