The Smarter Divorce: A Wholistic Approach to Divorce and Family Law
At Bryan L. Salamone & Associates, P.C., I've been handling divorces for more than 25 years. My firm is made up of more full-time divorce lawyers than any other divorce firm in Suffolk County. So, over the decades, I’ve seen how other divorce firms represent their clients. And what I’ve found is that their representation is limited to where their clients are “in the moment” rather than considering how divorce affects their lives as a whole.
A holistic approach is one that that focuses on the entirety of a person or thing, but I think it’s better described as wholistic, with the emphasis on “whole.” By taking a wholistic approach to divorce representation, my firm is able to more fully represent clients’ interests and empower them to make smart decisions. We do that through The Smarter Divorce — a copyrighted process that lays out seven easy-to-understand steps clients can follow to achieve their goals. By ensuring clients know where they stand at each step of the process, and evaluating their progress as their case proceeds, we can often arrive at settlements that provide emotional and financial savings.
Focusing on the bigger picture
Many clients believe their divorce case is a simple one, but most of them are mistaken. Even when the decision to end a marriage is relatively easy, the accompanying details that need to be worked out rarely are. In New York, financial matters such as child and spousal support are determined by state statute, based on income, and property division is handled in a way that is deemed “equitable.” The available "wiggle room" in a divorce is therefore very small. It's for this reason that divorces are challenging, but reaching consensus doesn’t have to be. Consensus can be reached when we treat our clients wholistically: that means we never push them to fight just for the sake of fighting.
We advocate smart settlements through The Smarter Divorce by taking the time to understand where our clients have been, who they are now, and what they want going forward. By treating each client as a whole person and helping them to reevaluate their goals along the way, they know where they are at each step of the process. That knowledge not only inspires confidence but also gives them a much clearer view of the big picture so they can focus on the end result, which is the most effective strategy in any divorce. By focusing on the entirety of our clients’ lives, we can also save them time, money and the stress of litigation in many cases.
Providing informed counsel each step of the way
Many firms fail to consider all of the issues in a client’s life that are affected by divorce. That narrow focus can lead to a heavy-handed and adversarial approach that’s not needed. It is just as important for a family law firm to understand how to settle a case as it is to fight a case. It is also important for clients to trust that their lawyer has their best interests at heart. We accomplish that by ensuring our clients are informed throughout the process so they understand the consequences of their choices.
Experience leading to empowerment
Many people considering divorce think they should engage a “hired gun” — an attorney limited to practicing divorce who employs a “take no prisoners” approach. We could offer that kind of representation, but we think our clients are better served when we treat them as whole persons and give them the information they need, when they need it, to make the right decisions. Whether a client settles early in the case or proceeds through a lengthy trial, the client must know at all times where they stand.
People who make the difficult decision to end their marriages will want to ensure their lawyer is experienced. We handle more than 500 divorce cases per year, and we draw on that experience and background to provide the New Yorkers we represent with the skilled counsel they deserve. But we believe clients deserve more than experience: by guiding clients through The Smarter Divorce, we offer a wholistic approach that values them as people first and empowers them to make smart decisions for their future.
If your marriage is ending or even if you just have questions about how a divorce may proceed, the team at Bryan L. Salamone & Associates, P.C. welcomes the opportunity to expand on these principles and explain how they apply to your situation. Please call 1.631.479.3839 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation. Visit The Smarter Divorce web page for additional details.