KEITH SCHULEFAND: When someone comes into my office, they're generally coming in at a really bad time in their life. And I try to diffuse some of that emotion. I try to not be emotional myself. I try to not buy into that emotion, but at the same time being sympathetic and understanding and empathizing with each individual situation, but not preying on that emotional turmoil that my client or potential client is undergoing at the time.
Most cases involve relationships that are going to continue on beyond the actual dissolution of the marriage. So ideally, there should be an agreement or an arrangement where people can continue on civilly.
And most people go in--most people that come to me and ultimately hire me to represent them, that really is their goal. And those are kind of the people that I look for that are looking to have a reasonable relationship with their former spouse or former significant other going forward because if they can do that, then they avoid coming back having to see me and paying me again to handle matters that hopefully they can resolve on their own.
