A La Carte Legal Services

What do you do now if you have a divorce or custody case looming and you don't have thousands of dollars right off the bat to deal with it?

The answer is simple.  Maryland Family Law Firm, L.L.C. offers a la carte legal services.  Instead of paying in the thousands, you pay between $400.00 and $2,500.00 based on what you need us to do.

Our process involves helping you behind the scenes.  We can help you from the time you need to file a complaint until the court settlement conference date.  If you still need help then, we can often help you at trial for a fraction of what it would cost with a full-service lawyer.

Here is what we do if you need a la carte services:

• Write and prepare court papers and be sure you know how to file them yourself;
• Work with you to prepare discovery questions for the other side and serve them;
• Help you manage the documents the other side gives you;
• Offer individualized help via telephone or videoconferencing.

Here is what we don't do (yet --- but stay tuned, this is on the horizon):

• Sign papers for you (meaning the court thinks it should contact us about your case instead of you);
• Negotiate for you, or show up with you to help in mediation on a one-time basis;
• Go to court with you on an as needed basis;
• Use forms - you get the quality documents we produce for full-service clients, not the confusing and often inappropriate court forms offered by so many of those online national outfits.

If you want help on your divorce or custody case on an a la carte basis, we use Square technology and can complete your documents or engage in a conference without you ever leaving your home or office.  If you have a computer, we are there to help.

Contact us today to set up your first conference with us.

Can you REALLY "Do It Yourself?"

You probably already know about Legal Zoom or Rocket Matter or any other of a number of those "cheap" sites that promise you everything you need to get divorced for a mere $300.00 or less.  Don't be fooled!

They remind me of a story I heard when I went home to visit my parents in Alabama.  I try to get to know locals and I happened to make the acquaintance of a local attorney there.  When he heard about what I do for a living he told me a "funny story."

He said that recently there had been a big advertising push in the area for, "one of them internet lawyer things."  Apparently, a lot of divorcing couples had decided to use the service.  A lot.  Keep in mind that the filing fee down there was somewhere north of $400.00.  Non-refundable.  These folks filed their divorce complaints (petitions) and the administrative judge there dismissed every single one of them.  Why?  The "service" apparently knew nothing about Alabama law and procedure and every single document produced was missing critical information required by that law.

This story emphasizes the problem with these services.  Family law is, by definition, a creature of state law.  When a national "service" offers to give you a form or let you talk to a lawyer, be certain that lawyer is licensed in your state and has specific experience in family law. 

Caveat emptor.

High Asset Divorce: More Misery to Spread Around

I handle high asset divorces. And I handle them well.  The largest percentage of my cases settle by agreement.  Call me crazy, I'm a skilled, experienced divorce lawyer who handles high asset divorces with a heart.  The two concepts are not mutually exclusive.

So let me share some of the lessons I've learned about big money (also known as "high asset") divorce:

1. Having more money and more stuff doesn't have to cost more to litigate.  It only does that when you aren't willing to be reasonable, fair and share your toys.   One of my biggest "wins" was a case where the other side, a successful physician, not only didn't want to share some, he didn't want to share anything. The result was painful for him. Taking a hard and unreasonable line is seldom seen by the court as a good thing.
2. Clients with high asset divorces don't have to be more difficult, but they are more accustomed to being catered to and sometimes, they have a harder time being accountable for their own contribution to the divorce.  This is where caring can be helpful.  I'm always willing to listen, guide and be a "counselor-at-law" but if it gets out of hand, I recommend my client pay a therapist, not me.  My opinion and time are valuable.  I charge for them, and I expect to be paid.
3. More stuff means more misery.  The more people have to fight about, the more they actually do fight about it.  It's just a fact.  They spend more time, need more experts and pay more to get divorced.  I try to boil it all down to numbers, which makes this part of a divorce easier than custody, where measuring success is nowhere near as easy as putting together a statement showing how much something will cost and how much may be won in return.  In the end, it's a simple balance sheet.
4. The really important things can't be measured on a balance sheet.  One of my favorite sayings by a former boss of mine is, "Always leave 'em with a little pride."  Divorcing couples were a family once.  If there are children, they will always be connected.  I try to guide clients to consider things like the quality of life they'll have if they win, as well as the quality of life the other party will have.  If litigation continues for years after the divorce, it's like flushing money down the toilet.  

If you need quality, experienced help resolving your high asset divorce in a way that is fair and reasonable in the long haul, contact me today.