| Our American culture is one that has become | | | | specific documents that could be damaging to a |
| obsessed with all things celebrity. We often know | | | | client’s reputation. Whether fair or not, the |
| more about the love lives and personal struggles of | | | | public will take very painful episodes that occurred |
| the top Hollywood movie stars, sports figures and | | | | between two people and use this information against |
| athletes, and singers in our country than we do about | | | | a celebrity even if his ability to excel in his chosen |
| members of our own families. Moreover, all of this | | | | field has no connection to the allegations. Even |
| information can be gathered just from standing in line | | | | worse, the court of public opinion often will not wait |
| at the grocery store. We have television | | | | to discover if the assertions made in filed court |
| programs—even entire networks—that are | | | | documents are true before rendering their own |
| dedicated to tracking the day-to-day lives of | | | | verdict. |
| celebrities and public figures. For some reason, the | | | | With this greater need for privacy concerning |
| interest from readers and viewers seems to be | | | | celebrity divorces in mind, there is an additional |
| heightened when the celebrity or public figure is going | | | | component to consider beyond the standard |
| through a rough period in his or her life. Just think | | | | confidentiality that exists between every attorney |
| about the fascination with Britney Spears’ | | | | and client. The reality is that a celebrity’s public |
| infamous meltdown during which she adopted a | | | | image or celebrity status is often crucial to his or her |
| carefree hairstyle, did some damage with an umbrella, | | | | continued success on the ball field, stage, or in front |
| and lost custody of her children. Those images | | | | of the camera. Beyond simply reaching the best |
| were plastered everywhere. Patrick Swayze is | | | | divorce settlement or result possible for the client, an |
| currently battling with courage against an aggressive | | | | attorney who is representing a celebrity during a |
| form of pancreatic cancer, but the tabloids cannot | | | | divorce must handle the client’s image and how |
| wait to publish photos of him looking like his death is | | | | information concerning the legal proceedings is being |
| imminent. What is it about us that create such a | | | | distributed to the media. The divorce lawyer |
| fascination with watching others fall? | | | | representing the celebrity must suddenly adopt the |
| One area of celebrity life in which the public interest | | | | additional role of public relations expert in |
| is particularly peaked is the difficult decision that two | | | | maneuvering through this delicate environment. |
| people make to file for a divorce. Every couple that | | | | An estranged spouse with a grudge or a former |
| decides to split faces difficult emotional and legal | | | | employee who was privy to family secrets can be |
| struggles. Add to this a media spotlight that | | | | very dangerous to a celebrity who has carefully |
| scrutinizes every detail of the divorce proceedings | | | | created a perception for the world to see. On the |
| and a public that determines the probable cause for | | | | other hand, personal assistants, agents, and |
| the animosity and the guilty parties and you have | | | | managers who are happy with their celebrity |
| what can quickly become an unbearable situation for | | | | employers and want to ensure that they continue to |
| the participants. Whether appropriate or not, there | | | | have success in their chosen fields are some of the |
| are countless high-profile celebrity divorces that have | | | | best resources when building evidence in a divorce |
| captivated our attention. Elizabeth Taylor was one | | | | case. Who better to vouch for a celebrity |
| of the frontrunners in achieving the media spotlight | | | | client’s schedule and personal priorities than |
| on her many divorces. More recently, we have | | | | someone who helps to plan his every move? |
| gone through the sagas of Brad Pitt and Jennifer | | | | Divorce lawyers must know how to work with these |
| Aniston, Britney Spears and Kevin Federline, Paul | | | | important witnesses to establish a sense of trust and |
| McCartney and Heather Mills, and countless others. | | | | confidence and then assist these representatives in |
| Just rectnly, Mel Gibson and his wife of twenty-eight | | | | molding a positive image of the client to news and |
| years have announced that they will be getting a | | | | other media outlets. When working with a celebrity |
| divorce. Web sites and talk shows are already | | | | client, the divorce attorney role necessarily extends |
| buzzing about how this legal settlement will be the | | | | well beyond the courtroom or office setting. |
| most expensive in celebrity divorce settlement | | | | Law firms representing celebrity clients should have |
| history. There always seems to be a new celebrity | | | | extensive experience handling the sensitive issues |
| relationship ending in a volatile fashion to satisfy our | | | | that are specific to celebrity divorces and child |
| appetites for gossip. | | | | custody cases. Such divorce lawyers must take |
| What often gets lost in these stories is the fact that | | | | extraordinary measures to maintain their clients’ |
| two very real people, with emotions and feelings, are | | | | privacy and work with them to craft that |
| caught up in the circumstances. There also may be | | | | all-important good standing in the public eye. Law |
| innocent children involved who did not ask to be | | | | firms representing celebrity clients should share the |
| celebrities and now face the possibility of seeing their | | | | primary commitment to protecting their high-profile |
| parents’ personal arguments splashed across the | | | | clients. They should work as a legal team to ensure |
| evening news. Child custody and divorce attorneys | | | | the uninterrupted protection that celebrities require. |
| who work with celebrities must be aware of the | | | | This holds true from the moment a celebrity is |
| heightened need for privacy concerning all | | | | assisted with a discreet entrance into our offices, |
| documentation that is printed and every conversation | | | | through the negotiations that take place between all |
| that takes place within office walls. That is why it is | | | | involved parties, and even after a settlement has |
| so important to hire the right law firm. | | | | been reached and signed. When you combine this |
| The law firms that are representing each party in a | | | | extra step with the dedication and aggressive |
| celebrity divorce must be certain that confidentiality | | | | representation that our provide to every client, |
| agreements are signed by all employees involved in | | | | regardless of whether or not his face is recognizable |
| the case, that shredders are handy and used often, | | | | to the public, those who are experiencing the painful |
| and that computer files are secure from hackers and | | | | steps of the divorce process can have confidence |
| simply those in the office who have no business | | | | that their case will be given thorough attention. |
| seeing sensitive material. We all know how much | | | | Celebrities and others with large marital estates |
| money certain publications are willing to pay for a | | | | (most are multi-million dollar estates) who have a |
| single piece of paper that may reveal an unsavory | | | | great deal at stake, both professionally and financially, |
| detail about a public figure or Hollywood celebrity. | | | | should make certain that the attorneys they are |
| And, once a celebrity divorce client leaves a divorce | | | | hiring to guide them through a difficult divorce are |
| attorney’s office and heads into the courtroom, | | | | prepared to take those extra steps that are needed |
| there are additional issues of privacy that must be | | | | in these unique circumstances. |
| addressed. A lawyer who is working as the best | | | | To learn more about the scope of our legal services |
| possible advocate for his client will petition the family | | | | in celebrity and child custody divorce cases, contact |
| law court to close the proceedings to the public or | | | | one of our knowledgeable experienced divorce |
| seal the paperwork associated with a celebrity case. | | | | attorneys at Bertolino LLP. Our law firm maintains |
| If a complete sealing of the records is not permitted, | | | | offices in Austin, Houston and San Antonio. |
| efforts should be made at least to keep private the | | | | |
