We acknowledge that as family law attorneys, you’ve dedicated your careers to mastering the law, and ongoing continuing education will always be essential. We are now, however, in the age of AI, where new tools and resources are rapidly changing professional practice. While AI is a powerful resource you’re likely already exploring, it cannot equip you with the latest scientific and medical research, which is beginning to make its way into high-conflict family court cases. Goldberg & Associates is pioneering this shift—recent, indisputable scientific studies are correcting short-sighted interpretations and analyses of facts that have led to defective reports and opinions submitted to the court, with recommendations rife with diagnostic errors. This clinical correction can only be brought to you by a legal consultant that has the sufficient scholarly knowledge of this scientific literature, and Goldberg & Associates are the ones delivering these insights. This development stands to transform the future of family law.

In high-conflict cases, lawyers often develop an automatized behavior pattern rooted in a belief system that, while grounded in logic and legal standards, is also reinforced by familiar feelings. These feelings stem from approaches learned long ago, which have become woven into the fabric of the advice shared from one client to the next. This can result in generalized strategies being reapplied across different cases, even though each high-conflict situation presents unique variables that make it difficult to apply a one-size-fits-all approach. As a result, attorneys may find themselves relying on outdated methods that do not adequately address the complexities of their current cases. While this practice may streamline their workload, it can also foster bad habits. When attorneys become too comfortable, they may stop exploring alternative solutions that require more time and effort. To effectively reinvent their approach to high-conflict cases, lawyers must not only work to reduce the conflict but also introduce innovative interventions that cut through the chaos. These new strategies should be so reasonable that they withstand scrutiny—essentially, they should “speak truth to power.”

To trust a shift to new strategies, family law lawyers will need the resources of new experts. Specifically, these new experts must be able to meet the Daubert standard, and their evidence needs to adhere to the Frye standard. Collaborating with a new group of professionals—such as psychological evaluators who can confirm or disconfirm a dissociative disorder, along with trauma specialists and child psychologists—who have not previously been introduced as experts in family court cases is essential. These experts play a vital role in explaining to judges what a dissociative disorder is, how it impacts a child’s behavior, and whether such a disorder, if caused by trauma and abuse, can be confirmed. The answer to these important questions is a clear yes.

Being an expert in any field should mean you can clearly explain what is relevant and what is not. The courts rely on appointed professionals—such as custody evaluators, guardians ad litem, parenting coordinators, and court-appointed therapists—to present the best evidence to support their recommendations. However, these professionals often stay within their specific roles and may apply statutes that limit the scope of their investigations.

If you were to ask some of these court-appointed experts about the possibility of child abuse hiding in plain sight within the diagnosis of a dissociative disorder, many might struggle to define what a dissociative disorder even is. If that is the case, we must acknowledge that there is something fundamentally flawed in excluding this critical factor, which is essential for the safety and protection of children.

Failing to consider this aspect can lead to poorer outcomes in child custody placements and hinder the guidance of children toward appropriate therapeutic interventions that address their conditions. This is just one example, but it highlights a crucial issue in understanding the direction of high-conflict family court cases.

In the movie Good Will Hunting, the psychologist repeatedly tells the patient, “It’s not your fault. It’s not your fault.” Initially, it takes time for this important message to sink in, but eventually, it resonates deeply. This lesson is vital not just for child victims of abuse but also for non-offending parents and even family law lawyers who have tried their best. Often, these attorneys feel devastated when they are unable to influence the final verdict, despite their efforts.

Legal consultants should help find and vet experts for cases without letting any bias affect their suggestions. They also need to identify and disqualify candidates that the opposing counsel might suggest for valid reasons. While most lawyers know the best experts in their area, their relationships with these experts can sometimes be complicated. A lawyer might be aware of an expert’s strengths and weaknesses, which could influence their decision on whether to use them. This can create an unspoken alliance where the expert understands why the lawyer prefers them, making it harder to avoid conflicts of interest.

Sometimes, litigation support means advising the lawyer to abandon a motion and try a different approach. This can help avoid costly mistakes, but it requires a lot of trust in the legal consultant.

It’s a well-known fact that in high-conflict cases, judges often split decisions down the middle, leaving both sides feeling like they’ve lost. While some may see this as a wise judgment, we ask: is it really what’s best for the children? We believe not, especially if this leaves them even more fragmented than before. Dissociative disorders can fragment a child’s personality, and when parents remain in unstable co-parenting relationships, it can lead to re-litigation and prolonged exposure to child abuse that goes unrecognized and untreated.

