Practice Overview

Divorce, Separation, Parenting Plans, Child Support, Child Support Adjustments and Modifications, Division of Property and Debt, Relocation Agreements. 

Cross-cultural facilitated discussions for schools, the work place or organizations. 

Collaborative Law

Mediation

Cooperative Law

Unbundled services, Legal Coaching and No-contest Divorce.

Divorce that includes both cross-cultural and immigration issues.
 

 Collaborative Law:

This is a team approach with two attorneys, and most likely a coach and a certified divorce financial specialist. There may be other professionals involved depending upon the needs of the couple/family, such as a child specialist, mortgage specialist, or a vocational counselor.  

It is a more comprehensive, supportive model that addresses the legal, financial and emotional aspects of a divorcing couple. This models offer a high level of support from beginning to end. While the attorneys are legal advocates for their clients, the other team members act in a neutral manner which can make the process cost-effective. Financial specialists assist in the gathering of financial information and provide financial guidance through the process. Coaches offer the couple assistance in navigating the transition of being parents as a married couple to co-parenting as individuals. Child Specialists can give critical information and recommendations for the needs of your children while you are in the process of the divorce.

There is a series of meetings in which the team professionals meet with the clients to assist them throughout the divorce process. There is open communication between all of the parties involved. Parties must sign a Participation Agreement which outlines a respectful and transparent process. The key element is that it takes the threat away of going to court. Parties must sign the agreement that states they will not threaten or take the other person to court, or they must withdraw from the process and both parties have to hire a new attorney.

Integrated Co-mediation Model:

The mediators work with both parties in a neutral manner to come up with mutual durable agreements. They do not give legal advice but help clients to navigate the issues that they need to resolve in a divorce. Depending upon the needs and the issues, mediation can be one session or it can be a series of sessions to resolve the issues at hand. Each session normally lasts two to three hours. We can assist you at the beginning of your divorce to help you decide how to proceed with temporary issues. Many mediations will focus on the issues that ultimately need to be decided in order to divorce such as the allocation of separate and community property, debt allocation, parenting plans, child support, relocation issues, and other matters.

Cooperative or Low-contest divorce with two attorneys:

Both parties are represented by attorneys usually trained in collaborative divorce and both the attorneys and the parties have the ability to work together with each other. There is not a need for a team as in Collaborative Law.

No-Contest Divorce:

In this model, I represent a party with the drafting of documents when both parties are in general or close agreement. The other party is always recommended to have an attorney as well, but if the other party chooses to not be represented then he/she must sign a waiver stating he or she understands that I am not representing that party. In this model, the parties have a good idea of what they want and I assist the client with the drafting and entering of the necessary documents with the court. Usually the parties have some idea of what they want, how they want to divide the assets and debts and how to address parenting issues. Both parties should be capable of having an amicable discussion over parenting issues.
 

Un-bundled Services/Legal Coaching:

I offer legal coaching to individuals who are pro se (representing themselves) and need education and coaching on how to fill out the necessary forms for their family law matter.

I offer limited representation for individuals who want legal assistance on a limited basis, who choose not to do the full representation model.

I also offer legal consultations for individuals who are in the process of mediation with another mediator who want an outside legal opinion regarding issues.
 

Cross-cultural Divorce:

I am uniquely qualified to assist someone through divorce who comes from another country or whose spouse comes from another country. I am educated and have life experience in dealing with cross-cultural issues and have a vast array of networking abilities to offer clients who are divorcing and who may have immigration issues connected to the divorce or separation.