Jennifer S. Hargrave

Tell us a little bit about your practice and what makes it unique.

• We are committed to helping find creative solutions outside of the traditional adversarial process whenever possible. Of course, that is not always possible - and when it's not, we are prepared to go to trial. However, our fundamental belief is that families going through the many changes that divorce brings, deserve more than a costly legal battle that benefits lawyers and leaves the family unit in shambles.

What common questions are you asked by clients, and what are your answers?

• People often ask, "How much will a divorce cost?" And the truth is that we have no way of knowing at the outset. However, we do know the factors that contribute to escalating costs in divorce. The first and foremost factor contributing to the cost of the divorce is the level of conflict, either between the parties or the lawyers. Parties who enter into the divorce process committed to being supportive of each other, and supportive of their children, often find cost-effective strategies to ensure that their hard earned marital estate remains with them, and not the lawyers. However, if one party wants a fight, that party is going to get a fight. While a truly agreed divorce process can cost as little as $3500 total, there is no ceiling on how much a fully litigated divorce can cost. Helping our clients choose their battles wisely is one of our strengths. We are committed to helping our clients get on with the rest of their lives, with as much of their marital estate in tact as possible.