Marlene Shiner, esq. family law + mediation

from Cornell Law School and mediation credentials from MCLE Mediation, Harvard Law PON, and the Institute for Divorce Mediation. In my experience, whether their contact with it has been experienced directly through loved ones or peripherally through the culture, most people understand on a visceral level that divorce is more often than not a traumatic social, emotional, psychological and financial

event. What many people do not realize however is that divorce is also a legal event. What this means is that divorce cannot happen without recourse to the law. This is true even where the spouses themselves come to an agreement about the course their divorce will take. Attorneys must be involved not only in legalizing any divorce agreement but also in ensuring that the courts review any agreement that involves the financial well being of the divorcing spouses’ children. In other words, no matter how in control one is of the feelings that accompany divorce, he or she must also be able to understand the legal aspects of divorce. I established my divorce practice in order to help people understand the legal aspects of divorce and to help them to use divorce law in ways that are most beneficial to themselves, their children and their families as a whole. While most divorce attorneys have mastered the legal aspects of divorce many have not mastered the non-legal aspects of the divorce that must be negotiated by both spouses in order for there to be a satisfactory legal outcome for each of the spouses, the children and the courts. As an experienced family law practitioner, legal scholar of divorce, and former policy adviser for the government I believe that I understand the complex interaction between the legal and social, emotional, psychological and financial elements of divorce and that I have the experience and skills to help my clients negotiate the divorce in the face of all of these complexities. I do this by applying my own education, skills and experience and, where necessary, by using the skills and experience of other professionals who are schooled in the non-legal intricacies of divorce including psychologists, financial advisors, business valuators and educators.