Why People Hate Divorce Lawyers

Posted in Lawyers on February 16, 2017

(The names have been changed to protect the “innocent”)

Here’s the case: Broward County, 24 year marriage, 2 children, little bit of property.  Both parties nice people, good parents, love their kids.  I represent Dad.  Mom has another lawyer.  Dad works, mom was stay at home mom and did some part time consulting work but got laid off about 5 years ago.

She raised the kids and make no mistake about it folks – Mom is hardest job in world job and in most cases, the most important person in a child’s life. In our case, Mom is absolutely entitled to permanent alimony and I said so from day 1. The parties divided their personal property and pretty much agreed to parenting plan.

Couldn’t agree on 2 minor property issues, alimony or the all-important ATTORNEY FEES.  Not mine of course.  My client paid $5,500.00 in total from beginning to end. Trial was on June 25th.   Mom and her lawyer – $450 per hour, his associate, $295.00 per hour and the paralegal – $125.00 per hour were all sitting across from my client and me. They were billing about $1,000 per hour. No experts, no complicated issues; One day trial.

Judge ruled; resolved property issues, parenting plan issues (115 overnights v. 156) and made award of permanent alimony. Why the trial?  What was it really all about?  As always –  money. Wife’s lawyer, “Ben Dover”, a Florida Divorce lawyer, generated a bill of about $50,000.00. $50,000.00. 

Couple of examples: (1) April 30, 2013: Review Questionnaire – 450.00 (2) March 1, 2013: Review Questionnaire and call to client – $450.00 and (3) May 2, 2013: Draft Petition for Dissolution – $1,250 (5 hours at $250.00 per hour).

But here’s the fun part of the story:  in closing argument “Ben Dover” said the following or something pretty close:  Mr. S’s eleemosynary offer is built on quicksand.  He repeated himself and emphasized the “foreign” word. No one had any idea what the hell he was talking about.

Lawyers that use “5 dollar words” exhibit pompous, overbearing, holier than thou attitudes and bill out ungodly amounts of money in a simple divorce case is “Why People Hate Lawyers.”

“When it’s time to leave, call Steve”  877-348-3354.