The Second Most Important Decision You’ll Ever Make
It’s the romantic line in an intense RomCom – this is the most important decision you’ll ever make. Of course, in that context, the actor is likely referring to the decision to marry someone. I’m well-versed in what may be the second most important decision you’ll ever make: choosing a divorce lawyer. Yeah, it’s a… more
Collaborative or Litigation?
Wondering which approach to divorce is right for you? Let me help. While I practice both and have been an attorney for more than 30 years, I always prefer Collaborative Divorce if it’s a possibility, and I’ll tell you why. Collaborative Divorce First, Collaborative Divorce is a more humane approach to dissolving a marriage. Both… more
Resolving Conflict: It’s All in the Details
BBYO: Learning from Mediation Skills Recently, I facilitated a workshop on conflict resolution for youth leaders through BBYO, a Jewish youth group. We spent an hour and a half at the offices of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit, learning from mediation skills how to resolve conflict in everyday life, whether at work or amongst… more
What To Do With a High-Profile Divorce
When a couple divorces after more than two decades of marriage, they can honestly say that they gave it a good run.
What is Collaborative Family Law?
One of the things I love about Collaborative Family Law is that we get the opportunity to really dig into how we function as people. It’s like the human side of law. Looking at our own values as individuals, as professionals, and how that affects our clients, we as professionals come to understand where clients are in… more
Let’s Own Our Roles
Dear Clients, You may not understand what happens behind the scenes of your case, so I’d like to let you in on the inside view. We work really hard for you. We hear everything you say. We feel your pain. We know this is a trying time in your life, perhaps the most trying time… more
Building Balance in Your Work
Every month, we have opportunities to do things better, be mindful of how we proceed, and build our best life every single day. For me, the most important step is being mindful of the need to build balance. As a busy family law attorney and entrepreneur, it’s easy for me to get caught up in work every minute… more
New Alimony Tax Laws
This year brought new tax laws, following President Trump’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. In my world, the biggest impact of these new tax laws is how it impacts divorcing couples where alimony is involved. Read about it here. It used to be that when a divorced spouse paid alimony, the payor could claim 100 percent of that payment as… more
A Conversation with Brette Sember: How to Avoid Returning to Court & Other Family Law Kernels of Wisdom
Brette Sember has represented adults, children and adolescents in family law court. She offers a unique perspective on advocating for client needs, empowering them, and supporting their journey from one stage of life to another. From Clarence, N.Y., Brette practiced family law and mediation until her second child was born. She then retired from law and… more
Process: Waiting in Court
So many times, I’ve gone to court on a motion, and I spend a lot of time sitting and waiting. We all do. Clients sit and wait for lawyers to negotiate. Lawyers sit and wait for referee or family counselors to make decisions. Judges wait for referees to make recommendations that judges can rule on…. more