Our American culture is one that has become obsessed with all things celebrity.  We often know more about the love lives and personal struggles of the top Hollywood movie stars, sports figures and athletes, and singers in our country than we do about members of our own families.  Moreover, all of this information can be gathered just from standing in line at the grocery store.  We have television programs—even entire networks—that are dedicated to tracking the day-to-day lives of celebrities and public figures.  For some reason, the interest from readers and viewers seems to be heightened when the celebrity or public figure is going through a rough period in his or her life.  Just think about the fascination with Britney Spears’ infamous meltdown during which she adopted a carefree hairstyle, did some damage with an umbrella, and lost custody of her children.  Those images were plastered everywhere.  Patrick Swayze is currently battling with courage against an aggressive form of pancreatic cancer, but the tabloids cannot wait to publish photos of him looking like his death is imminent.  What is it about us that create such a fascination with watching others fall?

One area of celebrity life in which the public interest is particularly peaked is the difficult decision that two people make to file for a divorce.  Every couple that decides to split faces difficult emotional and legal struggles.  Add to this a media spotlight that scrutinizes every detail of the divorce proceedings and a public that determines the probable cause for the animosity and the guilty parties and you have what can quickly become an unbearable situation for the participants.  Whether appropriate or not, there are countless high-profile celebrity divorces that have captivated our attention.  Elizabeth Taylor was one of the frontrunners in achieving the media spotlight on her many divorces.  More recently, we have gone through the sagas of Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston, Britney Spears and Kevin Federline, Paul McCartney and Heather Mills, and countless others.  Just rectnly, Mel Gibson and his wife of twenty-eight years have announced that they will be getting a divorce.  Web sites and talk shows are already buzzing about how this legal settlement will be the most expensive in celebrity divorce settlement history.  There always seems to be a new celebrity relationship ending in a volatile fashion to satisfy our appetites for gossip.

What often gets lost in these stories is the fact that two very real people, with emotions and feelings, are caught up in the circumstances.  There also may be innocent children involved who did not ask to be celebrities and now face the possibility of seeing their parents’ personal arguments splashed across the evening news.  Child custody and divorce attorneys who work with celebrities must be aware of the heightened need for privacy concerning all documentation that is printed and every conversation that takes place within office walls.  That is why it is so important to hire the right law firm.

The law firms that are representing each party in a celebrity divorce must be certain that confidentiality agreements are signed by all employees involved in the case, that shredders are handy and used often, and that computer files are secure from hackers and simply those in the office who have no business seeing sensitive material.  We all know how much money certain publications are willing to pay for a single piece of paper that may reveal an unsavory detail about a public figure or Hollywood celebrity.  And, once a celebrity divorce client leaves a divorce attorney’s office and heads into the courtroom, there are additional issues of privacy that must be addressed.  A lawyer who is working as the best possible advocate for his client will petition the family law court to close the proceedings to the public or seal the paperwork associated with a celebrity case.  If a complete sealing of the records is not permitted, efforts should be made at least to keep private the specific documents that could be damaging to a client’s reputation.  Whether fair or not, the public will take very painful episodes that occurred between two people and use this information against a celebrity even if his ability to excel in his chosen field has no connection to the allegations.  Even worse, the court of public opinion often will not wait to discover if the assertions made in filed court documents are true before rendering their own verdict. 

With this greater need for privacy concerning celebrity divorces in mind, there is an additional component to consider beyond the standard confidentiality that exists between every attorney and client.  The reality is that a celebrity’s public image or celebrity status is often crucial to his or her continued success on the ball field, stage, or in front of the camera.  Beyond simply reaching the best divorce settlement or result possible for the client, an attorney who is representing a celebrity during a divorce must handle the client’s image and how information concerning the legal proceedings is being distributed to the media.  The divorce lawyer representing the celebrity must suddenly adopt the additional role of public relations expert in maneuvering through this delicate environment. 

An estranged spouse with a grudge or a former employee who was privy to family secrets can be very dangerous to a celebrity who has carefully created a perception for the world to see.  On the other hand, personal assistants, agents, and managers who are happy with their celebrity employers and want to ensure that they continue to have success in their chosen fields are some of the best resources when building evidence in a divorce case. Who better to vouch for a celebrity client’s schedule and personal priorities than someone who helps to plan his every move?  Divorce lawyers must know how to work with these important witnesses to establish a sense of trust and confidence and then assist these representatives in molding a positive image of the client to news and other media outlets.  When working with a celebrity client, the divorce attorney role necessarily extends well beyond the courtroom or office setting. 

Law firms representing celebrity clients should have extensive experience handling the sensitive issues that are specific to celebrity divorces and child custody cases.  Such divorce lawyers must take extraordinary measures to maintain their clients’ privacy and work with them to craft that all-important good standing in the public eye.   Law firms representing celebrity clients should share the primary commitment to protecting their high-profile clients.  They should work as a legal team to ensure the uninterrupted protection that celebrities require.  This holds true from the moment a celebrity is assisted with a discreet entrance into our offices, through the negotiations that take place between all involved parties, and even after a settlement has been reached and signed.  When you combine this extra step with the dedication and aggressive representation that our provide to every client, regardless of whether or not his face is recognizable to the public, those who are experiencing the painful steps of the divorce process can have confidence that their case will be given thorough attention. 

