What is a holistic Lawyer?

I'm often asked what a holistic lawyer is.

Basically, I look at an the entire situation.

I listen to the client. I ask lots of questions. I try to see the whole picture.

I determine what the potential client wants to accomplish. I then explain to the potential client what I can legally do to accomplish what they want to accomplish.

I often suggestions or alternatives to what they think they want.

One of my favorite examples is when I received a call from a grown daughter. Her parents had been married over 40 years. Dad was accusing Mom of adultery. Dad is angry all the time. Dad had been hitting Mom. I asked the daughter a lot of questions. Had he always been angry? Had he hit her before? Had he had a physical recently? (Answers to all were - no.)

After I learned that Dad had not been to a doctor for over 10 years, I suggested that Dad have a physical. I suspected diabetes, depression, stroke, demensia, Alzheimer's as possible problems. It turned out that Dad was a diabetic, depressed and had the beginnings of demensia.

Instead of a divorce, Dad got on medication, and the entire family began counseling to help all the entire family adjust to aging parents.

Most attorneys would have just done a divorce. It would not have solved the problems.