Limited Scope Representation

Save Money During a Divorce or in Other Family Law Matters

Rising court costs and legal fees have made traditional legal representation virtually unaffordable for many people. A lawyer is not a luxury however. When it comes to parenting, child support, and financial issues, good legal advice is essential.

I offer an alternative that is more affordable than hiring an attorney on retainer, but safer than going it alone: limited representation.

A Faulty Divorce Settlement Can Lead to Big Trouble

The basic "self-help" divorce process is this: you and your divorcing spouse negotiate an agreement regarding the division of your property and debt, alimony, how your parenting time will be divided, and child support. Next, you submit your agreement to the court, which approves it or makes changes so that it complies with the law. The court then issues you a divorce decree.

The problem is this: if your negotiation results in an agreement that the court won't approve, it could strip out parts of your agreement that fundamentally alter it. You could end up stuck with a divorce decree you simply can't live with.

Limited Representation Allows You to Choose What Legal Advice You Need

In many cases, however, you may not need a lawyer to handle every detail. For example, if you agree on most issues, you might only need legal advice on how to divide your retirement and insurance benefits. Before taking your case, I will work with you to determine what services you genuinely need in order to protect your interests now and in the long-term.

I provide three levels of limited representation:

Coaching Only: We agree on specific issues on which I will conduct legal research, advise you, and draft or review legal documents. I have no contact with anyone but you.

Coaching Plus: This includes the coaching only services above, plus I represent you in a limited way with others (such as your divorcing spouse or their attorney).

Courtroom Only: We agree on a single, specific issue or court appearance during which I will provide full courtroom representation. This includes coaching and contact with the opposing party or their attorney as it relates to the issue or appearance. It is important to note that the courts will not allow this several times in the same case.


Steven G. Rosenberg is a family law attorney and divorce lawyer located in Alameda, California. Our law firm specializes in divorce, child custody, paternity, and all aspects of family law. We represent clients throughout the Bay Area including: Oakland, Piedmont, Montclair, Berkeley, Hayward, San Leandro, San Lorenzo, Dublin, Fremont, Martinez, and Alameda and Contra Costa counties.