Celebrities and others with large marital estates (most are multi-million dollar estates) who have a great deal at stake, both professionally and financially, should make certain that the attorneys they are hiring to guide them through a difficult divorce are prepared to take those extra steps that are needed in these unique circumstances. 

To learn more about the scope of our legal services in celebrity and child custody divorce cases, contact one of our knowledgeable experienced divorce attorneys at Bertolino LLP.  Our law firm maintains offices in Austin, Houston and San Antonio. http://www.belolaw.com

 

Family attorney is a term widely used to describe attorneys that deal with the infinite aspects of family law, as well as those of property law, criminal law, probation law, etc.

A Multifaceted Job

The most common cases a family attorney has to deal with are child custody, divorce, abuse and domestic violence. However there are many more instances where even the best family attorney would have to work with kidnapping, parental rights, emancipation and so on. Seeing how a particular case can be related to other legal areas, specialization does not count in this kind of profession as experience does. The more experienced a family divorce attorney is the more chances are that he would have dealt with a case similar to yours.

A family attorney has to be aware of the various family laws in different states as well so as to be able to relate them to property and criminal laws in the same state as his client. These internal rules are certainly not valid just for a family law attorney but also for other lawyers who specialize in different areas. However, the nature of work that a family attorney has to deal with is very sensitive as it concerns emotions and feelings related to the family.

When Children Are Involved

The most fragile section of the society is often involved in family law cases: children. Whether because of divorce or abuse, the protection of minors is the main focus of any family law attorney. Children are always the first ones to be represented and protected, although the case might not be raised by them. It is the duty of the jury and of the best family attorney to always stand by and shelter the innocent section of our society. Therefore, attorneys have to always be sensitive to emotional issues of minors. If traumatized at young age, the child will tend to face problems at all stages of life in future.

As the nature of the work is so various and so demanding, a family attorney will charge differently for each case. The fees depend on the hourly basis as well on the outcome of the case in court. The hourly rates depend on the area or the state, on the experience and popularity of the attorney and on the nature of the case. Retainer charges asked by attorneys are usually paid by the spouse with a higher income, if the second spouse is in financial difficulty. The court usually gives an order called ‘Pedente lite’ so that payment by the spouse with a higher income becomes compulsory.

You’re in the attorney’s office and you are about to sign a retainer agreement and enter into an agreement with the attorney, but do you really have a clear understanding of your agreement? Before you enter into any sort of an agreement with the attorney, you would be wise to consider the following points.

(1) Read the attorney-client agreement

(2) Purpose of the agreement

(3) Financial terms of the agreement

Read the attorney-client agreement

As trivial as it may sound, it is imperative that you read the entire contract or attorney-client agreement before you sign it. Often times one may feel rushed or feel that the attorney-client agreement is just a standard form that all attorneys use. Although it may be true that the attorney-client agreement may be a common contract, the language in the contract may vary vastly from firm to firm. Therefore, it is important that you read the agreement to know exactly what you are agreeing to. Additionally, an attorney should give you as much time as you need to review the contract and answer any questions you may have. Further, you would be wise to get a copy of any agreement you sign before leaving the attorney’s office.

Purpose of the agreement

The attorney-client retainer agreement sets forth the ground rules for the attorney and client relationship. It is also supposed to build good will between the client and attorney. However, this is not always the case. For example, when the attorney-client agreement is not fully explained to you or if it is written unfairly to benefit the attorney, it can create complications and negatively impact the attorney client relationship. Be sure you understand the ground rules of the agreement before you agree to it.

Financial terms and conditions

Be sure you fully understand the financial terms and conditions of the agreement before you sign it. The type of fee agreement may be contingent, hourly, flat, or a mix or combination of each. Other costs such as filing fees, photocopies, mailing and couriers, mileage and travel, parking, and telephone calls should be clarified. If the attorney charges per hour, you will want to review the minimum billing unit or minimum time increments you will be bill for a task. For example, some agreements may state you will be charged in bill units of .10 of an hour (or 6 minutes) or perhaps .25 of an hour (or 15 minutes). To further illustrate, if an attorney charges $200 an hour and bills in minimum increments of .25 an hour, a task that took an attorney one minute would cost you $50! In general, a bill unit of .10 of an hour (or 6 minutes) is common. The fee agreement should be fair, reasonable, and fully explained to you. If you have questions about the fee agreement, be sure to ask and get clarification before you sign it.

Attorney-client agreements lay out some important ground rules and financial terms and conditions for the attorney and client relationship and before you enter into any sort of an agreement with the attorney, you will want to make sure you understand the agreement and its terms and conditions before you sign it.

© 2007 Child Custody Coach

Child Custody Coach supplies information, online materials, and coaching services to parents in the field of child custody, namely, divorce, child custody and visitation, child custody evaluations, 730 evaluations, parenting, and all issues related to child custody and divorce. “How to Win Child Custody – Proven Strategies that can Win You Custody and Save You Thousands in Attorney Cost!” is a unique child custody strategy guide written by The Custody Coach and made available by Child Custody Coach in an easy to read, understand, and apply E-Book format. Custody Match is an online consumer and family law attorney matching service to help you in your search for the right attorney for your divorce or child custody case. Custody Match can help you find the right family law attorney, divorce lawyer, or child custody attorney in your area.