'Surviving Divorce' author/attorney shares top tips from common sense guide

Brentwood Home Page news reports
Brentwood resident John Hollins Jr., a Nashville veteran attorney, has written Surviving Divorce – A Lawyer’s Common Sense Guide To What You Should Know Before, During And After A Divorce, as a sensible, easy read for anyone affected by a divorce.

Hollins will be welcomed at a book signing reception at 5:30-7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 17, at Landmark Booksellers, 114 East Main Street in Franklin.

Recently, he was a featured speaker during Nashville’s annual Southern Festival of Books and has appeared on several local television and radio programs.

Hollins began writing his book on Christmas Day in 2008 while sitting at the family kitchen table with a yellow legal pad and pen in hand. The idea originally was for a "dos and don’ts" book to be used to as a way to help his clients.

Discussions with his friend H. Jackson Brown, author of the blockbuster Life’s Little Instruction Book series, further inspired Hollins to write this common sense guide. Brown donated his time, wisdom and encouragement to help see the book through to completion.

Fred D. Thompson, former U.S. Senator, prominent trial attorney and actor, said in praise of the book, “This is the best and most practical advice I have ever read on this subject. John Hollins Jr. takes you through every step of the process with compassion and common sense.”

 “A comprehensive collection of sage advice to people going through the divorce process. If followed, outcomes should be improved and the quality of one’s life should be enhanced as well,” said Marlene Eskind Moses, Esq., former president of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and noted family attorney.

Among the topics covered in “The Calm Before the Storm” portion include obtaining advice, the process, responsibilities, civilities, yourself, your spouse, children, working effectively with your lawyer, the legal process after hiring counsel, custody, alimony, the division of assets and liabilities, protecting yourself, and domestic violence.

The second part of the book titled “Hold On to Your Hat” includes discovery and depositions, interrogatories and requests for documents, requests for admissions, mediation, court hearings, how to dress for legal proceedings, and specifics for women and men.

The Top Tips identified by Hollins are as follows:

• Divorce does not mean you are a failure as a spouse, a parent, or a person.

• Spend less time worrying about who is right and more time worrying about what is right.  So do the right thing.  Always take the “high” road.  You will never regret it.

• Getting through a divorce with your dignity and reputation intact should be your ultimate goal.

• Your selection of a lawyer is as important as your decision to divorce.  A true professional will care about you as a person and not just as a client. 

• Your lawyer can’t work miracles.  He or she can only operate with the facts you provide, so always tell your lawyer the whole story – the truth and nothing but the truth.

• Silence is golden when it comes to divorce.  Watch what you say and be extremely careful about confiding important details of your case to anyone.  Even your closest family members and friends can slip up and accidentally reveal something that could hurt your case.

• When children are involved, parents must always honor their children by placing their best interest first.  Love your children more than you dislike your spouse, and put what’s important for them ahead of any personal animosity.

Surviving Divorce is available for purchase at http://www.amazon.com/ for $14.99 in paperback, $24.99 in hardback and $9.99 as an e-book. Bulk sales of five books or more are available for purchase for $10 for paperbacks and $15 for hardback by calling 615-256-6666 or by e-mail at Survivingdivorcebook.com. For more information, visit the website at http://www.survivingdivorcebook.com/, Facebook and YouTube.

John Hollins Jr. joined Hollins, Wagster and Yarbrough in 1987, a Nashville firm co-founded by his father, John Hollins Sr. Currently he is the president and managing partner of the law firm Hollins, Raybin and Weissman, P.C. in Nashville. His dedicated professional career includes representing more than 1,000 clients in divorce and domestic relations cases.

He is a fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, has served on the Board of Professional Responsibility of the Supreme Court of Tennessee, is listed in “The Best Lawyers in America” and in “The Mid-South Super Lawyers.” He holds the highest rating from Martindale-Hubbell.  Hollins and his wife Laura are the parents of twin daughters.