“I felt myself standing taller, feeling confident about my future…”

As I sat in the waiting room, I was so stiff with nervousness I thought my bones would crack. I could hear my husband telling me over and over again I’ll never get anything. He said if I divorce him I’ll end up on the streets. That I was nothing more than a housewife so I don’t deserve a penny from him. That I’ll lose custody of my young girls. Those thoughts ran like an ugly record repeating in my head. Beating me down. Making me feel trapped and hopeless.

When I sat down with my attorney, I was overwhelmed by his compassion. He gently asked me questions – some were easy to answer. Some made me break down and cry. But he never got annoyed, telling me to stop crying. He’d just hand me tissues and say, “I know this is difficult for you. It’s ok to cry.” That made me feel so supported. Just having him acknowledge my pain…my fears…my anxiety over my future.

During my consultation, he asked lots of questions. He asked me what I feared. What I wanted. I gave him details about my situation – the good and bad. He didn’t just understand what I was going through. He genuinely cared. Not like what I expected from a busy, highly sought-after lawyer. He looked me in the eyes while he talked. He listened patiently and took his time explaining things. He listed what I was entitled to and answered all my questions in detail.

I appreciated how he never made me feel like a sap. He understood that I invested my life into my family. Most importantly, he knew how the law can help protect and support my future. He made me realize I wasn’t goingto live on the streets. He explained the different ways to work out custody of my girls and still support us all. His knowledge gave me strength. Suddenly, I didn’t feel so hopeless and trapped.