LEGAL MARKETS: Lawyers Carve Out “Divorce For Men” Niche. “Divorce lawyers seeking an edge in a crowded legal marketplace have found a niche they say pays off in good times and bad: appealing to men who fear getting a bad deal.” Plus, social change:
Some states are moving to cap spousal support so that recipients, who are often but not always women, no longer get lifetime alimony. Mothers are increasingly paying child support, according to a recent survey of members of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. And as women’s earnings equal or, in some cases, outpace those of their partners, some ex-wives even end up paying alimony.
“I always see judges wincing when they order women to pay alimony,” said Mr. Altshuler. “But it’s a trend…. Now we have so many families where both parents are working, the whole ‘man takes care of the woman’ syndrome has diminished.”
Wincing? Really? How sexist. Also:
Despite those changes, some lawyers who specialize in representing men say their clients still encounter discrimination from judges who are reluctant to view men as equally capable parents or deserving of spousal support. Joseph Cordell, the co-founder of Cordell & Cordell, said women may also resort to a tactic few men employ: accusations of domestic violence. “It could be as little as a shove or a raised voice,” said Mr. Cordell. “The cascade of events triggered by that affect property distribution, custody, attorney fees.”
Other firms focus on educating clients on the rights they already have but may not be exercising.
Men will be employing this tactic soon.