People (especially attorneys who don’t practice family law and don’t want to practice family law) sometimes ask me why I practice family law and if I like it. The short answer is that I believe my personality makes me well suited for the practice of family law and yes, I enjoy it. I practice primarily in Cumberland, Dauphin and York counties and have developed professional relationships and friendships with many other family law practitioners and other experts in those areas, which enhances my enjoyment of my practice and makes me more effective for my clients.
Most of my family law clients are experiencing divorce. I see myself as a problem-solver, helping my clients through one of the most difficult times of their lives. My undergraduate and Master’s degrees are in psychology and I am fascinated by interpersonal relationships. I have concluded over the years that I can effectively practice family law and help my clients by following my belief that above all, I should not make things worse for families. I give my clients advice designed to decrease the amount of conflict in their interpersonal relationships while focusing on what is most important to them.
Many of my divorce clients tell me that they want to keep their children’s best interest foremost in their mind throughout the divorce process. So when I’m helping them make decisions I emphasize the impact those decisions will have on their children. Of course, I am also realistic with them about the impact those decisions will have on themselves and their spouse.
In addition to representing clients throughout central Pennsylvania, including Harrisburg, Hershey, Carlisle, York and surrounding communities, as an attorney, I also conduct private divorce / family law mediations for clients in those areas. I think my personality, powers of observation and communication skills (along with extensive training with some great professionals) make me a more effective mediator.
One last reason I enjoy the practice of family law is that I was divorced about 14 years ago. Although that experience was very low-conflict and was resolved privately, due in large part to my ex-wife and I focusing on our son’s best interests, in hindsight I know it could have gone better. Specifically, I know that I could have handled the process better if I had had the kind of advice I strive to give my clients.
When a client experiencing divorce or other family law conflict thanks me for advising him or her against taking some action, or for providing alternatives to their proposed action, it reinforces my conviction that I’m in the right field and that I’m practicing the right way. If you would like to discuss the practice of family law in central Pennsylvania, including York, Carlisle, Hershey, Harrisburg and surrounding areas, please contact me.