Check out the new podcasts featuring our interview with Robert Simon Ph.D., a licensed Psychologist who is a recognized expert in Forensic Psychology, consulting with over 20 years of experience in the legal domain of family law and domestic relations. To put it mildly, he’s a heavy weight. Search “Ron and Robert on Divorce” in iTunes or simply go to http://thelawcollaborative.podbean.com/
Listen, learn, and enjoy.
If you have been following along for the last three weeks, you are familiar with Helene Antel’s story. If you haven’t been following along, you should start now. Her story is incredible. A former criminal prosecutor district attorney, a ferocious advocate for her clients, and a victim of domestic violence. Listen to Part 1 here, Part 2 here, and Part 3 here.
This week Helene talks about what she learned from her life experiences and how they changed her attitude about the practice of law. She discovered that being kind, patient, thoughtful, and charming, made her a better, more effective lawyer. In her words:
“The long drawn out expensive divorce litigation is the perpetration of the anger, the fight. It’s that neither party is willing to move on; the fighting is just a way to maintain a connection. If you declare peace, then the relationship is really over. Without knowing it, many people are not ready to truly separate themselves from their partner so they connect through a long drawn out battle. But you can choose not to fight anymore. You can choose to learn how to mediate your conflicts or manage your conflicts and keep the family together.”
Listen now to the fourth and final interview with Helene Antel, lawyer and peacemaker.
Like what you heard? Subscribe to Ron and Robert on Divorce on iTunes and download free podcasts every week.
In last week’s episode of Ron and Robert on Divorce, we heard the story of Helene Antel, a successful, powerful, ferocious district attorney who was the victim of domestic violence. It took her years, but she finally learned how to follow the very advice she routinely gave her clients. Once she learned how to do that, she was able to begin building a life of freedom for herself and her child. When asked what the turning point was that allowed her to start taking her own advice, she says it was when she achieved ambivalence.
Now, she finds herself moving away from litigated court cases because she doesn’t want to make war anymore. She wants to make peace. In her words:
“Violence only breeds violence. Respectful communication breeds solutions. You can get a resolution without all the hate, the fighting and the misery. It takes less time, and it takes a far less egregious toll on the participants.”
Listen now to part 3 of this fascinating series:
Missed the first two? Listen to Part 1 HERE and Part 2 HERE.
Don’t miss another one! Subscribe to Ron and Robert on Divorce on iTunes and download free podcasts weekly.
“All of a sudden, I changed from being the helplessly in love abused woman to the former district attorney. I looked at him and I said, ‘I’ve prosecuted guys like you. I know where this goes and it doesn’t get better. So this is the first and only time you are ever going to do this to me.’ Then I walked to the phone and I called 9-1-1.”
Helene Antel was a district attorney prosecutor and a ferocious advocate for her clients. But at home, she was someone else entirely. Listen to Part 2 of this electrifying story of a powerful, educated, skilled district attorney criminal prosecutor and how she survived and overcame her abusive marriage.
Did you miss the first part? Check it out HERE.
Subscribe to Ron and Robert on Divorce on iTunes and download free podcasts every week.
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| photo by s_falkow | via PhotoRee |
Across the nation, state court systems are facing severe budget cuts that may result in a delay of justice for many. Because so much of the budget of the court is personnel, staff reductions are one of the only options. California has been no exception. In their frantic effort to stem the tide of red ink in Sacramento, legislators have cut $350 million from the state court budget, with more cuts to follow. A local newspaper is calling it “Courtmageddon.”
For someone contemplating braving the courts to get a divorce, the news is grim. Twenty-five of San Francisco’s 63 Superior court chambers have been shuttered. Two hundred of 480 employees will be getting pink slips. “It will take a year and a half to get a divorce in San Francisco and to get a child custody order. If you file suit, we won’t do anything with your case for five years,” San Francisco Superior Court spokesperson Ann Donlan said. Unfortunately, Los Angeles County may not fare much better. Right now, it is common for a lawyer in Los Angeles to face an eighteen-month delay when filing an order to show cause. That can be catastrophic if the matter concerns custody of children, visitation, or any number of other sensitive issues.
Getting on with one’s life is paramount, and a lingering, costly battle in court is the last thing anyone wants. It simply stretches out the pain, multiplies the cost, and hurts your children.
However, there is a glimmer of hope. Collaborative Divorce offers a different, and less destructive, path to reconstituting the family. Ron Supancic, a seasoned litigator and expert in alternative divorce strategies, is recommending collaboration as a sensible alternative to the embattled and clogged state courts. The professionals and resources of The Law Collaborative can make the journey shorter, less traumatic, more equitable and leave more goodwill and cooperation than traditional divorce.
