These negative feelings can then result in one party desiring that their attorney shares their displeasure. While attorneys are certainly advocates for their clients, there is a time where professional courtesy is still important.
For example, take a situation where opposing counsel cannot attend a court date due to a scheduling conflict or family matter and the attorney asks your lawyer to agree to a short continuance. In many instances, due to the anger between the parties, a party may be tempted to tell their attorney not to agree. In most instances, this is a mistake.
Another example is where opposing counsel goes to your attorney to shake their hand and greet them in a friendly matter. Some clients might resent this and expect that their attorney refuses the gesture and be hostile and adversarial. In the same vein, it is almost always a mistake for your attorney not to be courteous as well.
At the end of the day, there is no question that hard feelings can exist between the parties in a divorce or family law matter. There is also no question that any party going through a divorce or family law matter wants an attorney who advocates for them zealously on matters that affect their case.
At the same time, parties understand that attorneys are part of a profession. And as professionals, professional courtesy still has to be extended between attorneys. In fact, if your attorney is not being courteous to opposing counsel on a professional level, it can actually harm your case if the judge realizes what is taking place, particularly as it relates to the apportionment of attorneys’ fees. If you desire a settlement, negotiations can become complicated where the attorneys on the case are not acting like professionals.
If you need help on a divorce or family law matter, Stange Law Firm, PC can help. We have divorce attorneys who can help you if you call 1-855-805-0595.