Divorce is a very human problem in need of resolution. It is the goal of
Skirbunt, Skirbunt & Wirtz LLC in every case to guide its clients through this process in a respectful and dignified manner. Our distinctive skills provide us with the ability to fashion a creative financial settlement that will serve our clients' best interests, while assisting our clients in ending their marriages and reshaping their family structures in such a way that allows them to preserve their family relationships and keep their dignity intact. With more than 70 years of combined experience in family law, we understand the full spectrum of family law issues, from those inherent in complex marital estates to the multifaceted human emotions that are present in every divorce case.
The single most important question clients' should ask a domestic relations attorney during the initial consultation is, "What is your practice philosophy?" The answer to this question is critical because it will have a direct bearing upon how the case is handled throughout the process.
Any client who walks into our office seeking a divorce may select litigation
to end his or her marriage; we are all experienced trial lawyers. We have
entered an appearance as litigation counsel in 12 counties and 3 appellate
districts in the State of Ohio. We have represented clients in litigated
matters resulting in published decisions. What makes us unique, however, is
that we provide our clients with choices as to the process, other than
litigation, by which they may terminate their marriage. We utilize a full
array of skill sets to assist our clients in obtaining results. We know, as
lawyers, that the vast majority, perhaps as high as 98%, of all family law
cases settle prior to trial, which means that at some point a negotiation
will break out, and that it can occur sooner rather than later. It does not
have to be delayed by a year or more of contentious litigation.
Skirbunt, Skirbunt & Wirtz LLC
enjoys a distinctive competence in divorce matters involving business valuation and executive compensation. The business valuation industry is one that speaks its own, very unique language, a language that most domestic relations attorneys do not speak but one in which our attorneys are fluent. Our clients include highly compensated executives or business owners, or the spouses of such individuals. The distinctive competence we have in the area of "corporate divorce" enables us to identify structures for creative settlements that the courts, and other attorneys, may not be able to fashion.
The lawyers of Skirbunt, Skirbunt & Wirtz LLC bring to the table broad experience in processes alternative to litigation, including both the Collaborative and Cooperative divorce models. Jim Skirbunt is the founding President of the Center for Principled Family Advocacy. He has lectured on the subject of alternative dispute resolution to the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, as well as to other bar associations. He has also chaired a National Webcast on the topic, and he has been a guest lecturer at the CWRU Law School on interest-based negotiating techniques and the book, Getting To Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In. Jim has also been included in every issue of "Ohio Super Lawyers" as one of Ohio's Top Attorneys, and he has been listed in Best Lawyers in America for more that 15 consecutive years. Sharon Skirbunt was one of the first certified family law mediators in Ohio, having been certified by the Academy of Family Mediators in 1992 as a Business, Family and Divorce Mediator. Sharon has also been published in the "Probate Law Journal of Ohio," with
her article The Perils of Estate Planning and Divorce, which deals with the interaction between divorce and estate planning considerations. Sharon continues to provide estate planning services for clients of the firm who have restructured their families and financial interests as a result of divorce. Both Sharon and Jim Skirbunt are members of the Geauga County Bar Association as well as the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, and they have each served as past Chairs of the Family Law Section of the predecessor Cuyahoga County Bar Association. Amy Wirtz is currently an officer of the Center for Principled Family Advocacy and trains lawyers in the Collaborative Process for the Center. Amy is a member of the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association and the Lorain County Bar Association. Amy maintains a substantial practice in Lorain County in, both, litigation matters and matters resolved through alternative dispute resolution processes including collaborative and cooperative divorce.
The attorneys of Skirbunt, Skirbunt & Wirtz LLC have a collective experience in processes alternative to litigation that is unsurpassed in Northeast Ohio. This experience enables the lawyers of the firm to find creative solutions and to obtain consistently good results for the firm's clients. At the same time, for those clients who request litigation counsel, the firm continues to maintain a high profile in courts throughout the region, with a substantial presence in Cuyahoga, Lorain and Geauga Counties. To better serve our clients, the firm maintains offices in downtown Cleveland and Sheffield Village.
The ability to obtain results for clients in a multitude of processes, including litigation, is the foundation of the practice philosophy of Skirbunt, Skirbunt & Wirtz LLC.
"If you have only one skill set, if you only litigate, and that's the only skill set that you can bring to the table, it's like having a toolbox with only a hammer in it. Every issue that you see, you pound, because you only have a hammer. Not every issue, especially those involving families, and especially those involving children, needs to be pounded. You need to have a variety of skill sets available to you to be effective in this arena today."
-- Jim Skirbunt
