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Finding a family law attorney with the right business and litigation experience. So, how do you find a family law attorney with the commercial knowledge to protect your interests as a business owner in divorce? Calabrese and Budner both advise that to set yourself up for success in this situation, you must look closely at credentials and experience. For instance, Calabrese combines her business background with being highly adept at reading and understanding people's emotions. These two skills allow her to strategically counsel clients to protect what matters most to them. Budner developed his litigation skills in commercial law before he decided that families deserved the same experienced legal representation as big businesses. Now he protects business owners and their spouses in divorce, from the most amicable to the most highly contentious. To learn more about Calabrese Budner and their expertise, visit calabresebudner.com. 5944 Luther Lane #875 Dallas, TX 75225 214.939.3000 calabresebudner.com this background is in connection with the discovery process," Budner says. "At Calabrese Budner, we know how to identify what information is needed, why that is needed, and how to leverage the tools available in discovery to obtain that information." Litigation involves far more HAVING REPRESENTATION WHO CAN SPEAK THE LANGUAGE AND ANTICIPATE NEXT STEPS TO AVOID ANY SURPRISES IS PARAMOUNT. performing a valuation of this business. Whether the valuation is performed by an agreed-upon expert or by each parties' independent experts, the valuation process is imperative. Your lawyer needs to not only understand how to utilize a valuation expert to advance their client's interests but have the commercial background necessary to understand the ins and outs of the expert reports prepared in the case. The process may seem overwhelming, but having the legal team with the appropriate skill set will lend itself to a smoother process. Budner says, "whether in settlement or in the courtroom, your lawyer needs to be able to advocate for the analysis and positions stated in your expert's evaluation report and effectively attack vulnerabilities and holes in a competing report." Having representation who can speak the language and anticipate next steps to avoid any surprises is paramount. Your attorney needs to understand "discovery." While level-headed compromise is always the goal, divorces involving business interests often lead to litigation. When valuable business interests are at stake, business owners or their spouses need counsel that is capable of using all the investigative tools available in litigation. "As a family law attorney with training in complex commercial litigation, one of the most effective ways to leverage Carla Calabrese Lee Budner than attorneys arguing in the courtroom; most of the real work takes place months before attorneys even step foot inside. Skillful litigation attorneys know how to use tools such as depositions, interrogatories, requests for production, and requests for admission to gain valuable information that they can leverage later to support their arguments before the court. 111