Since the Million Dollar Family Law Council was founded, membership has been based upon strict and objective standards. Each applicant is required to complete an application verifying that he or she has acted as principal attorney in one or more family law cases where there were over one million dollars in assets at stake. In addition, applicants who have had disciplinary action sustained against them by their state bar association do not qualify.
Applicants must certify as members of the bar that the information contained in their application is true. Any false statement of a material fact in the application may be construed as an attempt by the applicant to hold himself or herself out as possessing qualifications which he or she does not have and, as such, may constitute professional misconduct.
Each application is reviewed carefully by an experienced lawyer. Additional or supporting information may be required.
Review of a membership application is typically completed within ten days, unless additional or supporting information is required. However, review may take up to four weeks. If approved for membership, an email notification is sent to the new member and the member may then hold himself or herself out as a member in any manner (including use of logos and trademarks) consistent with our terms of use and the rules of professional conduct applicable in their state. Soon thereafter, a certificate of membership will be mailed to the new member, together with a press release announcing membership. The press release is sent directly to the member for distribution at the member’s discretion.
Mandatory qualifications are as follows:
- Applicant must be a current member of the bar in good standing and may never have had disciplinary action sustained against them by their state bar association.
- Applicant must have acted as principal counsel in one or more of the
following:
- A trial in which there was over one million dollars in assets at stake. Summary adjudication or default proceedings do not qualify. The case must be final and not subject to appeal.
- A binding arbitration proceeding in which over one million dollars in assets were at stake.
- Negotiation of a final settlement in which over one million dollars in assets were at stake.
- Applicants must provide adequate information about the case to allow for verification.
Clarification Regarding Case Qualification
Confidential Settlements. Qualifying settlements may be subject to confidentiality provisions. In such cases, the applicants may provide a general description of the case, certifying as a member of the bar that the description is true. Such description must include sufficient information (to the extent allowed by the terms of the settlement) as to case identity, jurisdiction and terms to identify a specific case, even if not by name. We will not divulge confidential information absent a legal obligation to do so.
Principal Attorney. The term “principal attorney” is intended to include the one or more attorneys who were primarily in charge of and responsible for the preparation, management, settlement and trial of a qualifying case.
Final Judgment. If the qualifying case was a jury trial verdict or court decision, there must have been entry of a final judgment. The judgment must be: 1) entered; and 2) no longer subject to change. The judgment is not “final” for purposes of qualification if it is subject to post-trial motions or appeal. A judgment reversed on appeal does not qualify.
Costs, Interests & Fees as Part of Judgment. A judgment will qualify if the amount entered as the final judgment, or the amount actually paid, is One Million dollars or more including costs, interests and fees.