Representing Clients With Empathy and Respect

Family law cases bring our most intimate lives into direct exposure to the legal system, which can be challenging and traumatic even in the best of circumstances. To help make this exposure less difficult, experienced family law attorneys understand that respect and empathy are absolutely critical. In addition to diligence, training, experience, and expertise, an effective attorney-client relationship in family law must meet the client where they are, and advise, guide, and advocate with a genuine understanding to the client’s needs.
Listen Once, Listen Twice, Then Listen Some More
When it comes to the law, the attorney is the expert, but when it comes to each family law matter, the client’s personal perspective and experience matter. Every family is different, every person’s experience is unique. It is the job of the family law practitioner to truly comprehend the situation from the outset. An experienced lawyer will have encountered hundreds, if not thousands of other people and families, but without truly listening, they cannot know which of these other scenarios has value and applicability to a particular client.
A good family law attorney is a skilled listener, which is far more than taking in the client’s words. Good questions, respectful engagement, and in-depth assimilation of the information allow an attorney to elicit information that the client may not have considered important, but the attorney knows it can be critical to the legal context. Listening also entails taking in the emotions and aspirations behind the words, and recognizing that these unspoken issues play an essential role in the client’s ultimate goals.
Apply Experience and Legal Knowledge
Empathy and respect arise from personal experience. For the practitioner with years of experience in dealing with various situations, each client’s unique factors have likely manifested in some way in another case. It is the lawyer’s job to take all of their prior experience and suggest applications to the client’s case. This is a nuanced process, since a factual scenario may not have the same emotional undertones, so what worked in one situation may not be optimal in another. Similarly, a strategic approach in an unrelated case may be beneficial even when the facts are completely different. It is the piecing together of this puzzle that is the true value of the experienced attorney.
Achieving Positive Outcomes
While it would be ideal to give each client exactly what they want, one of the roles of the family law attorney is to set expectations and help the client temper their hopes with the reality of the legal system or practicalities that the client may not have considered. This means that some clients may not achieve the outcomes they initially envisioned when approaching their attorney, but they should have received counseling and perspective from their attorney that enables them to reach a compromise that feels fair and acceptable.
Building Trust and Confidence
Respect and empathy go a long way in building trust and confidence between the attorney and the client. By treating clients with dignity and understanding, a family law attorney creates a supportive environment where clients feel valued and empowered. This relationship is essential for effective representation and successful outcomes.