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You hired a family law attorney, so why are you spending so much time talking to a paralegal? If that’s been bugging you, you’re not alone and it might actually be a sign your case is being handled the right way.

We sit down with our senior paralegal, Lisa Parsons, to explain what paralegals really do in divorce, custody, and other family law cases: drafting and organizing key documents, managing discovery, digging through financial records, running support calculations, and keeping the day-to-day tasks moving so deadlines don’t slip. We also talk about the practical reality of an attorney’s schedule with hearings, trials, and back-to-back meetings, and why a paralegal can often get you answers faster by acting as the communication bridge.

We also get specific about where the line is. Paralegals cannot give legal advice or stand up in court, and they are not the person building final trial strategy or doing direct and cross examination. But they can help translate what you’re experiencing into the “legalese” your attorney needs, flag issues that could become landmines later, and prepare clean, complete materials that make your lawyer more effective. We even dig into how family law process differs across states, including how Oregon can require more custom declarations compared with more structured form-driven systems.

If you want your case to move efficiently and feel less confusing, this conversation will help you know who to contact, what to ask, and how to use your legal team well. Subscribe for more practical family law guidance, share this with someone going through a tough case, and leave a review so more families can find real help when they need it.

If you would like to speak with a member of our legal team, please call (503) 227-0200 or visit our website.

Disclaimer: Nothing in this communication is intended to provide legal advice or constitute an attorney-client relationship.

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A foster adoption can change your life and it can also test every ounce of your patience. We sit down with author and longtime educator Lane Igoudin to talk through what adopting from foster care actually looks like when the system’s top priority is reunification, even while you are doing the daily work of parenting.

Lane shares why he and his husband chose foster care adoption in Los Angeles County instead of private adoption, international adoption, or surrogacy, and how the experience pushed him to write his memoir *If A Family Maybe*. We get into the “concurrent planning” model, the reality of termination of parental rights, and the painful mismatch between what the law promises and what families often live through in court.

We also cover practical expectations for prospective foster adoptive parents, including home studies, background checks, required parenting classes, ongoing oversight, and the unpredictable timelines that can turn a six month goal into years. Along the way, Lane raises bigger questions about what makes a family, who gets heard in the process, and why attachment and stability should matter as much as biology.

If you are considering adoption from foster care, supporting LGBTQ parents, or trying to understand the foster care legal process beyond the paperwork, this conversation will give you clarity and a lot to think about. Subscribe, share this with someone exploring adoption, and leave a review with your biggest takeaway or question.

If you would like to speak with one of our attorneys, please call our office at (503) 227-0200, or visit our website at https://www.pacificcascadelegal.com.

To learn more about Lane and how he can help you, you can visit his website at: https://laneigoudin.com/about-me/

Disclaimer: Nothing in this communication is intended to provide legal advice nor does it constitute a client-attorney relationship, therefore you should not interpret the contents as such.

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AI can sound calm, confident, and decisive when you’re panicking about custody, support, or how to even start a divorce. That’s exactly why relying on a chatbot as your divorce attorney is so risky. We sit down with founding attorney Lewis Landerholm to unpack what people miss when they treat AI legal advice like the final answer, especially in family law where the details and the judge matter.

We talk through the accuracy problem first: AI can pull the wrong jurisdiction, miss local court rules, quote outdated statutes, or even generate citations that don’t exist. That can wreck your credibility in front of a judge and, in some cases, lead to sanctions. We also explain why Oregon and Washington divorce practice can’t be reduced to a generic template and why “one size fits all” guidance breaks down when your case turns on specific facts and evidence.

Then we get into the part most people never consider: confidentiality. Unlike working with a lawyer, you don’t get attorney-client privilege with an AI tool. What you type and what it returns may become discoverable in litigation, requested in discovery, or even subpoenaed. We share practical ways to use AI more safely, like removing identifying details, using hypotheticals, verifying sources, and rewriting output in your own voice, while keeping the real legal strategy where it belongs: with experienced counsel.

If this helped, subscribe to Modern Family Matters, share the episode with someone facing a divorce, and leave a review so more families can find clear guidance. What’s the most surprising way AI could backfire in court?

If you would like to speak with one of our attorneys, please call (503) 227-0200 or visit our website.

Disclaimer: Nothing in this communication is intended to provide legal advice or constitute an attorney-client relationship.