New book tells clients what to expect in a divorce
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Family law attorney Randy Kessler says clients in troubled marriages often are frightened and confused when they see a lawyer for the first time. Added to all of the emotional stress, they’re now dealing with what may be to them the mysterious world of divorce law. And they are right to be concerned, he says, calling a divorce for most people “the most important business and personal transaction for the rest of your life.”
Kessler is known for representing high-profile clients in show business and sports, but he notes that he has represented many average people since starting his Atlanta firm after graduating from Emory Law in 1988. Invariably, people feel better about the divorce process once they gain an understanding of what lies ahead, he says.
With that in mind, Kessler has self-published a 129-page softcover book, “Divorce: Protect yourself, your kids, and your future.”
The book was long in the making. Kessler says he started it more than 15 years ago, rewrote it over several years and then shelved it because he didn’t think it was good enough. Two years ago he picked up the project again, and this time sought input from friends and colleagues while he continued to edit and rewrite. Finally, he says he realized he “could keep editing it forever.”
“My wife designed the cover about a year ago, and that motivated me to finish it. Also, once my year as chair of the family law sections of the ABA and of the Georgia Bar was done, I needed a project to fill the extra time I had, and this was it.”
The book starts with a chapter on how to find the right lawyer and continues with chapters that explain mediation, discovery, trials (the last resort, the book says), child custody and support, alimony, division of property and decisions that should be made before filing for divorce.
Ever careful, Kessler starts the book with a disclaimer: Get your own lawyer. The book is not a substitute for legal advice.
Kessler has picked up big-name praise for the book. Nancy Grace, whose television show frequently features Kessler as a guest, plugs the book on the front cover. Former Georgia Supreme Court Chief Justice Leah Ward Sears appears on the back cover recommending the book.
The book has a cover price of $16 and is available from www.divorceprotect.com
Contributor: Ed Bean