In the eight years Jackie Combs has practiced family law, she has helped clients navigate many divorces.
As an attorney at Blank Rome, Mr. Combs represents the wealthy and famous, including model Emily Ratajkowski and hairstylist Chris Appleton. “Many of my clients have net worths in excess of $25 million,” she says.
Her customers also tend to be younger, mostly Gen Z and Millennials.
Of the many reasons Combs sees her clients’ relationships fail, she says a lack of communication is at the top of the list.
“I think that’s the root of a lot of the problems,” Combs said. Here’s why:
It is important to be on the same page about fundamental values
People who come to Combs for representation tend to confide in her about very personal parts of their lives and seek advice from her.
“I have very close relationships with my clients,” she says. “As their legal advisor, I’m in everyone’s bedrooms and in everyone’s bank accounts.”
And the problem of not being able to communicate with your partner often arises.
Often it comes down to finances. “It may seem like your spending habits aren’t aligned,” she says. “It may not seem like it’s in line with your budget or savings plan.”
For example, one party may prefer to go out for an expensive cup of coffee every morning, and the other party may prefer to make coffee at home.
Conflicts may also arise over other core values, such as how to raise children or what activities to prioritize in relationships.
If you can communicate, you can weather any storm.
Jackie Combs
Family Lawyer Blank Rome
Celebrity divorce lawyer Laura Wasser says the number one reason she sees people break up is lack of communication. “We haven’t developed communication tools when things are going well, so when things aren’t going well, we tend to not have the ability or means to talk about it,” she previously told CNBC Make It.
Wasser recommends discussing life decisions early on, such as where to send your children to school or whether it’s okay for your parents to live with you in retirement.
Family law attorney Padideh Jafari also recommends that couples have an open discussion before marriage and ask questions such as: Is religion important to you and should you consider premarital sex?
After all, “if you can communicate, you can weather any storm,” Combs said.
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