Although you may contact me via email and tell me some of the facts about your life and personal situation, nothing replaces a person-to-person conversation so I’m always going to opt for a telephone call if at all possible. First, I’m going to listen to what you have to say but I’m also going to ask a lot of questions. It’s important to me to know where you are in the divorce process. Are you still living with your spouse and just thinking about divorce as a possibility sometime in the future? Are you heading for trial next month, feeling confused, frustrated and overwhelmed and still have a million questions? Or are you somewhere in between and seeking some concrete information, practical advice and a list of “things to do” in order to completely understand what is currently still a big mystery to you?

During a short telephone interview I can determine if you’re a good client for my services. The people who benefit most are those who are interested in knowing about the divorce process from a legal, financial and personal point-of-view and are willing to buckle down and prepare for what is often a very challenging time. If you decide that’s exactly what you need and it makes sense for you, we’ll go ahead and schedule an appointment.

Our initial consultation will be about two and a half hours long. That sounds like a long session but it goes by very quickly. We’ll both talk; we’ll both listen; we’ll both ask questions and provide answers. I’ll also pass on loads of practical, pertinent, up-to-date information (both verbal and printed) on how to approach a marital dissolution from the point-of-view of someone who has been married and divorced twice. (While that’s not an asset in most areas of life, the personal experience certainly is helpful here.) I also bring in my business background and my ability to look at proposed settlements from that perspective. In fact, I think of drafting a PSA (Property Settlement Agreement) in much the same way as putting together a business plan - with a few twists to be sure.

Since I work in four counties in and around the Puget Sound area of Washington State (King, Pierce, Kitsap and Thurston), I travel to meet most clients at their homes or other convenient meeting places. I include my travel time within a 30-mile radius of Tacoma, WA in my fees for the initial consultation. I also provide 30-minutes of follow-up phone time in that “package” if used within 60-days of our first meeting.

I’m client-oriented and cost-conscious and still have the same passion for my work that I did when I started Divorce Network in the spring of 1996 - some 1,000 clients ago. I don’t promote divorce; nor is it my job to help you save your marriage. That’s best left to other professionals. I do provide basic, cost-effective, unbiased, current information in a non-threatening manner so that you can be sure you have the information necessary to make the best decisions for your new life.

Please feel free to contact me for current fees and further information.