ClickCease
WE’VE BEEN DOING THIS FOR MORE THAN 35 YEARS. CALL US. 415.834.1120

Responsibilities of Attorney & Client

Request a Consultation

You, as the client of our firm, are entitled to expect us to preserve your confidential communications and to prosecute or defend your case to the best of our professional ability.

Frequently, legal aspects of a divorce necessitate the close involvement of other family members and may involve third parties. After this firm has been formally retained, you will be regarded as having established an attorney-client relationship with the Schoenberg Family Law Group, P.C. Once this relationship has been established, you will be asked not to relay specific settlement proposals and other confidential communications to your spouse or partner, particularly if she or he has retained counsel.

When you do relay such communications, it abrogates the confidentiality which otherwise attaches to those communications. If counsel has been retained by your partner or spouse, the communication of proposals and other concepts, strategies, or communications poses ethical difficulties for this firm under the Code of Professional Responsibility, as we are prohibited from communicating directly with your spouse or partner; rather, we must only communicate with his or her counsel. For the same reason, you can expect that we will not speak directly with your partner or spouse if he or she is represented.

As the client, your first major responsibility is to work out the manner in which you will continue your personal relationship with your partner or spouse. While your personal relationship with your spouse or partner has undeniably changed, it is in your best interest to maintain cordial communications so as to assist us in assisting you in bringing your matter to a beneficial resolution.

If you have children, this responsibility is even more important as you and your spouse or partner will unavoidably remain in contact as you raise your children together but go on with your separate lives. This does not mean that we will not be available to you to discuss the legal aspects of day-to-day problems, but our fees are based on the time we expend on your matter.

Working to establish good communication in a difficult situation is something over which you have control, and your ability to resolve problems as they arise will help keep your legal fees down. In the event you are simply unable to communicate, we are happy to assist you but we want to make clear that your fees will increase if we need to intervene in an effort to resolve daily problems that arise.

You are also entrusted with the responsibility of keeping us readily informed of any relevant changes in your domestic situation, including but not limited to reconciliation.

When court appearances are scheduled, it will be your responsibility to be present, on time, and at the designated courtroom in the courthouse. If witnesses are required to be present on your behalf, you will coordinate logistics with them and ensure that they will appear in the correct place at the correct time. If necessary, we will issue subpoenas to secure their appearance; however, if the witnesses are your friends and family, we ask that you embrace this responsibility in an effort at reducing your legal fees and ensuring that your witnesses will appear to assist in your matter.

You will also need to produce records substantiating your income from any source or sources, be it from wages, fees, and/or investments. We will also need documentation of all of your assets and debts. If you have claims for separate property, we will need any and all documents substantiating those claims. You will also need to furnish a complete list of all debts and liabilities, together with supporting documentation. It is prudent for you to begin to keep detailed notes regarding living expenses for yourself and for any children or other dependents. If you are unable to state exact expenses, please make your best reasonable estimate based upon information and documentation available to you. If discovery is served, you will need to provide us with all of the information and documentation necessary to serve a response.

We will ardently undertake our representation of you. However, for us to best represent you, we also need you to uphold your responsibilities, keep us apprised of developments in your matter, and provide us with the financial and personal information necessary for us to competently and creatively seek settlement and pursue litigation.

Our Awards and Memberships

Schoenberg Family Law Group, P.C., recognizes that family law matters involve complex, sensitive issues that can have a lasting impact on you, your family, your finances and your future.

More About Honors & Awards
Arrow Image
10.0 Avvo Superb Top Attorney Family Law, Divorce
Los Angeles and San Francisco Daily Journal
American Jurist Institute Top 10 Attorneys 2017
100 TOP WOMEN-OWNED BUSINESSES Women Who Lead
AMERICAN ACADEMY OF MATRIMONIAL LAWYERS (AAML)
2022 Client Satisfaction American Institute of Family Law Attorneys 10 Best
100 Fastest-Growing Private Companies In the Bay Area San Francisco Business Times
2021 LGBTQ-OWNED BUSINESSES Business Pride
10 Best Female Attorneys 2017 American Institute of Family Law Attorneys
San Francisco Bay Area's Best and Brightest Companies to Work For Winner 2021
2018 Best Lawyers Best Law Firms U.S. News & World Report
California Board of Legal Specialization (CBLS) State Bar of California
2020 Client Champion Debra R. Schoenberg
San Francisco Business Times Corporate Philanthropy Awards 2019
Expertise Best Divorce Lawyers in Concord 2020
2018 Expertise Best Divorce Lawyers in San Francisco
Fast 100
Lead Counsel Rated
Litigation Counsel of America (LCA) Fellow
National Board of Trial Advocacy
2017 Parents' Press Best of The Bay
San Francisco Business Times
Rated By Super Lawyers Debra R. Schoenberg
The Business of Pride
2021 Best Businesses Three Best Rated
San Francisco Business Times Corporate Philanthropy Awards & Summit
American Jurist Institute Top 10 Attorneys of 2018
Arrow Image