Alameda High Asset Divorce Lawyers

How to find the best Alameda high-asset divorce lawyer for your case. 

– A Case Story of Exceptionally Disproportionate Earnings

High-asset divorce – also referred to as high net worth divorce and complex divorce – is commonplace in Alameda County. When you take into account property value, per capita income and investment income, it ranks as one of the twenty richest counties in the country. Those same three elements could be said to define high asset divorces, and they explain in part why high asset divorce is also referred to as complex divorce – they are financially complex and represent a small percentage of divorces in America. And the attorneys who are well-suited to handle those cases represent a small percentage of attorneys in America.

So how do you identify the high asset divorce law firm in Alameda that’s best for your case? Think of it as a process of elimination.

First, do an online search for Alameda high-asset divorce lawyer. Take the top 5 and study them closely. Here’s what to look for.

Experience. Look for the firm that has specifically been doing high asset divorces for quite some time. High asset divorce is considerably more complex than a standard divorce. In many ways, it’s almost its own practice area. Choosing a high asset  divorce law firm with a minimum of 10+ years handling these rarified cases is essential. There’s simply no substitute for experience. You don’t want a law firm cutting its teeth on your case. In the words of Amy Laughlin of Laughlin Legal Divorce and Family Law, “My objective with each case is to get the best result for my client in the fastest way possible. How to make that happen is something you only learn with time.”

Financial mastery. Arguably the most significant marker of a high asset divorce is financial complexity. These cases require a level of skill and knowledge that’s unparalleled in family law. You’re looking for a lawyer who is experienced at  investigating and analyzing sophisticated and complex financial assets – including business valuations, venture capital, allocation of equity interests, tax and property characterization, etc. Amy Laughlin is one of the very few. “I’ve always loved numbers. It’s rare for a lawyer. That’s part of the reason I went into securities litigation, a complex area of the law representing major corporations and C level executives who were sued for securities fraud. And I wanted to take it to a more human level, just one on one, serving individuals. So when I got into family law, especially family law in Alameda County and in Silicon Valley, most of the cases we handle are very, very complex and I think that’s our most significant value-add, that’s where we really outshine our competitors.”

The added bonus to financial mastery is the ability to be something of a hidden asset sleuth. Amy Laughlin qualifies. “I will tell you it is very difficult to hide assets from me. Typically in a marriage we have what is called an in spouse and an out spouse. So the in spouse is often the person who’s managing the finances, it’s frequently the working party or the higher asset party and the out spouse a lot of times is a stay at home parent who’s focused on raising their children. Most out spouses believe that their in spouse is hiding their assets. That’s a very frequent concern that people have when they come to me. Like I said, I make it very, very difficult to hide assets from me. There are ways to find this out and and it’s also more rare than you would think particularly if someone is a W2 employee, it’s very difficult to hide assets without there being a trail. If someone has their own business it’s easier to hide assets, and hide income, but there are ways of finding that out.”

Negotiation mastery. The art of negotiation has evolved over time. It’s a science that is constantly being learned and updated. Amy Laughlin recently completed an expert negotiation class at Harvard business school online to keep pace with recent developments. “All lawyers should be skilled negotiators. That’s an essential component of our work. Very few high asset divorce and child custody lawyers start a case with a profound but basic first step that I take – asking both parties one question: what do you want, what would it take to settle this case? Oftentimes, people want the same thing but they’re so poised for a fight that they don’t realize that until months and months and hundreds of thousands of dollars later.” 

A comprehensive high asset divorce law firm. As a high asset divorce case progresses, the need for additional legal support often occurs. For high net worth clients, having a skilled, experienced in-house team of lawyers in all the family law practice areas saves them time and money, and offers them access to a higher level of strategy, service, and expertise – something few if any high asset family law firms in Alameda County can offer.

Real estate | Let’s say the family home needs to be sold. Ideally your divorce law firm would also have a real estate attorney who has already been vetted by the firm to evaluate the sale, advise you, negotiate(?), and handle your contracts. At Laughlin Legal, that attorney is Chris Norris. You’ll be happy to learn he’s passionate about economic efficiency.

Tax & Divorce | The tax implications of divorce are always a consideration. But in a high asset divorce case, they’re critical. Laughlin Legal’s high asset divorce attorneys have been successfully reducing taxation for clients and preserving their wealth for years.

Trust & Estate | Many high asset divorcing individuals revise their living will & trust in anticipation of their impending divorce. With trust and estate attorney, Lucas Pastuszka, Laughlin Legal clients can efficiently update their living will & trust.

