A divorce lawyer honors her father by striving to make life better for her clients
Several factors influenced my decision to become an attorney. However, growing up as the daughter of a first-generation immigrant from El Salvador inspired me to pursue a career in family law, where I could focus my practice on helping others. Specifically, I wanted to do something where I could give back to the community by becoming a voice for disenfranchised men, women, and children as they navigated divorce and custody challenges. While my parents remained happily married until my father’s death, I witnessed firsthand many of the adversities and stereotypes he faced as an immigrant. Yet he managed to overcome such adversity through hard work, perseverance, extensive learning, and kindness. I think of my father every day and strive to live by his moral code, immersing myself in learning as much as possible, working hard, and most importantly, being kind to everyone I encounter.
It goes without saying that the dissolution of a marriage—especially when children are involved—is one of the most stressful and challenging experiences of one’s life. Accordingly, I strive to do everything I can to ensure that my clients feel heard, while also taking the time to explain all of their available options. In that regard, I started learning as much as possible regarding complex financial issues so that I could help educate clients who often need a crash course in handling their finances after a divorce. I did so by first interning and then working full-time at a boutique financial services firm that specializes in high-net-worth divorce. While there, I honed my financial and negotiation skills and obtained my certified divorce financial analyst and mediation designations, which have made me that much more successful in my practice. Each client and case has a unique set of circumstances—while litigation may work for one client, another may prefer to proceed with alternative dispute resolution. Whatever path a client chooses, it is always important for them to understand their rights and interests as related to their financial circumstances.
I have been in the matrimonial field for 11 years now, eventually landing at Krauss Shaknes Tallentire & Messeri LLP one year ago, after working at Alter Wolff Foley & Stutman LLP for nearly five years. My unique financial and personal background has shaped my practice into one of thoroughness and compassion, resulting in excellent outcomes for my clients, whether we work together to resolve their issues through litigation, mediation, or other forms of alternative dispute resolution. Indeed, I have never forgotten where I came from or the challenges my father faced to ensure that I (and our family) had a better life—and greater opportunities—than he had growing up in El Salvador.
