Legal Coaching in Family Law

Traditional approaches to offering lawyer’s services, advice and knowledge have been evolving. Particularly in the context of family law, access to justice and the courts has traditionally meant retaining an experienced family law practitioner to conduct and guide a family dispute on behalf of a client. The lawyer drafts court documents, goes to court, conducts negotiations, speaks with opposite counsel on behalf the client, and generally stands ‘in front’ of the client as a legal advocate, filter or protector for the client. While this traditional role remains indispensable today, it is not the only role a family lawyer can take on in a family law dispute.

Affordability alone is for many individuals a barrier to the traditional approach to retaining a family lawyer. But those people should not be left with little or no access to legal guidance. The time to find out about a misguided position, or a missed procedural step, is not while standing in front of a Judge. Practical education and legal coaching, provided by an experienced family lawyer, will empower a client to address family disputes themselves more effectively and correctly than if they had not sought that guidance. This education will pay dividends over time, particularly where certain disputes or concerns may reoccur.

What Is Legal Coaching?

Legal coaching is a form of limited retainer, where the lawyer acts for the client in a predominantly advisory capacity in the background, without getting directly or formally involved on behalf of the client in a family dispute. Typically in such situations the lawyer will offer procedural and legal guidance, but the client remains responsible to deal with negotiations, communicate with the other party or attend court on their own behalf. At times the lawyer might assist to draft court documents. But the client will be responsible for meeting filing or procedural deadlines, getting the evidence properly onto the Court file, and the lawyer’s name will not appear on any court paperwork. It is like having a very close ally who is helping you in the background. Someone who works in and fully understands the system of justice you are engaging.

How Can Legal Coaching Help Me?

Legal coaching maintains most of the responsibility for the overall conduct of a family dispute with the client. But this occurs in the context of the client having ongoing access to an experienced legal ‘insider’ to educate and guide them towards a beneficial outcome. This type of limited retainer arrangement is more affordable than a traditional arrangement, because the lawyer will not be actively or formally involved in the family dispute from day-to-day for the client. If you are considering legal coaching, Leamy Family Law offers flexible retainer arrangements tailored to your needs and budget.