1. When documents or information are requested, provide them promptly and comprehensively. If the relevance of a document is not obvious, explain it at the time the document is provided. Don’t provide irrelevant documents. Don’t make your legal team chase you for documents or produce them at the last minute.
2. Rely on technology – communicate by SMS (text) or email, or using your client portal, when given the option to do so. Provide documents in a usable format – pdf files typically or Word documents. Do not provide jpeg documents unless it is a photograph.
3. Keep in touch with your attorney – try to keep your attorney updated regularly on the relevant occurrences in your case. Don’t wait until the last minute.
4. Keep conflict down – do not create unnecessary conflict and drama with the opposing party.  
5. Have your attorney review your communications to ensure that they are informative and courteous if you are unclear on how to communicate properly with the other side.  Keep important communications organized to find later, including text and social media communications. 
6.  If you have questions – ask them. Don’t sign or agree to anything you do not understand. We don’t know what you are confused or concerned about unless you share that information with us.
7. If you have a top priority in your case, make sure your attorney is aware of that priority and keep that in mind in all communications with your legal team.
8. Consider whether you or your family would benefit from counseling - If you are grieving the loss of your relationship or struggling with the stress of the litigation – please consider therapy. You may need to vent or process your feelings regularly. We are here for you if you need to do that; however, it is less expensive to do so with a licensed professional therapist.
9. Try to resolve issues out of court, and work with your attorney to send a settlement proposal to the other side with enough time to confer prior to court where possible.
10. Be respectful – your attorney and their staff have difficult stressful jobs. Please try to communicate with your team with respect and you can be confident that they will do the same.
11. Pay your bill on time and replenish your retainer account when it is depleted– we have to spend time collecting, that is time that is billed to you. We do not have the staff to dedicate to tracking down your payments. Please pay on time, be mindful of your retainer account balance, and ensure a positive retainer balance is maintained at all times.
12. Consider mediation – whether it is child custody, support, or property division. Mediation can often move a case forward much less expensive than litigation, more quickly, and with more creative solutions.   

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