This might explain why many children are rarely diagnosed with dissociative disorders until they reach adulthood. Designing a strategy for litigation support means eliminating approaches that won’t fix the existing problems, such as severe parent-child relationship issues. Unfortunately, even if a lawyer successfully achieves the client’s desired outcome, like reunification therapy, it may ultimately result in a loss. This is because the treatments often applied are based on misdiagnoses, which fail to address the real needs of the children.

Lawyers aren’t alone in facing blame when cases don’t go well—mental health professionals also face considerable criticism, whether due to assessments and recommendations or the inability to produce positive results in therapy. Disenfranchised clients often go beyond complaints, filing lawsuits or formal claims of misconduct that can threaten these professionals’ licenses. This level of hostility has led many court-appointed mental health providers to leave the field. Beyond that, a significant number of mental health professionals refuse to take on clients involved in high-conflict cases, unwilling to risk costly defenses of their reputations.

For family law attorneys, litigation support is essential in identifying experts who are fully vetted and capable of working within the ethical boundaries of their expertise. However, clients may not understand the limitations that lawyers face in vetting these professionals, as lawyers often select experts based on familiarity or judicial preference rather than deep insight into the professional’s background. Frequently, lawyers consult peers, narrowing the choice to three names in hopes that one will be acceptable to both parties, but this informal process does not ensure that the best outcome will be achieved.

On the other hand, when a family law lawyer collaborates with a legal consultant, they gain confidence that only the most suitable expert will rise to the top of the list. At Goldberg & Associates, we often help lawyers identify gaps in an expert’s training or even correct misleading claims of expertise by carefully screening CVs. This process allows us to spot weaknesses, such as insufficient continuing education or a limited background in the relevant issues. Most lawyers, even if they could match the depth of vetting that a legal consultant can provide, would lack the time—and often the inclination—to charge clients for these time-intensive evaluations. Without this level of scrutiny, clients may be left to trust recommendations that could ultimately lead to disappointment when weaknesses surface later in the case.

When introducing new scientific ideas like dissociative disorders in court, a litigation consultant can provide a critical advantage by sharing insights from past cases (with sensitive information redacted). This allows family law attorneys to see how other lawyers have successfully or unsuccessfully presented similar arguments. Learning from past cases is invaluable, especially when we’re still in the early stages of integrating these strategies across the country. Understanding why a judge ruled a certain way, for instance, can help strengthen your own approach.

A litigation consultant doesn’t just provide records and guidance. They also support family law attorneys in managing client emotions. Family law cases are often stressful, with clients calling over every conflict with their co-parent. This emotional strain can be heavy on lawyers who are already juggling complex cases. A legal consultant can provide emotional support and education for the client, helping them better cope with conflicts and relieving some of the burden on the lawyer. Knowing that a trusted consultant is assisting with the client’s emotional needs allows attorneys to focus more fully on the case and less on handling the client’s stress.

Clients often have complaints about their family law cases, and sometimes they become critical of their attorney even before the case is over. In high-conflict cases, it’s common for a client to have already worked with several lawyers, each time hoping the next one will succeed where others didn’t. This high turnover can make it hard for attorneys to retain clients, and some would rather let a client go than deal with constant complaints or unpaid bills. The risks for family law lawyers are significant, but the public often lacks sympathy for their challenges.

This is where a legal consultant can help. Sometimes, we help clients see that their attorney is doing a good job but could benefit from additional support. Other times, we persuade clients to stay patient and avoid changing lawyers without a valid reason. At Goldberg & Associates, we’re paid by the client, not the lawyer, so there’s no conflict of interest. Our goal is to support the lawyer already working on the case. A brief consultation is usually enough to establish a cooperative relationship, allowing us to work together to benefit the client. It’s like a partnership where both parties test each other’s boundaries, but we’re united in ensuring the best outcome for the client.

We direct your attention to the following link for more information: https://adolescentdissociativedisorders.com/services/next-level-legal/

We direct your attention to the following link for more information: https://adolescentdissociativedisorders.com/consultations-fee-schedule/training-for-lawyers-or-law-firms/

A legal consultant’s role can also include mental health consulting services. Clients in high-conflict cases often struggle with issues like anxiety, stress, addiction, or self-harming behaviors. Sometimes, they may try to hide these problems, but connecting them to the right support is crucial. Family law lawyers should place their trust in turning to a legal consultant for referral assistance. This process usually involves an interview and assessment to identify major issues and areas that might still need further evaluation.

