Throughout his career, Eric Schulman has seen the legal landscape of divorce law drastically change. Within the last two and a half decades, there has been a conscious shift from resolving all cases in court through litigation, to an uptick in staying out of court, opting instead for alternative dispute resolution. That movement toward out of court resolutions has enabled a greater share of families to resolve cases without the tumultuous emotional and financial strain sometimes seen in difficult divorce court cases.

Schulman was guided toward the practice of law by his late uncle, a prominent litigation attorney who harped upon him the nobility of helping those in need through proper legal channels. He then became interested in family law early on because of the hybrid nature of this legal practice—you’re not always in court, but you’re not constantly in the office either, the best of both worlds.

One thing that has remained the same throughout his nearly 25 years of practicing is Schulman’s commitment to his clients and keeping objectivity and reasonability at the forefront of his practice. A persuasive and exceptional litigator, Schulman relies on his extensive experience, sophistication, and his understanding of the nuances of family law to make the most reasonable and objective decisions that are in his client’s best interest.

“If it’s not something I would do myself, or recommend to a family member, I won’t recommend it to my clients,” says Schulman.

Schulman operates with a philosophy of reasonable aggressiveness: not pursuing positions without strong merit. Each move he makes in a case is a strategic, goal-oriented decision, aimed at not getting lost in non-essential matters that do not affect the outcome of a case.

Schulman is as practical and transparent as possible with each of his clients and strives to keep the focus of the case on the big picture goal of a positive outcome. He makes himself readily available at all times, even weekends and evenings if that is what his clients need, and ensures that they always know the goals, objectives, and status of the case.

“There’s always a roadmap … I’m objective in assessing things and advocating for my clients within the reasonable bounds I can take,” says Schulman.

Schulman truly excels in remaining focused on the end-game of a case and tries to help clients avoid making emotionally-motivated decisions that could potentially harm their long-term goals. He also believes it is essential for a client to be invested in a case, noting that he’s neither merely a mouthpiece for his client nor someone who will make all their decisions for them.

“You have to work in tandem with your client. I’m a better lawyer when my clients are invested and collaborating with me,” Schulman says.

Schulman also understands the importance of knowing his client’s story just as well (if not even better) than his client does. He emphasizes that the judges need to know the client’s narrative and what drives them, and as his client’s lawyer, Schulman understands that it is his responsibility to process, organize, and synthesize his client’s narrative and goals so that he can persuasively articulate it to the judge in a way that will positively impact his clients and their outcomes.

The Schiller DuCanto & Fleck, LLP Lake Forest office is located at One Conway Park, 100 N. Field Drive, Suite 160. For more information, call (847) 615-8300 or visit sdflaw.com.