The Atlanta Lawyer January/February 2011 | Page 20

relationship building Relationships in the Legal Profession Family Law By David N. Marple Davis Matthews & Quigley, PC B uilding relationships with other family law practitioners is essential to having a successful family law practice. More often than not, family law cases involve clients with highly emotional issues. Dealing effectively and professionally with opposing counsel sometimes can be difficult because of the clients’ emotions. Getting to know your fellow family law practitioners and forming good working relationships with them can make the practice of family law much more enjoyable – and successful. Although the courts are inundated with family law cases, the number of family law practitioners in the Atlanta-Metropolitan area is surprisingly small. Most of these practitioners are members of the State Bar of Georgia Family Law Section, and many are members of the Family Law Sections of the Atlanta Bar Association, Cobb Bar Association and the relatively newly formed DeKalb Bar Association. Attending the various family law functions held and/or sponsored by bar associations has proven invaluable for getting to know fellow family law practitioners. Some of these functions include Continuing Legal Education seminars such as The Family Law Institute, Nuts & Bolts of Family Law, Middle Income Divorce, the Georgia Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers December Seminar and several other seminars throughout the year and throughout the State. Other such functions include the monthly breakfasts of the Atlanta Bar Association and DeKalb Bar Association Family Law Sections, as well as the monthly luncheon of the Cobb County Bar Association Family Law Section. These events give family law practitioners opportunities to socialize which invariably make the practice of family law a much more enjoyable experience. These events also give younger attorneys a unique opportunity to interact with more senior and experienced family law practitioners that they might not often have. 20 THE ATLANTA LAWYER January/February 2011 [email protected] Family law practitioners often see and deal with clients who are at the worst and most stressful times in their lives. Family law clients are generally more emotional than at any other point in their lives. A good working relationship between opposing counsel can make the process more productive and satisfactory for everyone in the end. In family law cases, the parties’ actions often necessitate fast action either in the form of a letter to opposing counsel or a motion with the Court. With tensions high, sometimes these letters or motions may be misconstrued by the opposing counsel as a personal affront. However knowing and having a good relationship with your opposing counsel can prevent such misunderstandings. Especially when addressing discovery disputes, having the ability to pick up the telephone and speak with opposing counsel, rather than (or in addition to) sending discovery dispute letters and/or motions to compel, can often resolve the issues and will also often diffuse the situation and enable counsel to work out a productive and reasonable solution. Maintaining good relationships with other family law attorneys works to the clients’ mutual advantage – saving time and money by avoiding counter-productive battles between opposing counsel. A family law practitioner is likely to have many cases with the same attorneys throughout their career. Getting to know the opposing counsel and fostering good relationships will help relieve your stress levels and make your practice more enjoyable, in