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This is Not Legal Advice, Practical Advice before, during, and after the divorce

By Leigh Daniel

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This is a must-read for those heading into a divorce! It will clarify things quickly and have you crossing your i's and dotting your t's.

Synopsis

Written by leading family law attorney Leigh Daniel, this book is the culmination of the many years she has spent advising clients on the practical aspects of divorce and recovery. It is packed full of useful information that can be used as a guide filled with practical tips you can use alongside your attorney’s advice.

The main focus is on what you can do to make the divorce process smoother and less stressful. The book starts with the decision to get the divorce, how to begin the process, the practical aspects of either a settlement or preparing for litigation, best practices during the divorce process, and issues that may arise post-judgment.

You will benefit from the countless hours Leigh has spent hashing out these issues with clients who made it through to much happier lives.

Feel free to choose the chapters best suited for where you are on your journey. Leigh's hope for you is that you will feel supported and armed with information to make this challenging process easier. You can see you are not alone. Many men and women have walked this road and made it out just fine. You will make it too.

This is one of the most straightforward, fastest five-star ratings I have ever given. As someone whose divorce was finalized earlier this month, on July 2nd, it was the perfect read for me! If you are heading into a divorce, going through one, or recently found yourself on the other side of one, Leigh Daniel assures you that you will be okay. I'm still living in the land of many unknowns, but I trust that a year from now, I will be a happier and healthier version of myself because I am no longer in a marriage of disquiet.


While "This is Not Legal Advice" isn't the same as having a lawyer in your back pocket, it's pretty close! It will help you avoid overlooking critical pieces in your divorce that must be documented and included in the paperwork. If you are heading into a divorce, this is one book that you should keep by your side!


What a gift Leigh Daniel has given those of us facing uncertain times! She shares her legal knowledge with real-life examples of clients she has assisted and helped, making this book enjoyable and applicable. It's a quick read, with each chapter easily flowing into the next. You will be left feeling confident when approaching and working with the lawyers in your divorce case. While each state's laws differ, there are enough commonalities between the states shared within the pages of this book that, if followed and taken into account, you will be on your way to a satisfactory outcome.


"This is Not Legal Advice" will help you feel prepared and trust that you haven't missed something that should have been covered before the divorce was finalized. It also repeats the all-important reminder to read and ensure you understand the paperwork before signing it. It's important to know what you legally bind yourself to post-divorce. Your future, and that of your kids, depends on it!


A good lawyer is worth their weight in gold. However, if you can go the uncontested route, as I did with my ex-husband, you can save that gold to be split between you in separate households. I appreciated Leigh Daniel's take on the many different aspects of divorce and that she, too, shared the benefits of uncontested divorces vs. those divorces that are duked out in court. The uncontested route has fewer potholes and plot twists, but even if you have no other choice but to go the contested route, please know even then, you will get through it, and God-willing will be better for it with the right lawyer by your side.


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Reading books and writing reviews brings with it every emotion under the sun; forever changing, forever changed, and I wouldn't have it any other way. May my words not only help fellow readers but also the authors of the books we read.

Synopsis

Written by leading family law attorney Leigh Daniel, this book is the culmination of the many years she has spent advising clients on the practical aspects of divorce and recovery. It is packed full of useful information that can be used as a guide filled with practical tips you can use alongside your attorney’s advice.

The main focus is on what you can do to make the divorce process smoother and less stressful. The book starts with the decision to get the divorce, how to begin the process, the practical aspects of either a settlement or preparing for litigation, best practices during the divorce process, and issues that may arise post-judgment.

You will benefit from the countless hours Leigh has spent hashing out these issues with clients who made it through to much happier lives.

Feel free to choose the chapters best suited for where you are on your journey. Leigh's hope for you is that you will feel supported and armed with information to make this challenging process easier. You can see you are not alone. Many men and women have walked this road and made it out just fine. You will make it too.

YOUR HEART IS BREAKING

There are so many factors that play into the breakdown of a marriage. You may have no idea why the other party wants to get a divorce but, whether you have a list a mile long or merely a head full of questions, the advice and general guidelines in this book are meant to help you feel more empowered. Your heart is breaking and you are anticipating having to sit in front of a lawyer. I know we can seem callous. We have seen so much heartbreak that it begins to seem rote to us. That’s how it was before I began to transform my practice into one based on the principles of love. Now, when I see someone whose heart is breaking, my heart breaks a little with them. I feel their sadness. Sometimes I feel the tears come to my eyes as they describe the betrayal they feel.


In the past, I would have seen myself as weak. Being a tough lawyer meant turning a blind eye to the suffering I was seeing around me, being stalwart and rational in the face of raw emotion. But that isn’t what the clients in front of me need. There are plenty of places they will have to put on a brave face. For their children, for their family perhaps…and maybe in front of their soon to be ex-spouse. They don’t have to do this with me. I’ve seen so much heartbreak and I can tell them, “It’s going to get better.” Sometimes so much better that I can’t recognize the heartbroken after the recovery. I’ve seen transformations that are utterly astounding. And you can have one too.


But first I want you to sit with your sadness. Your pain. Your betrayal. Or just the fact that you are moving on. This isn’t about you. You have heard that one, right? It’s not about me, it’s about you? Recently I was in the throes of my own mini-heartbreak (mini because it was a very short-term romance) and, as he was about to utter those famous last words, he stopped. I suppose he was thrown off by saying the cliché break-up words. Yet they are true! It isn’t about you, it wasn’t about me. Whatever is causing them to choose someone different or choose a different way, stop asking yourself ‘what’s wrong with me?’ Nothing is wrong with you. If they want to make a different choice, it belongs squarely on their shoulders. You stand true to yourself.


You did nothing wrong.

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About the author

Leigh Daniel is a writer, speaker, teacher, and family law attorney in Huntsville, Alabama. Leigh has been practicing family law for over 30 years. She has walked thousands of people through the divorce process and helped them develop a strategy for how to move on with their lives. view profile

Published on May 30, 2024

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Genre:Law

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