When clients come to see me for the first time, generally there’s some nervousness - not so much about their own situation, but about fear of the unknown. And I make it a point to say, above all, you are going to get through the process and I am going to help you get through this process whether it is via settlement or whether their matter needs to be litigated.

I pride myself in assisting my clients with fully understanding the divorce process so that they can decide for themselves which path is best for them.

It’s true I became a divorce lawyer, in part at least, because of experiences in my own family. Any court can sometimes rule arbitrarily, based on incomplete facts and/or misrepresentations. I learned that from a very young age. I wanted to make sure none of my clients would ever feel they were being unfairly treated or their side was not being heard. I have worked with some great lawyers over the years, and they helped me get where I am today.

And I feel fortunate to be practicing with Obermayer - our firm has tremendous resources. Our clients - even in a family law matter - have the resources of entire departments of legal expertise, from tax law to trust law, to commercial litigation. With all clients, especially those with more complex and sophisticated situations, well, that creates a comfort level. We meet - and I think believe often exceed - lofty expectations. There’s no drama here at Obermayer. We just come in and get the job done since we truly enjoy working together.

Our family law practice handles our share of post-judgment litigation - and even post-judgment investigation. You’d be surprised how many cases are re-visited because a former spouse feels he or she should not be paying alimony after they discover that their former spouse has started to co-habitate with someone else. Yes, private investigators are not uncommon in our work. They are used to seek proof that terminating alimony is justified.

But the state laws are not entirely clear on the matter of terminating alimony, and what constitutes co-habitation these days. It’s a tricky area of the law, even today, and it's one that is ever expanding.

Then there is social media and private internet chat boards where a spouse is gloating about his or her new social life. There is plenty of actionable evidence that we glean from social media postings, and many clients seem almost surprised by it, or at least don’t seem to appreciate the consequences. It’s amazing to me how often a party in a divorce matter will post news of a trip to the Caribbean with a new paramour. Those kinds of things can directly impact outcomes of a case.

The bottom line: If you are in the process of getting a divorce, don’t post anything about your personal life on social media. Period.

I love my work, and I have always felt I got into this area of law for all the right reasons. Most of all, I strive to make the legal process more ‘user friendly’ for everyone. I’m proud of that.