Womens Forum - The Place For Moms

1. Talk, talk, talk

Talk with friends, family and other acquaintances who you know have been through a divorce.  Ask not only about the outcome, but about the attorney, too – did he/she return phone calls promptly?  Explain in understandable terms the divorce process and possibilities of settlement vs. going to trial?  Were fees explained and billing questions answered politely?  Did their attorney make promises he/she couldn’t keep?  Was the attorney satisfactorily able to answer questions about the kids, the pets, and anything else specific or unique to your acquaintance’s situation?  Listen and develop your own opinion, and keep in mind that the emotional component of a divorce will impact the way each client thinks of his/her attorney.

Hi there,

I am so excited to have this opportunity to be part of Womensforum.com.  I have been a divorce lawyer for 33 years (but who’s counting?), and I know how hard divorce can be for a mom.  You are not only worried about your future, but the future of your kids as well.  A lot of the choices you and your spouse make at the beginning of the divorce process will have long lasting repercussions.  If you can, and many of you won’t be able to, keep the kids’ issues separate from the money. Try to work out the best schedule possible for your children, one that really works for them. Also, try to agree with your spouse on when and how you will tell the kids. In this case the delivery is as important as the message.

Womensforum.com Expert and Divorce Lawyer at Burns and Levinson.

My name is Nancy Van Tine and I am a lawyer at Burns and Levinson LLP, a mother of one, a grandmother of four wonderful grandchildren, and have been married for over 46 years.  In addition to my work as an attorney, I also run a blog, Massachusetts Divorce Law Monitor. You see me in the near future on WomensforumTV discussing the basics of going through a divorce, what to expect, and how to overcome this hard and unexpected time in life.