For more about the benefits of Collaborative Divorce, click here.
In this sixth and final segment of Ron and Robert’s interview with Virginia’s leading Real Estate Divorce Specialist, the gentlemen discuss the difference between distributive bargaining (which is what you get when you go to court) and collaborative negotiation, which is what happens in a Collaborative Divorce. We like to tell the story of the orange:
Two young siblings are fighting over an orange. Their father walks in on them, takes the orange away, cuts it in half, and hands a half to each. Sister bursts into tears. “Why are you crying?” asks the perplexed father. “You and your brother both wanted the orange, there was only one orange, so I cut it in half. You should be happy.”
“I don’t want half!” sobs Sister. “I only wanted the peel. I need it for a cake I’m baking, but I have to have the whole peel.”
“Oh. Bobby?” He asks Brother, “Will you give your sister the whole peel if she’ll let you have the whole inside?”
Brother’s eyes light up. “Gee, sure! I didn’t want the crummy peel anyway.”
And that, dear friends, is the difference between distributive bargaining and collaborative negotiation.
The gents go into more detail about distributive bargaining, and then they talk about how to divide a property that was owned prior to marriage, what happens if you file bankruptcy during divorce, and whether or not you should keep your house if you file for bankruptcy.
Missed the first five parts of this series? Here’s Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, and Part 5.
Don’t miss another one! Subscribe to Ron and Robert on Divorce on iTunes and get free podcasts every week.
Maybe you’ve been following along (if you haven’t, start playing catch-up now!) but today’s episode of Ron and Robert on Divorce is crucial. Certified Real Estate Divorce Specialist Randy Morrow delves into the topic of short sales: What is a short sale, do you qualify for one, and what will it do to your credit score? In Randy’s words, “This is mandatory to understand.”
Listen to this new podcast from Ron and Robert on Divorce – you’ll be glad you did.
Missed the first four parts of this series? Find them here, here, here, and here.
Don’t miss another one! Subscribe to Ron and Robert on Divorce on iTunes and get free podcasts every week.
Randy Morrow is a Certified Real Estate Divorce Specialist, not a lawyer. He does not give legal advice, but he does offer compelling personal advice: Either get divorced or get married, but do not keep any strings. No financial strings, no real estate strings. Cut them all. Listen to part 4 of this 6-part series to find out exactly what he means when he says “Cut them all.”
Missed the first three parts of this series? Find them here, here, and here.
Don’t miss another one! Subscribe to Ron and Robert on Divorce on iTunes and get free podcasts every week.
When Randy Morrow, Certified Real Estate Divorce Specialist, takes on new clients who are parents going through divorce, he has them sign an agreement stating that they will not argue in front of their children. If they refuse to sign, he will not work with them. This is just one of the reasons why Randy is a gem in the divorce and real estate community.
Randy understands the pain and difficulty of divorce better than most real estate agents because he’s been through three divorces himself. His first was at the age of nine, when his parents divorced. His second and third were as an adult going through his own divorce. From his website:
Randy is trained in the legal and tax aspects of the divorce process as it relates to real estate. His specialty is learning about obscure divorce-related legal rulings, regulations, and tax implications. This enables him to help his divorcing clients take advantage of tax laws that are specific to selling a house during a divorce.
“Divorcing couples are going through one of the most stressful times of their lives and they need all the help they can get. I know,” says Randy “I have been through these times myself. I know from firsthand experience what my clients are feeling and why.”
Listen to the third part in this six-part series and discover the most important factors to consider when making the decision to sell or keep the family residence.
Don’t miss another one! Subscribe to Ron and Robert on Divorce on iTunes and get free podcasts every week.
Ron and Robert engage in a lively discussion with Randy Morrow, Certified Real Estate Divorce Specialist (CREDS), about why you’re better off hiring a specialist to help you sell your home during a divorce. They address common questions like: What is the distinction between a CREDS and your average realtor? How is a CREDS qualified to help couples going through a divorce? How does a CREDS protect your assets? Why might a CREDS choose not to help you sell your property?
One of the things that distinguishes Randy from other realtors is that he does not represent one spouse or the other. He represents the divorcing couple, he offers complete transparency, and he has years of experience selling real estate and helping people in the middle of divorce. He knows how to help couples cope with their emotional agendas and he knows when to set boundaries. Listen to this week’s podcast and learn how you can protect your assets and your interests during divorce.
Did you miss Randy’s first interview? Find it here.
Don’t miss another one! Subscribe to our free weekly podcast, Ron and Robert on Divorce on iTunes.
