Tips for Handling Difficult Family Law Situations
Posted on Aug 13, 2014 2:10pm PDT
Clients that come to family law attorneys can be difficult. It is easy for folks to get overzealous when it comes to issues surrounding children and the family. For lawyers, maintaining professionalism with these clients can be difficult, but is crucial when guiding them through complex matters.
How to Resolve Tough Family Issues
In the initial interview with a client, the lawyer can begin alleviating some of stress by asking questions and remaining aware of answers that may cause problems. By starting with a clear structure, the lawyer and client can begin to work within a mutually beneficial framework.
Some tips for dealing with difficult family law situations include:
- Set expectations early, never make impossible promises
- Reinforce expectations and case goals
- Communicate with clients
- Schedule meetings or phone discussions
- Reinforce conversations with an email or letter
Information Reinforcement Can Help
Some issues that come with a difficult case can be attributed to the emotional and mental stress that is simply the result of the situation. Others are just due to the inherent nature of the parties involved. Understanding which applies is important in regards to moving forward with the case. While it may seem excessive to reinforce information discussed and conversations, doing so is important to ensure the client does not misinterpret or disregard advice that is given to them. Constant reinforcement of information will benefit both parties in a family law matter.
Maintaining Ethical Responsibility
The family lawyer is ethically responsible to view situations from the perspective of the child, the client, and any others involved in the case. For situations that involve challenging matters, difficult relationships, and tough decisions on custody matters, the attorney can be the deciding voice.
Making sure you fully understand a case can help ensure that both client and lawyer are satisfied with the results.