22 Oct Successful Helping Both Women And Men
As a male family attorney, I have been equally successful helping both women and men in obtaining a favorable result in all areas of family law. But there are law firms handling family law cases advertising they are either exclusively for men or women as if they specialize in handling male or female client cases.
The notion that male lawyers are better equipped to help male clients and female lawyers are better equipped to help female clients is misleading and manipulative. Additionally, this form of advertising is potentially discriminatory and violates Rule of Professional Conduct, 4-8.4. This rule is provided here as follows:
RULE 4-8.4
A lawyer shall not engage in conduct in connection with the practice of law that is prejudicial to the administration of justice, including to knowingly, or through callous indifference, disparage, humiliate, or discriminate against litigants, jurors, witnesses, court personnel, or other lawyers on any basis, including, but not limited to, on account of race, ethnicity, gender, religion, national origin, disability, marital status, sexual orientation, age, socioeconomic status, employment, or physical characteristic. www.floridabar.org
Any competent family attorney needs to understand both sides of their client’s case, including matters that are unique to a client’s gender; that is the only way a competent lawyer is going to be able to prepare his client for the potential weaknesses of their case. And, the idea that a male lawyer can better understand a male client’s situation and vice versa, is ludicrous.
An experienced family attorney can help either gender equally as well. The Florida Statute that controls timesharing (custody) and child support favors neither women or men. Judicial bias is rare, and when it occurs a male or female only lawyer will not help. It is better to have an experienced attorney who knows about these rarities.
Various cultures may favor men or women in various family settings, but our Florida Statutes do no such thing.
My gender has no impact on my ability to deliver favorable results for both my female and male clients. Florida Statutes are intended to promote the best interests of minor children, and that is what you can expect from most judges.