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"... it is the duty of all lawyers to seek resolution of all disputes at the least cost in time, expense and trauma to the parties and to the courts."
Preamble, Illinois Supreme Court Rules - Code of Professional Responsibility for Attorneys.

The Law Office of J. Richard Kulerski is centered upon the settlement approach to divorce. Going through a divorce or legal separation is a very difficult but mediation and collaborative law will generally make the process a lot easier.

We believe that matrimonial law issues such as division of marital assets, alimony, child support, child custody and visitation can and should be addressed privately and in a dignified and non-confrontational fashion whenever possible.

Both mediation and collaborative law personalize an impersonal process.

It seems that we are living in an "argument" culture. Litigation is at an all time high. Many clients arrive in their lawyers' offices with gladiator expectations and are often greeted with the same attitude. It doesn't have to be that way. If the spouses are willing, divorce attorneys can now use new settlement techniques to help change the dynamic and deliberately start the case by creating an atmosphere for settlement in all family law cases.

"The Court will now come to order" should be the last words you ever want to hear. Most people that have watched some of a divorce trial quickly agree that litigation is not what they want. You don't hear any positive things about divorce litigation from people who have lived through it. You don't hear any negative things from people who have used mediation or the collaborative law model.

Divorce litigation can spawn more divorce litigation.

Divorce often happens to nice people. If someone close to you needs answers about Illinois divorce law, we provide a no-pressure "Learn Your Rights" personal consultation in our office in Oak Brook, Illinois.

At this confidential meeting you will learn about the grounds for divorce in Illinois, what your rights and obligations are regarding child support and spousal maintenance, the specifics of No-Fault divorce, the fallacy of joint custody, the truth about adultery and fault, how marital assets are divided, what makes an uncontested case turn into a contested case, how to protect your inheritance and other non-marital property.

Many clients ask what they need for mental cruelty, who gets the house, if they gain by filing first, if no-fault divorce is really quicker and if one lawyer can handle the whole thing. These and other topics are covered and we'll also talk about what the legal system has in store for you and how you can gain some control over the cost and outcome of your case. All of your future financial concerns and all the marital rights and obligations of both you and your spouse will be discussed.

Solutions have no limit.

We now offer self-service or limited divorce services to those spouses who basically want to do the case themselves but also want piecemeal guidance from a lawyer. Spouses that are not represented by a lawyer are referred to as Pro Se litigants when they enter our legal system.

In other states, this limited attorney use is called unbundled legal services. The attorney is referred to as a divorce coach or divorce guide, who serves as a behind the scenes advisor. The client can buy just enough time with the lawyer to get needed advice or to have the appropriate documents prepared. These services also come under the heading of ala carte divorce services - (unlike a restaurant, ala carte is definitelyNOT more expensive) you pay for only what you want and omit the rest. There is no retainer fee when this method is used. Clients pay as they go and stay in control of their legal costs.

The use of unbundled legal services is becoming increasingly more popular in situations where:

• It's a "friendly" divorce and parties want advice on how to get their agreement approved and entered by the court.
  
  
• Where the parties have already reached full agreement in mediation and want a lawyer merely to take it to court.
  
  
• Where a party does not have a lawyer and wants some legal coaching or piecemeal help: i.e. discovery, financial paperwork, letters, document preparation, negotiation strategies or preparation for depositions and routine (only) court appearances.
  
  
• Where a party is about to enter mediation and would like some insight into and tips about the process.

Mr. Kulerski is a certified court-appointed mediator of the 18th Judicial Circuit Court in Wheaton, DuPage County, Illinois. He has practiced divorce law since 1963 and has an extensive background in the use of the settlement approach to family law matters.