I want to be a family law attorney. I told a retired immigration attorney about it in passing conversation and this person warned me my life might be at risk because family law attorneys get unalived more than other attorneys. I tried to find a statistic later, but I couldn't find anything other than an ABA article from 2018. No statistic. Now I'm scared. What is your experience?

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I've worked in family law since 2011 and never have felt unsafe around clients or opposing parties. None of my attorneys have either. In my community (not a small town either), the only threat against a family law attorney by a disgruntled opposing party was from 2002. That particular opposing party killed his ex's romantic partner and shot at the judge's home in addition to shooting and blinding the attorney. I think this man was going to be a loose cannon regardless. Incidents like that are not commonplace, however, I feel they get more media attention which can distort this perception of family law being unsafe.

Family law comes with a lot of heightened emotions. Most people are not coming to a family law attorney because they're having a good day. They are risking losing their children, financial stability, the lifestyle that they're used to, etc. it's definitely a low point for many.

With that being said, be prepared for emotional burnout and compassion fatigue. Definitely be sure you're training yourself on trauma-inforned practice and don't be afraid to have a therapist on speed dial. Although it's one of the most emotionally taxing areas of law, it can also be very rewarding as you have a chance to make a direct impact on people's lives in times of crisis.

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It’s definitely emotionally taxing! You need to have the stomach for conflict, yet demonstrate compassion with balance. I’ve handled family law matters in the past, and you have to remember that your client’s life is not your life. That can be difficult at times. You have to learn how to separate yourself from your client’s circumstances.

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My father is a small-town lawyer & told me the same (in fact, when I went to law school, “stay safe by avoiding family law” was his only advice to me). These things have happened to people he knows. I also know some lawyers who got harassed over family court things.

Conversely: I practice corporate law & this is not an issue for me/my co-workers (or my friends who handle like commercial litigation or personal injury cases). Family court can just really bring out the worst in some people.

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I’ve practiced family law for 8 years. There have been times I have been concerned for my safety but I’ve never been directly physically threatened. I have had to deal with volatile clients and opposing parties, so knowing how to diffuse situations is a must.

Some lawyers really love family law. Most lawyers do not. I don’t plan to do it forever because it is incredibly emotional, draining, stressful, and frustrating. Family law is like civil litigation on steroids because the deadlines are much shorter and the clients are much more involved in their case. A lot of what we do is also discretionary, which makes it unpredictable. That being said, if you enjoy it good family lawyers are really important.

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My mom was a family law attorney. Took basic safety precautions - e.g., home address scrubbed from the internet, no sort of stickers or apparel that indicated where she lived.

In 30+ years of practice, she had one angry spouse of a client try to place a hex on her in the courthouse, but no other issues.

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