As a celebrity divorce lawyer, Laura Wasser has seen her fair share of outlandish requests.
“A couple once had a parrot that they were fighting over,” says Wasser, who has represented Kim Kardashian, Britney Spears and Ariana Grande and is responsible for the evolution of Divorce.com.
When emotions are raw, it is tempting to turn these disputes over to your lawyer. But it will save you a lot of time and money if you simply cut out the middlemen, says Wasser.
“The biggest mistake couples make is not realizing what’s happening,” she says. “If you let the lawyers take control of it, he reminds me, we lawyers make money from your conflict.”
“Let’s take back the power”
Couples often use lawyers to resolve tedious claims, most of which require no legal expertise. All emails sent by Wasser have a cost.
According to a CNBC report, the average price of an uncontested divorce is between $1,500 and $5,500. A contested divorce ranges from $40,000 to $140,000.
“I’m not saying divorce lawyers are evil people,” he says. “I’m just saying that it’s our job to discuss things for you. Some of us don’t realize that our greatest job or duty is to work things out.”
You can avoid skyrocketing bills by communicating with your partner.
“Let’s take back the power,” he says. “Write down how you feel. See if there’s anything you could come up with. Usually, you can figure it out.”
Unfortunately, the most common reason people get divorced, Wasser says, is because they can’t communicate.
“Because you don’t develop communication tools when things are going well, when things aren’t going well you tend not to have the capacity or means to discuss them,” he says.
But if you can find a way to convey how you feel and what is important to you, it will be much more convenient than having a lawyer convey your message.
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