Are there any benefits to having a male/female attorney?

I’m often asked whether or not a woman has to represent a man in a divorce, or if it matters whether or not there’s a woman divorce attorney versus a man divorce attorney. And generally speaking, I don’t think there’s much of a difference. I think female attorneys are able to bring into the room their experiences as being mothers or sisters or wives, but the same goes for men as well. I will say that in some situations involving domestic violence, it might make sense for a female to be asking questions of a female witness so that it doesn’t come across as an aggressive trial presentation. But that’s a very narrow exception to that rule. Typically, if you have a male divorce attorney, and you’re a woman, it doesn’t have much of a difference. I think the client’s comfort, though, is of the utmost importance. And if a client is more comfortable with a female attorney or a male attorney, then you really need to pay attention to that.