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.