Experience
I have been an attorney licensed in Pennsylvania for 40 years, with a concentration on family law. I have been a solo practitioner for the past thirty years. I am a divorce/custody/support mediator AND litigator. I am a court-appointed custody mediator for the Court of Common Pleas of Chester County and Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. I also do private divorce and custody mediation. I am a member of several bar associations and a board member for the Pennsylvania Council of Mediators. I have a BA in Journalism from Penn State (1978) and my J.D. from Temple (1983). I have three grown children and – I have been divorced too.
My role as your divorce lawyer
One truth about every divorce – it is never a fun experience. Think of it as getting a cavity filled at the dentist. Do you want to sit there for hours with the drill running or do you want it over as quickly and effectively as possible? At our first meeting we discuss the process of how to go from Point A (married/living together) to Point B (divorced and living apart with property divided). My job is to get you from Point A to Point B as quickly and economically as possible, and to help you minimize the emotional stress of the process. As we discuss different decisions you will make going through the process, we will focus on speed, economy and minimizing stress. I work for you and I take direction from you. You will make all decisions in the process, with my help and input. I will never tell you what to do; rather I will give you advice to help you make a decision you are comfortable with.
My role as your custody lawyer
Whether or not parents were ever married to each other, there are still relationship issues that effect how the parents treat each other regarding the children. When there are children involved, two people will have a relationship forever – well after the children are adults. As we discuss the best custody arrangement for the child(ren) we try to minimize the animosity as well as the cost of achieving your goal. My experience with the court system enables me to advise you about whether or not your expectations are realistic. Again, I work for you and I take direction from you. You will make all decisions in the process, with my help and input. I will never tell you what to do; rather I will give you advice to help you make a decision you are comfortable with.