The Law Office of Michelle A. Lawless LLC

The Law Office of Michelle A. Lawless LLC After spending almost 19 years with one of the most prominent family law firms in the country, I'm a

At The Law Office of Michelle A. Lawless LLC, we specialize in resolution-oriented family law, offering compassionate so...
12/13/2024

At The Law Office of Michelle A. Lawless LLC, we specialize in resolution-oriented family law, offering compassionate solutions through collaborative law, mediation, and attorney-assisted mediation.

▶️ Tune in to Chicago this weekend to learn how we’re redefining family law with a more private, flexible, and compassionate approach.

Watch our featured segment on Saturday, December 14 at 11:00 AM CT and Sunday, December 15 at 1:00 PM CT on WPWR-MyNetwork.

08/19/2021

I am truly honored to receive such a prestigious award 🥇 from Best Lawyers in America. The fact that my peers have selected me to receive such a distinction is both humbling and inspiring.

👪 Family law is legally complex and emotional, and both facets must be attended to in order for a family to reach a resolution short of litigation. The Collaborative Practice Model gives divorcing couples a pathway to such resolution by providing them with a team whose sole goal is to reach an acceptable settlement with the commitment of avoiding litigation.

🎁 These are some of the most rewarding cases I have done because I have seen families craft creative solutions to their own problems. And by assembling a team of professionals who structure a space in which they can brainstorm potential solutions without the threat of litigation, we offer them the best opportunity to avoid protracted litigation.

If you would like more information about me or my practice, check out my site: www.malfamilylaw.com

03/31/2021

How do you measure your ROI in business development?



Most people focus on the bottom line – how much revenue have certain business development activities, referral sources, or customers generate. They then make decisions based on those numbers.



How do you account for a company or person who gives your great advice, provides a resource to your or a client, or answers a question for you which helps you with a case? That may not show up on your income statement in the form of pure revenue, but the relationship yielded positive results for you in a different way. In fact, in some ways it may have been more beneficial than actual revenue.



As we start Q2 and you are looking at your business development goals, don’t discount relationships and activities that are beneficial in other ways besides just bringing in new clients.



03/15/2021

Everyone has been so complimentary of my video series. (Thank you so much by the way!) I want to give a huge shout out to Estelle Gaerig Winsett for styling me for the shoot! I filmed them in October while I was completely under water with work and Estelle took my brand colors, SimplyBe. Agency's mood board, items in my own closet, and sent me a look book with the four outfits. This was a huge timesaver and when I walked in for the shoot, we already knew what outfit was going with what episode.

Thank you, Estelle, for taking this off my plate and putting together such amazing outfits which made me feel confident, comfortable, and polished - so I could focus on the content the day of filming! You are so talented and it's so fun to work with you! Can't wait to do it again.

03/12/2021

Just because a case proceeds through dispute resolution does not mean it will not be difficult. And there will certainly be an impasse (maybe more than one) along the way.



But just because a case reaches an impasse does not mean that everyone has to pack up and run to court. There are several tools available to working through it in order to keep the discussion moving forward.



One of the tools is revisiting the parties’ needs and goals which they stated at the beginning of the process. Often, as the negotiations proceed and high conflict issues are addressed, it is natural for people to forget their needs and goals.



There is a reason mediators and collaborative teams make parties talk about their needs at the beginning of the process! It’s not just to make everyone feel at ease and a bit more comfortable in an awkward situation (although there is value in that too!).



By addressing the parties’ needs, the issue can be reframed to try look at it in terms of whether both parties can get what they need – instead of one party just getting what they “want.”



I’d be interested to know what are other ways you have worked through an impasse in a dispute resolution setting?



03/10/2021

Well it’s officially now a year.



No one saw this coming and certainly no one thought we would still be in the middle of this a year later.



We are all beyond _____ fatigued (insert your own word). Finding ways to get out of a rut and try to feel “not-fatigued” is essential, but easier said than done.



For me, one of the things I try to do is not think about the fact that it has been a year, or that it may several weeks (or months) ahead of me before I get the vaccine. Thinking of how long it has been or how long it may be before we return to normal is daunting.



Feeling rejuvenated while you are in a rut can be difficult. I’ve tried shaking up my morning routine, making sure I get enough exercise and hydration, and taking breaks throughout the day so I don’t feel like I am constantly working from home 24/7.



What are some things that you have tried?



03/04/2021

A common form of negotiation is “splitting the difference.” One party takes an unreasonable position so they don’t “give” too much in the beginning which causes the other party to take an equally unreasonable position in the counter-offer.

Then the dance begins: Each party slowly and deliberately move closer to the middle, giving on certain positions that are not realistically attainable until they reach a point where they come to a final agreement. Often times these positional-based negotiations can overlook the parties’ unique needs and underlying wishes because they are focused on final positions.

What if the negotiation started with looking at what both parties wanted, what they really needed, and focused on creative ways to meet those needs? It is not uncommon for a need to be met in a way that no one can envision at the start of the negotiation.

This type of negotiation is the focus of dispute resolution, and in a family law setting allows the divorce professionals guiding the discussion to take a wholistic look at the family, the resources available to them, and ultimately craft a tailored solution customized to their individual situation.

03/03/2021

I’m pleased to share the final video in my video series which is about what to expect at the negotiation table.

I address prioritizing needs and concerns, how no one gets everything they want in an settlement, how to evaluate whether litigation is necessary, and how potential ranges can provide a tool for settlement.

Enjoy. It has been a pleasure sharing these videos with all of you!

03/01/2021

No one gets everything they want in a settlement agreement.

A judge I used to work for once said that neither party was happy with her ruling – so that probably meant that it was a good one.

Experienced family law attorneys know that it is likely a judgment and settlement agreement will contain provisions both parties will dislike. The question in a negotiation is whether a party can live with terms they dislike in order to get an agreement on terms that are more important to them.

Tomorrow in Episode 4 of my video series, I talk about coming to the negotiation table, prioritizing needs and concerns, and evaluating whether litigation is necessary.

Tune in for the last episode of the series!

02/26/2021

It is not uncommon for a family law client to change his or her mind over time with respect to what they “want” at the end of their case.

Unlike other areas of law, many family law clients have friends and family members in their personal circles who may have undergone a similar experience, such as a divorce. By talking with their friends and family about their particular situation, they will likely develop a list of needs early on, or even before they speak with a lawyer.

Over time, based on the facts of their case or the negotiations, those needs will likely evolve. What is important is to make sure the client advises his or her lawyer that they have a change in desired outcome – or even that they do not know anymore what the desired outcome is.

Keeping those lines of communication open is critical to maintaining an effective lawyer-client relationship.

02/25/2021

One of the challenging aspects to family law is the constantly changing facts and circumstances.

Unlike a personal injury case or a corporate transactional issue, family law cases evolve over time. It is essential to the lawyer-client relationship for the client to update their lawyer on changes within the home, employment status, parenting schedules and arrangements, decisions related to the children, account valuations, emerging financial issues, and the like.

It is the lawyer’s responsibility to evaluate those changes and decide whether any strategy revisions are needed.

Some changes in facts do not necessarily require an overhaul to the case strategy. But communication between the lawyer and the client is critical to ensuring that changes in facts are incorporated into the overall case strategy.

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