Choosing an attorney is an important decision. Online reviews can provide useful information about individual client experiences, but reviews are only one factor to consider. Professional teaching, legal writing, books, speaking engagements and sustained involvement in legal education may provide additional insight into an attorney’s knowledge and commitment to the profession.

None of these activities guarantees success in a particular case. They can, however, provide more verifiable information than a brief or anonymous internet comment. They also allow prospective clients to examine how an attorney thinks, communicates and explains complicated legal subjects.

Teaching Requires Continuing Engagement With the Law

Attorneys who teach law students or other legal professionals generally must remain familiar with statutes, court decisions, procedural rules and developing legal issues.

Teaching a legal subject requires more than knowing the correct answer. The instructor must organize complicated material, identify the principles that matter and explain those principles clearly enough for others to understand.

That can be particularly significant in family law. Domestic relations matters may involve:

  • Divorce and legal separation
  • Child custody and parenting plans
  • Child support
  • Spousal support
  • Property and debt division
  • Business valuation
  • Prenuptial and postnuptial agreements
  • Paternity
  • Modification and enforcement proceedings
  • Adoption and guardianship
  • Domestic violence
  • Mediation and collaborative law

The law affecting these matters can change through legislation and appellate decisions. An attorney involved in legal education has an additional reason to remain engaged with those developments.

Kirk C. Stange, the founding partner and president of Stange Law Firm, PC, serves as an adjunct professor at Emory University School of Law. His academic role can be independently verified through the Emory Law adjunct faculty directory.

A teaching position does not predict the result of a case. It does provide objective evidence that a recognized educational institution has selected the attorney to contribute to legal education.

Speaking to Other Lawyers Can Be a Meaningful Credential

Continuing legal education programs help attorneys remain current on changes in the law and develop their professional skills. Lawyers may attend these programs to learn about new statutes, appellate decisions, litigation techniques, ethical obligations and law-practice issues.

Attorneys invited to present continuing legal education programs are asked to teach their peers. They must ordinarily research the subject, prepare written or visual materials and respond to questions from other legal professionals.

Repeated speaking invitations can be particularly meaningful. One presentation may result from a single opportunity. An extended history of presentations can demonstrate that professional organizations continue to value the attorney’s contribution.

Kirk Stange and other attorneys associated with Stange Law Firm have presented programs for lawyers, judges, paralegals and other legal professionals. Those programs have addressed family law, litigation, legal technology and law-firm management.

Speaking engagements should not be treated as proof that an attorney will prevail in court. They can, however, offer evidence of professional involvement that is different from an online rating.

Books Require Sustained Research and Organization

Writing a substantive legal book or book chapter requires significant work. An author must organize a large body of information, explain legal concepts accurately and present the material in a useful way.

A book also gives prospective clients and other attorneys an opportunity to examine the author’s thinking directly. Readers can evaluate whether the author:

  • Understands the subject
  • Identifies important legal issues
  • Explains complicated concepts clearly
  • Recognizes practical considerations
  • Organizes information coherently
  • Provides useful guidance without oversimplifying the law

Kirk Stange has contributed to published books and materials concerning family law. His Emory Law profile notes his contribution to the Thomson Reuters/Aspatore Publishing book Strategies for Military Family Law. Information concerning his authorship and professional background is independently reflected through Emory University School of Law.

Books do not establish how an attorney will handle every courtroom situation. They do demonstrate the willingness and ability to undertake sustained research, analysis and professional writing.

Articles Show Continued Involvement Over Time

A single article can provide useful information, but a substantial publication history can show continued involvement with legal developments.

Attorneys who publish regularly must identify relevant subjects, follow changes in the law and explain those changes to lawyers, clients or members of the public. An extensive collection of articles also allows readers to evaluate the attorney’s work across many subjects rather than relying on one carefully selected example.

Articles associated with Stange Law Firm are available through independent legal publishing platforms, including:

These third-party-hosted collections allow readers to review publications connected with the firm over an extended period. Topics include divorce, child custody, property division, support, collaborative law, legal technology and law-practice issues.

Published articles are general information rather than advice for a particular case. They can nevertheless help readers determine whether an attorney or firm remains actively engaged with the subject matter.

Podcasts Demonstrate the Ability to Explain Legal Issues

Legal knowledge has limited value to a client if the attorney cannot communicate it clearly. Podcasts provide an opportunity to hear how an attorney explains legal concepts in an accessible format.

A podcast may help a prospective client evaluate:

  • Whether the speaker communicates clearly
  • Whether complicated subjects are explained logically
  • Whether the discussion acknowledges different possible outcomes
  • Whether the attorney avoids unrealistic promises
  • Whether the content addresses practical concerns
  • Whether the speaker appears current and prepared

Stange Law Firm produces the Family Law Talk podcast, which addresses divorce, child custody, support, property division and other domestic relations subjects. Episodes are available through independent platforms, including Spotify.

