Tuesday, August 27, 2013

Problem Solvers versus Problem Creators

The way I see it, there are basically two types of lawyers: problem solvers and problem creators. At my firm we are constantly looking for ways to solve problems, trying to find the best way to help our clients. Sometimes we do this at a conference table and other times in a courtroom. Either way, we are looking for the most effective way to help our client considering the issues and the personalities.

Problem creators, on the other hand, use the legal system to obstruct and damage. These personalities express their own anger by exploiting their client's anger.  Often they cynically run up the bill by filing silly, unproductive pleadings.  These lawyers just don't think through the consequences of their actions and walk away at the end leaving a wake of destruction and animosity. Regardless, these unprofessional lawyers create problems for their client, the opponent, and the system at large by wasting valuable resources.


I am not a wide-eyed idealist, and I understand that emotion is integral in family law cases. But family court is not properly served by lawyers looking to foment conflict rather than solve it. As the great Illinois lawyer, Abraham Lincoln, said, "Never stir up litigation. A worse man can scarcely be found than the one who does this... A moral tone ought to be infused into the profession, which should drive such men out of it."

Your family is a delicate organism. And while it will be altered by divorce, relationships need to remain in tact. Emotion management is key to a successful outcome. Address your anger and frustration in therapy rather than by hiring a destructive problem creator, who, like sugar and fat, will provide instant gratification at a significant long-term cost to your family's health.

Problem solvers respect the delicacy of the issues and try to help you transition to a new life in a constructive way. While people often don't like what we have to say, problem solvers address your issues honestly and directly, hoping to guide you onto a positive path.

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