Description
Represent individuals in family law matters such as divorce, child custody and support, property division, adoption, domestic violence, and marital agreements. Advise clients on rights and obligations, draft and negotiate family-related legal documents, and advocate in court, mediation, and other proceedings.
- • Advise clients on divorce, separation, custody, visitation, child support, spousal support, and property division.
- • Interpret family statutes, case law, court rules, and administrative regulations for clients.
- • Analyze likely outcomes of family disputes using legal precedents, guidelines, and financial data.
- • Present and summarize cases to family court judges, commissioners, and hearing officers.
- • Develop case strategies and arguments for negotiation, mediation, and trial.
- • Gather evidence by interviewing clients and witnesses and reviewing financial, medical, and school records.
- • Represent clients at hearings, mediations, settlement conferences, and trials.
- • Assess the advisability of litigation versus collaborative law or other alternative dispute resolution.
- • Draft, file, and argue pleadings and motions, including temporary orders and protective orders.
- • Present evidence to support or contest custody, support, property, or protective order issues.
- • Research statutes, regulations, and appellate decisions affecting family law cases.
- • Prepare legal briefs, parenting plans, settlement proposals, and file appeals when appropriate.
- • Negotiate marital settlement agreements, parenting plans, and support stipulations.
- • Confer with custody evaluators, guardians ad litem, therapists, and financial experts to support cases.
- • Search and analyze public and financial records to establish assets, income, and parentage.
- • Supervise paralegals and legal assistants on discovery, filings, and client communications.
- • Manage case calendars, deadlines, billing, client files, and compliance with court procedures.
- • Serve as guardian ad litem when qualified and appointed by the court.
- • Handle adoption, guardianship, paternity, and name change proceedings.
- • Draft, review, and enforce prenuptial, postnuptial, separation, and cohabitation agreements.
- • Prepare and review assisted reproduction and surrogacy agreements where permitted.
- • Protect client confidentiality and implement safety protocols in domestic violence matters.
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Last reviewed: Jan 2026