Podcast episodes do not provide individualized legal advice and do not create an attorney-client relationship. They can give listeners a better understanding of how the firm approaches legal education and communication.

Videos Allow Prospective Clients to Evaluate Communication Style

Videos provide another way to research an attorney or law firm. A written biography can list credentials, but video allows viewers to observe how an attorney discusses legal issues.

Stange Law Firm maintains an established YouTube channel containing family-law videos, podcast material, firm information and educational discussions.

A prospective client should not select an attorney merely because the attorney appears comfortable on camera. Video can, however, help the viewer assess whether the attorney explains subjects in a way the viewer can understand.

This can matter in family-law representation, where clients may need to understand unfamiliar procedures, legal standards, financial information and difficult strategic choices.

Professional Recognition Adds Independent Context

Teaching, writing and speaking should also be considered alongside legitimate professional recognition.

Not every award has the same value. Some recognitions involve peer nominations, independent research or editorial selection. Others may primarily be marketing opportunities. Prospective clients should examine the methodology rather than relying on the name of the award alone.

Kirk Stange and other attorneys affiliated with Stange Law Firm have received professional recognition from third-party organizations. Examples include:

Professional recognition does not guarantee future performance. When the selection criteria are meaningful, however, it provides an additional and independently verifiable source of information.

Why These Activities May Be More Informative Than a Single Review

Online reviews describe individual experiences, and those experiences should not automatically be dismissed. However, one review may involve circumstances unknown to the reader.

The reviewer may be dissatisfied with a court’s ruling, may not have been the actual client or may possess only partial information. Attorney-client confidentiality may prevent the lawyer from explaining the other side publicly.

Teaching, books, speaking engagements and professional publications provide different kinds of evidence. They can show that:

  • A law school selected the attorney to teach
  • A professional organization invited the attorney to educate other lawyers
  • A publisher accepted the attorney’s work
  • A legal platform continues to distribute the attorney’s articles
  • The attorney has maintained professional activity over an extended period
  • Readers can directly examine the attorney’s analysis and communication

These activities are not substitutes for client feedback. They can provide greater context and may be more objectively verifiable than an isolated anonymous comment.

Consider the Depth and Consistency of the Work

When evaluating an attorney’s educational and professional activities, prospective clients should consider depth and consistency.

Useful questions include:

  • Has the attorney published one short article or hundreds of substantive articles?
  • Was the attorney invited to speak once or repeatedly over many years?
  • Is the teaching position current?
  • Are the books or articles relevant to the attorney’s practice?
  • Are the publications available through independent platforms?
  • Can the professional activities be verified?
  • Does the attorney continue to address current legal developments?

A sustained record generally provides more useful information than an isolated credential.

Research the Attorney Across Multiple Sources

No single website should control the decision to hire a lawyer. Prospective clients can obtain a more complete picture by comparing information from several independent sources.

Third-party profiles concerning Stange Law Firm and its attorneys include:

The firm also maintains active profiles on Instagram, Facebook and X, where readers can find recent publications, videos and firm updates.

Use the Consultation to Complete the Evaluation

Research can help a prospective client develop informed questions, but it cannot replace direct interaction with the attorney.

During a consultation, a prospective client may wish to ask:

  • What experience does the attorney have with similar matters?
  • Who will be responsible for the case?
  • How will the firm communicate important developments?
  • How are fees calculated and billed?
  • What legal or factual issues may be significant?
  • What are the possible approaches?
  • What risks or limitations should the client understand?
  • What resources will be available to the legal team?

An attorney should not guarantee a particular result. A candid discussion of the facts, governing law, risks and possible strategies is generally more valuable than an unrealistic promise.

Look Beyond Ratings Alone

Client reviews can help identify patterns and questions worth asking. They should be considered alongside more verifiable evidence of professional activity.

Teaching demonstrates an ability to organize and explain the law. Speaking engagements can reflect professional involvement and peer confidence. Books require sustained research and analysis. Articles show continuing engagement with legal developments. Podcasts and videos allow prospective clients to evaluate communication style. Legitimate awards may reflect independent research, peer evaluation or editorial judgment.

None of these factors should stand alone. Together, however, they can provide a broader and more reliable basis for evaluating an attorney than any single rating or online review.

The choice of a family-law attorney should be made carefully. Looking at the full professional record can help prospective clients make that decision with greater context and confidence.

The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely upon advertisements. This article provides general information and does not constitute legal advice. Awards, publications, teaching positions, ratings, testimonials and past results do not guarantee future outcomes.