Tampa Collaborative Divorce Consultation
Since I opened my law practice, I have received phone calls from potential clients asking if they could bring their spouse to the divorce consultation. Their purpose was to go to a lawyer together, hear the same information, and demonstrate that they are not trying to hire a “pitbull lawyer” or engage in dirty trial tactics. They simply wanted to dissolve their marriage, and they did not want to fight in order to make the divorce happen.
Almost all Tampa Bay divorce lawyers refuse such a request to meet both spouses. In fact, for the first few years, I also would not meet with both parties. The reason was simple: the Florida Bar has found time and again that it is unethical for an attorney to represent both spouses to a divorce because there is an insurmountable conflict of interest. Further, attorneys do not want to even give the impression that they are representing both spouses, so they avoid meeting with both spouses.
But now, I encourage both spouses to come to a divorce consultation. In fact, I charge half my normal consultation fee, because I believe that one of the best ways to ensure that a marriage ends amicably is for both parties to start the divorce process together.