Peter Farren | Valrico Family Lawyer | Florida

• Member of the Florida Bar Association.
• Member of the Hillsborough County Bar Association.

Within the past year, In a military divorce, I represented a spouse who had no idea about the family finances or to what she was entitled. The parties also had two daughters and the father was emotionally abusive. Literally on the day the trial was to begin, we finalized a settlement in which we obtained the Wife's fair share of the marital assets, including her share of the military retirement, which left her in a very comfortable financial position. We were also able to get the husband to concede on seeking counseling for his emotional outbursts and to help him rebuild his relationship with his daughters. We were able to work out a long-distance parenting plan which addressed both parents' concerns for their daughters' well-being. The client was extremely appreciative of the attention she received and the persistence we demonstrated in seeing her case through to a fair and equitable resolution.

I built my practice and increased my clientele primarily through superior client service and responsiveness. From the initial no-cost, no-obligation consultation through the end of the case, we pride ourselves on listening to the client's needs and keeping them informed of the process and developments every step of the way. We provide the client with realistic expectations so there are no unpleasant surprises for them to have to deal with during the case.

When looking to select an attorney, potential clients should look for someone with knowledge, experience and accountability. The client has to be very comfortable with the person they select in handling their very personal situation. They need to know that the attorney they select will keep the client's goals as a priority and that the attorney will timely respond to any questions or concerns.

Local knowledge is very important to a case. Although I have handled cases from Miami to Tallahassee and many places in between, the way the law is applied or the priorities of the courts is slightly different from county to county. For example, if the circumstances are appropriate, many of the family law judges in Hillsborough County favor equal timesharing for parents. However, in Polk County, the family law judges do not appear to favor equal timesharing and instead prefer certain model parenting plans. In a personal injury case, it is important to know how juries are likely to respond to your client or the particular set of facts you have. You will want to accentuate certain facts of your case which may resonate well with the jury. Knowing how a particular judge or jury may handle the case is important for developing a client's most effective strategy.

I provide a no-cost, no-obligation initial consultation to discuss the basic facts of the case, key points of Florida law and how a judge may apply the law to the potential client's circumstances. This can also be done over the phone and quite often it is as I represent many military clients who may be stationed anywhere in the world. Whenever possible, I think these initial consultations should occur in person so the potential client can look in my eyes and interview me to determine if I am the right person to handle their case.

Generally, I need some basic information. If it is an automobile accident, I need the date, time, location, whether there were any passengers or other witnesses, how the accident occurred, the types of vehicles involved, traffic and weather conditions, the name of the other driver, insurance information, extent and types of injuries and medical providers. If it is a family law case, I need to know if there are children, the length of the marriage, any major assets or debts of the parties and the relative financial positions of the parties.

I believe our level of service is second to none. We promptly return phone calls or emails and we care about our clients not just their case. Many of our clients often seek our opinions or advice on matters that are not legal related. We have built a trust and bond with them that we become their ""go-to person"" when something unexpected comes up in their lives. Other lawyers have told me: ""it's just a case, wrap it up and move on to the next one"". My staff and I do not follow that philosophy. These are our clients who are dealing with real-life difficult problems and we want to help them.

The most rewarding aspect of our job is helping people through very difficult times in their lives. We experience this on a regular basis when clients tell us that they appreciate all that we have done for them and that they could not have made it through this difficult time without us.

I enjoy spending time with my family and watching my children participate in their various activities.

My priority is my family and my children. I assist in coaching their sports teams.