While most people think of therapy as the main solution, a legal consultant might also suggest alternatives that the client or lawyer might not have considered. For instance, “divorce coaching” is a new service that not only helps people understand complex divorce issues like financial entanglements but also helps provide services that ultimately reduce fears and confusion. Another potential solution could be hypnotherapy, which can sometimes deliver results in fewer sessions than traditional therapy.

At Goldberg & Associates, we’ve built a large network of hundreds of professionals ready to provide this referral support. Our network took years of work, staffing, and resources to develop, and it’s available for our clients as well as those referred by family law lawyers—entirely free of charge to the client or the law firm.

One of the most exigent mental health issues is the treatment of children in high-conflict families. While most of these children struggle to cope in such parental environments with little initial assistance, as time passes, and as parental conflicts intensify, many of them develop conditions like non-suicidal self-injuring disorder (NSSID), video game addiction, sexual identity confusion, and self-regulation failure—these are only examples of the more common mental health issues they may develop. Worst of all, all types of child abuse (e.g., physical, sexual, emotional, and psychological) frequently go undetected because they are hidden within symptoms of dissociation and dissociative disorders.

One of the most common forms of child abuse in high-conflict families, recognized by The International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (ISSTD), is “alienating behavior.” This behavior creates a specific kind of trauma called “betrayal trauma,” a form of abuse inflicted by a parent or caregiver (and potentially an older sibling). Research increasingly links betrayal trauma to states of amnesia. Many children who are victims of child abuse present with amnestic conditions classified as Dissociative Amnesia or Dissociative Identity Disorder. In extreme cases of alienation, children interviewed have demonstrated a significant loss of autobiographical memories with a parent they have chosen to reject.

We direct your attention to the following link for more information: https://adolescentdissociativedisorders.com/etiological-research/introduction-to-
betrayal-trauma/
And…
We direct your attention to the following link for more information: https://adolescentdissociativedisorders.com/etiological-research/betray-trauma-
research/

At Goldberg & Associates, we have the resources to refer you to psychological evaluators and mental health professionals who can target and treat these disorders, paving the way forward to the fastest process of reconnecting the child with the rejected parent.

Goldberg & Associates has created and maintains a large network of professionals to help family law lawyers find experts to assist clients during divorce cases or to meet specific court order requirements. All professionals in this network have received special training in handling high-conflict families, particularly those with children who may have experienced abuse by a parent or caregiver. Each provider completed continuing education workshops online at www.adolescentdissociativedisorders.com, covering important topics like betrayal trauma, parental pain catastrophizing behaviors, and the development of Dissociative Disorders, including Dissociative Amnesia. This additional training is on top of each provider’s existing credentials in their specific field.

The network includes professionals in the following areas:

• Psychological Evaluators who can test for Dissociative Disorders
• Fact and Expert Witnesses specializing in Dissociative Disorders
• Psychotherapists who treat Dissociative Disorders in children, adolescents, and adults
• Psychotherapists in a wide variety of specialist treatment areas
• Anger Management Specialists
• Family Law Mediators
• Divorce Coaches
• Litigation Support Consultants
• Hypnotherapists
• Parenting Coaches

Every professional in our network has submitted both a CV, and a Fee Schedule that you will receive when you ask us for a referral. In addition to referring professionals in the categories above, we can also refer you to financial professionals that can further assist you. These various professionals work in the following fields of expertise :

• Forensic Accountants
• Certified Divorce Financial Analysts
• Business Valuators
• Vocational Evaluators
• Certified Debt Counselors
• Financial Coaches

Our online platform offers a well-curated library of articles, research studies, and practical tools related to family law and child welfare. This resource is designed to keep attorneys informed and updated on the latest developments in the field, helping them stay ahead in their practice.

The following websites are ranked as essential for assisting family law lawyers seeking information about Dissociative Disorders and the Scientific Research relevant to high-conflict divorce:

1. Goldberg & Associates – www.adolescentdissociativedisorders.com
2. The International Society for the Study of Trauma and Dissociation (ISSTD) – https://www.isst-d.org/
3. National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) – https://www.nimh.nih.gov/ – Offers research, articles, and resources about dissociative disorders and mental health science.
4. PubMed Central (PMC) – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/ – A free full-text archive of biomedical and life sciences journal literature, including studies on trauma and dissociation.
5. National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) – https://www.nctsn.org/ – Resources and information specifically for the impact of trauma on children in high-conflict settings.

These resources provide essential information and scientific research for family law professionals working with complex, high-conflict divorce cases involving Dissociative Disorders and related trauma issues.

At FAMILY LAW RESOURCES, we are committed to empowering family law attorneys with the knowledge, tools, and support they need to achieve the best outcomes for their clients and the children involved.