Epochs and Change. Facing Our Times, along with Ourselves.
Are you the same person you were 20 or 30 years ago? Even 10? Are we our same selves in any given era of life? Of course, the answer to each of these questions is...more
The end of a marriage is always challenging for the couple involved, and the impact on family members can be significant. Those in LGBTQ+ marriages are no different. Issues around child custody, property division, spousal...more
The Counseling Stigma. Breaking Away and Rising Above.
Change is not only part of our life’s journey; it is the journey. Relationships, the experience of going through a divorce, and certainly our existence post-divorce...more
Contrary to popular belief, divorce is not always an ugly, highly confrontational affair. According to a Forbes report in 2022, approximately 90 percent of the half million divorces in the United States yearly are...more
Divorce is a lot of things. The experience drives, introduces, and perhaps even throws us entirely into a new reality. That is true even if we wanted the divorce. Yet whatever the experience or emotions one may have because...more
I love a good national holiday. Who doesn’t? But even though I am a divorce attorney, National Divorce Month is not particularly high on my list of celebratory events....more
The Fall season is upon us, and October, in particular, can be quite beautiful. Perhaps not as much in Los Angeles, where I live. My neighbors and I are not always as fortunate to see all the fall foliage beauty. All the...more
Having friends, at any given point and time in life, is a gift. Most really are remarkable people. After all, we cannot choose our family, yet we can choose our friends; and if we are fortunate enough, those friends can...more
Recessions can take anyone by surprise. Many different economists have been predicting a recession for months now, though whether it is for a long or a short downturn, and when exactly it may fall upon us, is entirely up for...more
Did you hear the recent buzz caused by the leaked video of Finland Prime Minister Sanna Marin dancing at a party? While her actions have absolutely nothing to do with her ability to lead her country, the court of public...more
I love a good wedding, and even more than that, a strong, healthy marriage where both parties feel fulfilled and share control. I am going to two weddings in August, including a COVID-delayed wedding where the couple has...more
One of the economic aftershocks that stubbornly remains more than two years after the COVID-19 pandemic began is the simultaneous spike in residential real estate prices and rents, and the plummeting inventory of available...more
As we head into a new year, there once again is renewed hope that we are finally ready to heal our collective wounds from this pandemic that has overstayed its time with us. For the recently separated or divorced, those newly...more
This is the second in a two-part series examining how older couples experience divorce and separation differently through the prism of the six big issues that I identified in my book, Divorce: It’s All About Control—How to...more
Celebrities and other powerful people frequently surround themselves with advisors and advocates to secure their assistance in navigating any number of personal or professional endeavors, including marriage. Many celebrities...more
With the recent announcement that Bill and Melinda Gates, one of the wealthiest couples in the world, were divorcing after nearly three decades of marriage, I have seen an increase in interest in what the media refers to as...more
As we mark one year since the first shelter-in-place orders were imposed, there is practically no part of divorce that the COVID-19 pandemic has not impacted. In too many ways, the frustration at our lack of control over the...more
There is almost nothing else that brings underlying family tensions to a head quite like the holidays. For separating, separated, divorcing, and divorced families, this time of year can be highly emotional and stressful. The...more
As a family lawyer specializing in high net worth and high profile cases for more than 35 years, you can imagine that I have seen it all. Representing many celebrities—often involving complex, high conflict matters—I have...more
It is not uncommon for divorce to bring out the very worst in people, especially when a soon-to-be ex-spouse is used to being the one in control of the relationship. The contentious tug of war can even result in threats to an...more
The recently enacted tax law changes can have dramatic effects on all kinds of income tax situations, including divorce. With news that the alimony deduction will expire at the end of this year, many clients are asking if...more
Stacy D. Phillips and Michelle Piscopo With news that the alimony deduction will expire at the end of this year, many clients are asking if they should rush to finalize their divorce. The answer to that question is, it...more
Part Two: A Particular Kind of Tug-of-War -
In dissolutions of high-net-worth and celebrity marriages or domestic partnerships, intellectual property rights, profit participation, residuals, and royalties often represent the...more
Part One: Control is the Common Denominator -
As a family lawyer specializing in high-net-worth and high profile cases for more than 30 years, you can imagine that I have seen it all. Representing many celebrities—often...more