Levine Family Law Group | Divorce Attorneys | Oakland • Emeryville • Berkeley
Bay Area Divorce & Family Law
It’s over. Officially. But, now what? As a divorce lawyer for the last 12+ years, I can tell you that – as crazy as it sounds – sometimes one of the most difficult parts of divorce is the end. After enduring so many months of negotiation, paperwork, deadlines, heartache and perhaps even frustration or anger; when the divorce judgment is finally granted, it can feel all at once like an incredible burden lifted – but also like a thick cloud …
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As a seasoned divorce lawyer, I see far too many of my clients putting off the one thing they absolutely need to be doing throughout this emotionally complex process: making time for self-care. You are being pulled in so many different directions and are experiencing a sea of transitions – it is so easy to get swept up in the stress of it all that physical and mental health take a back seat. But I want you to come out …
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Laura Aiello, Divorce Strategist, weighs in on the importance of self-care throughout the breakup process in our first guest blog: “Put your own oxygen mask on first” “You can’t pour from an empty pitcher” “There’s nothing selfish about taking care of YOU” By now, you have heard all these self-care mantras and more. And what’s more, you probably agree with them – wholeheartedly! But then… LIFE. DIVORCE. KIDS. JOB. PAPERWORK! It’s not unusual to feel like it’s all you …
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It’s no secret that hiring an attorney is expensive. Even if you are using a lawyer on a ‘limited scope’ basis to help you only with strategy or to review and revise your forms, it is still a cost that you probably didn’t plan for. So when can you request that your spouse pay your fees? Conversely, will you be on the hook to pay some or all of your ex’s lawyer costs? While there are many ways fee requests …
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First things first. If you want to negotiate an agreement with your spouse, you have to remember (and accept) the following principles: Be mindful that your purpose is to avoid arguing and to be as persuasive as possible. The communication issues you had during your marriage will not go away in separation. What does that mean? It means you need to manage your expectations and negotiation style or risk one or more of the following: constant arguing, bickering, flat out …
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We as divorce professionals balance two very important ‘obligations’ – that to our families, to help financially support them – and to our clients, to assist them through a challenging transitionary period in their lives – in the most efficient, compassionate and least disruptive way. While many of us would like to change the divorce paradigm and legal process itself – that certainly isn’t going to happen overnight and we’ve yet to find real, meaningful solutions that improve the status …
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Levine Family Law Group is pleased to share that two of our attorneys have been selected for recognition by Super Lawyers of California. Erin Levine has been selected as a Super Lawyers — Rising Star for the 4th year in a row and Ashley Schuh has been selected as a Super Lawyer for the first time after having been selected as a Super Lawyers – Rising Star since 2013. We are proud of our team! An update on our story: …
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A declaration is a written statement made under the penalty of perjury. If you are filing a “Request for Order” (or responding to a “Request for Order”) asking that the Judge enter orders providing you some type of temporary “relief”, you will need to attach a declaration explaining the basis for your request and the facts that support it. Examples of Request for Orders (RFOs) include (but are not limited to) requests for: An enforceable parenting plan Modification of an …
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We have all heard the good news. California no longer recognizes a distinction between same-sex and opposite-sex marriages. Any couple can now obtain a marriage license and wed, regardless of that couple’s sexual orientation. In 2016 the U.S. Supreme Court affirmed marriage equality across the United States. Even with these ‘wins’, our work is not done. There are issues that affect our gay and lesbian clientele in divorce – that are generally not applicable to heterosexual marriages. We’ve taken a …
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Through LFLG and Hello Divorce, we have a significant amount of clients who are self represented — using our resources to navigate the process but checking in with us when they need some guidance along the way. This week as I was overseeing the process of closing case files, I was reminded of some of our most influential clients and the outside the box path they chose to cooperatively ‘unhitch.’ When clients first come to us for legal coaching they …
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