Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1545129
I've had to tell my younger clients that your friend's divorce that they've been posting about on their Instagram story is not your divorce. The TikTok of the family lawyer from California that you watched has nothing to do with your Texas divorce. — Alyssa Hernandez than ever before. They've read articles, browsed social media, and, in many cases, used AI tools to try to understand their situation before they even contact a lawyer. "Sometimes that's helpful; sometimes it creates confusion," Hernandez says. AI and online resources can give a general sense of how divorce works, but they can't account for the nuances of a specific case. "Divorce, especially a divorce that involves parenting disputes or complex assets, is very fact-specific," she says. Financial transactions particularly are more visible than ever. Between banking apps, payment platforms, and digital records, there is often a clearer picture of how money moves. "That transparency can be helpful," Hernandez says. "But it also means there's less room to explain things away." Social media adds another layer of confusion. It can shape expectations, sometimes unrealistically. "I've had to tell my younger clients that your friend's divorce that they've been posting about on their Instagram story is not your divorce. The TikTok of the lawyer from California that you watched has nothing to do with your Texas divorce. Again, it's all fact specific," Hernandez says. Law firms should identify early on what information clients have learned online in order to set realistic expectations. Social media activity, including AI conversations, can also become evidence — a fact that most clients, regardless of their generation, are unaware of. "People forget how much of their life is documented and visible, even with a private account," Hernandez says. "What you post, what you message, how you move money, what you ask AI about … It all leaves a discoverable trail." Parenting with the long view in mind For millennials and Gen Z clients with children, co-parenting is often approached with a longer lens. "Younger clients tend to want a parenting plan that works for everyone," Hernandez says. The focus is on building something sustainable, not just a plan for the moment. "My younger clients are consistently trying to make intentional decisions so that they aren't back in the courtroom in a year," she says. A quieter kind of change This isn't a dramatic overhaul of the legal system; the laws haven't drastically changed, and the core issues in divorce remain the same. What's changed is how people want to move through the process. "It's less about proving a point," Hernandez says, "and more about getting to a place where you can start the next part of your life." Less drama. More strategy. For millennials and Gen Z, that approach isn't just a preference, it's an expectation. Alyssa Hernandez 77