High Asset Child Custody | In the state of California, when it comes to child custody, the court will give the highest priority to what is in the child’s best interest. Determining the child’s best interest can lead to a lengthy and bitter custody battle. Experienced high asset child custody lawyers like Amy Laughlin and Caitlin Ashton can bring about a best outcome more efficiently and with as little trauma as possible to the children. “These cases tend to be emotionally complex. We’re proud that many of our cases are referred to us by therapists who appreciate our years of experience with and sensitivity to cases that involve parents (and children?) with mental illness.”

The Alameda County high asset divorce story you’re about to read is a classic example of how people can find themselves in a protracted divorce. Naturally we protect all our clients’ identities and significantly alter identifying facts. 

A very typical Alameda high asset divorce case story and the missed opportunities that lead to it.

They met in college. Sarah was studying to be a special education teacher working with children with disabilities, and Daniel was studying to take over the very successful restaurant chain his father had started in the 70s. Their attraction was immediate and upon graduating, they were married. Without a premarital agreement, that is. Missed opportunity #1 – to have a less contentious divorce by talking through difficult topics before getting married, not while getting divorced. 

Daniel’s parents gave them their first home as a wedding gift months before the wedding, and Daniel failed to add Sarah to the title. During dissolution, Daniel claimed the house was a gift to him, only. Missed opportunity #2 – to spend less time and money getting divorced by establishing community property when it’s acquired.

Sarah found a position in a private elementary school nearby and Daniel went to work in the family restaurant business he was heir to. They had 3 children in short order. Sarah found it impossible to continue to teach even part-time, and Daniel was responsible for the future of the family business, so it was decided that Sarah would stay home with the children. And Daniel, who inherited his father’s knack for numbers, would handle the income, bookkeeping, and investments. Missed opportunity #3 – to spend less time and money getting divorced by sharing in the financial decision-making as well as the benefits of those decisions.

The family restaurant business thrived under Daniel’s leadership. He developed a software tool that allowed the kitchen staff to work more efficiently and with fewer errors, and it revolutionized the business. They opened two new locations shortly thereafter, and hired additional staff. 

When the children were in their teens, Sarah returned to teaching and loved the freedom earning her own income afforded her. When she accidentally opened a credit card statement thinking it was for her personal account when in fact it was her husband’s, she was puzzled. Charges for a high end spa, furniture delivered to an apartment in the city, and numerous high end restaurants she had never visited – she couldn’t make sense of it. When she mentioned them to Daniel, he admitted he was involved with someone at work, had been renting an apartment with her, and wanted to separate. The separation led to a decision to divorce and the revelation that the woman with whom Daniel had an apartment was pregnant. And the decision led Sarah to Laughlin Legal.

Trying to save face with his parents who were dedicated grandparents, Daniel accused Sarah of not supporting him as a parent. Despite his vigorous fight for 50/50 custody of the children, and to house them in the city, 90 minutes from the exurb where they were raised, Sarah was granted sole physical custody, as a 90 minute drive for the children was not in their best interest and Sarah had been the children’s primary caregiver. Daniel was given visitation every other weekend, with a mid-week dinner close to the children’s home.

Sarah later asked if she had been more vigilant, more informed about what was being earned and spent, if it might have saved her marriage, but it’s impossible to know. We do know however that if she had gotten a prenup, if she had been involved in the family’s finances, it would have cost her less to get a divorce. 

An Alameda high net worth divorce lawyer on disproportionate earnings.

Amy Laughlin, Founder and partner at Laughlin Legal Divorce and Family Law Group has learned that when earnings are wildly disproportionate between partners, so is decision-making. And power. Laughlin explains, “When they’re not inherited, high assets are typically generated and accumulated by high achievers, type A personalities – decisive, competitive, focused, hard working, confident, driven to succeed. They’re hard on themselves and everyone else, and they perform exceptionally well under stress. They’re accustomed to being in charge and often controlling. How would this type of personality conduct a divorce much less a marriage? My-way-or-the-highway often sums it up – here’s where the kids will live, here’s where they’ll go to school, here’s what I’ll give you, etc. That attitude inhibits dialogue, creates distance, and increases the likelihood of violence in the home which is already heightened prior to separation and divorce.”

If you need help with your high net worth divorce, google Alameda high-asset divorce lawyer, do your research and choose a lawyer that represents your values. 

Laughlin Legal Divorce and Family Law Group is a collection of some of the most skilled high asset divorce attorneys, child custody attorneys, and divorce and child custody mediators. They also provide a number of other custody-related services such as establishing paternity or seeking permission for relocation if a parent wants to move away with the children either during or after a divorce. Laughlin Legal is trusted throughout California for their ability to understand and secure their clients’ needs, and help divorcing parties achieve a better outcome for a better tomorrow.