Irvine, CA family law attorney Marc Garelick talks about his approach in handling high net-worth and complex cases. He explains that complex cases often involve multiple issues that need to be addressed. His first step is to identify those issues: Is he dealing with someone who has a personality disorder? Is the other party using a business as a personal piggy bank? Are they going to act unreasonably, aggressively, or seek vengeance in family court?

He emphasizes the importance of having a clear strategy from the outset. This might include hiring experts—such as forensic accountants, custody specialists, or appraisers—or requesting a court-ordered custody evaluation. Assembling the right team early is critical to managing the case effectively.

Regardless of the chosen strategy, he stresses that every client should consider best-case and worst-case scenarios and perform due diligence. Some cases require extensive investigation, especially if one spouse has little knowledge of the other’s income, bank accounts, or expenses. Understanding the financial and practical realities of the case is essential before moving forward.

Once a strategy is in place, execution becomes the priority. Constantly switching strategies weakens a case. He warns against getting trapped in what he calls the “discovery hamster wheel”—a cycle where discovery requests are made, responded to, met with objections, supplemented, and repeated endlessly. This can stall a case for years without meaningful progress.

He points out that delays often result from documents not being prepared properly, accountants not completing work, or unreasonable requests from the other side. Addressing these obstacles promptly is key. Without that focus, the case can remain stagnant, moving in circles instead of advancing toward resolution.