What Does Experience Look Like in a High-Asset Divorce?

High-asset divorces can look very different from one another.

Sometimes one spouse is a professional athlete with substantial income and retirement benefits. Sometimes the marital estate includes a company worth tens of millions of dollars. Sometimes the most important issues involve inherited property, international assets, or the characterization of property as separate or community.

There is no single strategy that works for every high-asset divorce.

Our attorneys look at the specific facts and ask where the meaningful issues are.

That can include determining how a business is actually valued, tracing money between separate and community property, examining how personal and business finances were handled, addressing security for a buyout, or determining whether an emotional attachment to a particular asset is affecting settlement negotiations.

The strategy can change as the case develops.

In a jury trial, that may mean paying close attention to how jurors respond to the evidence and arguments. In a business dispute, it may mean recognizing that the value of a company is not simply the number produced by a valuation. In a property dispute, it may mean tracing years of transactions to determine how community funds were used.

The facts determine the strategy. The strategy determines how the case is prepared.

Real Cases. Complicated Problems. Experienced Litigation.

The following examples illustrate the types of issues our attorneys have handled. Because every family law case is different, these examples are not guarantees of a particular result.

Professional Athlete Divorce Involving a Large Estate

In one divorce, the husband was a professional athlete and the wife was a stay-at-home mother. The case involved a large-dollar estate, a professional sports annuity and retirement interests, and custody issues complicated by the father's demanding travel schedule.

The parties ultimately negotiated a 65/35 division of the estate along with a parenting schedule that addressed the mother's concerns.

The strategy included evaluating not only the legal issues but also the practical cost of prolonged litigation for a professional athlete whose public profile was an important consideration.

The case illustrates why high-asset divorce is not simply a matter of adding up assets and dividing them in half. The financial circumstances, professional obligations, parenting arrangements, and personal considerations can all affect the strategy.

Protecting a Children's Trust in a Multimillion-Dollar Divorce

In another multimillion-dollar divorce involving children, the case went to a jury over whether a beneficial trust established for the children should be set aside so that the mother could receive a portion of the funds.

The case lasted two weeks.

The legal strategy focused on the purpose of the trust and the fact that both parties were already receiving substantial assets through the divorce. The jury ultimately found in favor of maintaining the trust and protecting the children's assets.

The case involved substantial financial interests, but the central issue was not simply the size of the estate. It was understanding the purpose of the trust and presenting that issue in a way the jury could understand.

The Strategy Has to Change When the Facts Change

Trial preparation requires a plan. It also requires the ability to recognize when the plan is not working.

One of our attorneys has tried family law cases, high-asset divorces, fault-based divorces, and custody matters to juries, as well as complex personal injury and business litigation.

One lesson from that experience is that trial attorneys cannot become so committed to a predetermined narrative that they stop paying attention to the trier of fact.

If the judge or jury is not responding to an argument the way you expected, the strategy may need to change.

That requires experience.

It also requires an attorney who listens to the client's actual story before deciding what that story should mean.

"If your lawyer does not listen to your story and THEN create the narrative/strategy, you should get a different lawyer."

Your circumstances are not interchangeable with someone else's divorce.

Your attorney should understand the history of your family, your financial circumstances, your goals, and the issues that matter to you before developing a strategy.

Complex Litigation Requires More Than One Person

A complicated divorce case can involve thousands of pages of discovery, financial records, business documents, expert reports, exhibits, depositions, and other evidence.

Preparing that material requires a team.

Our attorneys have taken on jury trials with little notice and understand the amount of work that takes place before the first witness is called.

The lead attorney may be the person presenting the case in court, but experienced attorneys and staff can be working behind the scenes to organize documents, analyze evidence, prepare exhibits, research legal issues, and determine what information actually matters at trial.

In a multi-day jury trial, that preparation can become especially important.

Our firm approaches complex litigation as a team, allowing experienced attorneys to contribute their individual strengths during preparation and trial.

You Should Know Who Is Actually Handling Your Case

When hiring a family law firm, it is reasonable to ask who will actually be responsible for your case.

• How many years has that attorney practiced?
• How much courtroom experience does that attorney have?
• Has that attorney handled cases involving substantial assets or business interests?
• Has that attorney actually tried contested custody or property cases?
• Who will be preparing the case when thousands of pages of financial documents need to be reviewed?
• And who will be standing beside you if the case goes to trial?

The answers matter.

At the Law Offices of Mark M. Childress, our clients have access to attorneys with decades of experience and substantial trial backgrounds, including experience with complex family law litigation.

For a high-stakes divorce or custody dispute, you should understand the experience of the attorney you are trusting with your case.

Your Case Is Not Someone Else's Case

There is no standard playbook for a high-asset divorce.

A professional athlete's divorce creates different problems than a business owner's divorce. A family with international property faces different issues than a family whose primary asset is a closely held company. A complicated custody case involving multiple states can require an entirely different legal analysis.

The common thread is the need to understand the facts before deciding on a strategy.

Our attorneys bring decades of experience to that process, including experience with high-value estates, business disputes, property tracing, complicated custody matters, and jury trials.

If you are facing a family law matter where the financial or personal stakes are significant, contact the Law Offices of Mark M. Childress to discuss your circumstances.

Talk to an Experienced Parker County Family Law Attorney

When your divorce involves substantial wealth, a business, complicated property, or a contested custody dispute, the details matter.

So does the experience of the attorney handling your case.

The Law Offices of Mark M. Childress brings decades of family law and litigation experience to complicated cases throughout Parker County and surrounding communities.

Our attorneys have handled high-asset divorces, business valuation disputes, complicated property matters, interstate custody cases, and jury trials involving significant financial and family interests.

Call (817) 497-8148 to schedule a consultation.