Chicago Divorce and Family Law

My awesome paralegals

2012-01-16T07:42:10-08:00

When I was fresh out of law school I had visions of providing clients with the highest quality of service regardless of their income. However, reality sunk in when I started my solo practice.

No matter how hard I tried to keep my fees under control, no person of modest means could afford me. Between office tasks and legal work, I was always overworked and underpaid. If I lowered my fees, I wouldn’t earn enough to cover office expenses and pay off my student loans.

Then, I hired Katelyn.

Katelyn had just graduated with a BS in paralegal studies and she wanted to put her knowledge to good use. At the time, I wasn’t aware of how useful paralegals could be so I just gave Katelyn office tasks. Katelyn, not happy with the situation, eventually managed to wring legal work from me.

And then I had an epiphany: Smart paralegals are just as helpful in a law office as a lawyer. Yet, they bill at less than half the hourly rate of an attorney. If we use paralegals, our client’s legal fees can be lowered without sacrificing our quality of service.

Now I work with two brilliant paralegals, Katelyn and Tim. They handle the routine day-to-day legal tasks, pleadings and motions. They do legal research, keep track of deadlines and — on slow days — they even beat me at scrabble.

There are times I wish Katelyn and Tim were full-fledged attorneys. They can’t give legal advice and they can’t attend court hearings. Yet, this is a small price to pay for working with two of the smartest and hardest working people I know.

Attorney Marie in the news

2012-01-16T07:39:58-08:00

Here are some of the recent family-law or legal articles that I authored or which quoted me:

Illinois State Bar Journal: Substituting a Judge as of Right.(August 2010). In this article I review when (and how) you can use your right to substitute the judge in your case.

Chicago Tribune: Finding Your Missing Piece. (March 28, 2010). The author analyzes what makes for long lasting relationships. After discussing successful relationships, she writes:

Hooray for the triumph of love, but, but, but … how can you be sure that it’ll work forever?

Unfortunately, you can’t, said divorce attorney Marie Fahnert. She said she has divorced plenty of once-great couples who grew apart, lost communication or lost trust.

But the good news: The qualities that “make for a good marriage are actually the same things that make for a good divorce,” she said.

The other day, I read a momentarily comforting motto on the back of a beer can: “Clarity is overrated,” it said.

Me: InFocus Magazine: Get Married Stay Married. (June 2010)(page 47) On its wedding issue, the magazine asks experts what makes marriage work. My advice: Maintain trust.

Recipe for a happy divorce

2012-01-14T19:41:17-08:00

Maintaining happiness (or some semblance of it) through your divorce might not be as difficult as you think. According to scientists, the following things make us happy:

Virtues: Our sense of wisdom, justice, compassion for others,
Gratitude: Appreciating what we have and expressing it to ourselves and others,
Savoring: Enjoying the moment and taking time to smell the roses,
Engagement: Being in our activities for the experience of it (“being in the zone”),
Living a meaningful life: Doing things for others and helping others.

Studies of the Danish (the happiest people on earth) show that low expectations also make us happy. If our expectations are low, then we become happy when things go unexpectedly well. Also, Denmark’s social safety net ensures people the basic necessities of life.

How can you go through a “happy” divorce?

Remember that you are in control of the things that make you happy (see 1-5 above).
Approach the divorce—and the associated child-custody, division of property, maintenance issues—with realistic expectations.
Reach an agreement with your spouse and litigate as few things as possible. This will save you money and—like the Danish—you won’t have to worry about the basic necessities of life.

Chicago divorce: Online info.

2012-01-14T17:51:44-08:00

If you are divorcing in Chicago, you can find an amazing amount of crucial information about your divorce without lawyers or private investigators. Here are a few websites that you should know about:

Your Divorce Docket (Cook County Clerk of Court): Here you can find an outline of your case. Although you cannot read the actual pleadings filed, you’ll know the date of your next court date, the judge assigned to your case and if any motions were filed. (Tip: make sure that after entering the information you click the “Search Now” button with your mouse. It will not work if you simply click the “Enter” key on your keyboard).
Assessed value of a property and PIN number (Cook County Assessor’s Office): Find out the assessed value of any property. Of course, theoretically, you should know the assessed value of your property. However, sometimes your spouse will have taken care of the finances and your want to double-check the numbers.
Deeds and Trusts (Cook County Recorder of Deeds): Come here if you want to know the owner of a property, its refinance history and whether the property is in a trust.

Awkward family photos

2012-01-14T17:51:44-08:00

I just discovered a hilarious website called Awkward Family Photos. In it people (or their friends) post funny photos of their families. Many of the photos are sweet but awkward: There’s the happy newlyweds, the proudly pregnant and the way-too-overjoyed new dad.

My favorite photo shows a family unsuccessfully trying to pose for a photo shoot. The kids are crying, the dog’s attacking and one relative looks like he’s going to walk off the shoot. I love the interaction between the family members. Despite their problems, they are all relating to each other.