While the name of my practice has recently changed, my core values are the same:
Empower the Client
Be Kind to Everyone
Never Stop Learning New Skills and Approaches
These values are foundational, and inform everything that me and my team do at Kent Collaborative Law:
EMPOWERING YOU
My dearest wish is for you to finish your legal process full of new energy, new plans, and life lessons learned. I offer unbundled and “limited assistance” representation – both of which empower you to take an active role in your case.
KINDNESS TO ALL
Sometimes a client will ask why I’m “being so nice” to an opposing attorney, or their soon-to-be ex. That’s because kindness generally begets kindness. Family law is nothing like courtroom drama tv shows, where there’s a lot of yelling and pointing.
I once got this message in a fortune cookie: “Strong and bitter words indicate a weak cause.” If you are yelling, pointing, or being nasty, you have a weak case, and you’re showing it.
Family cases are advanced through the exchange of information. You get better information more quickly when you are kind. When you treat the opposing attorney and soon-to-be ex spouse with kindness, you receive kindness and information in return. All of this benefits your case, through quicker and less costly resolutions
NEVER STOP LEARNING AND IMPROVING
I’ve had a successful family practice for more than fifteen years. People ask me why I recently changed the name of my firm and upgraded my website, when I could continue taking my cases to court– “business as usual.”
But I’ve seen how badly the court process can hurt people. Even in the best scenario, court is like chemotherapy – it may cure you, but it ends up killing off healthy cells, making you nauseous and losing all your hair.
This is why I became interested in Collaborative Law, which improves on mediation in many respects. It’s why I’m researching ways to streamline mediation, so it takes less time and brings faster results. It’s why I do unbundled, or project-based litigation, allowing clients to take on a more empowered role in their cases.
I don’t settle for “same old” methods, and neither should you.
In today’s fast-paced, high-stress world, this kind of lawyering isn’t just refreshing, it’s essential. When we lead with compassion, we help families rebuild, not just separate.