Ep. 37: Do You Really Need a Divorce Lawyer — Or Can You DIY It?
Today's conversation with family law attorney and Hello Divorce CEO Erin Levine unpacks the three things that make divorce so hard — cost, conflict, and confusion — and why handling parts of it yourself may protect you more than lawyering up.In this episode:The 3 problems Erin built Hello Divorce to solve — cost, conflict, and confusion — and why the legal forms themselves set up a fight before anyone's done anything wrongWhy the win-at-all-costs mentality fails the people it's meant to serve — $10,000 in legal fees to litigate an extra $100 a month, and an amicable relationship ruined to get itWhy fear is the dominant emotion in divorce — and the question Erin asks instead: what do I need, what would I like, and what can I let go?Why roughly 3/4 of divorce cases involve at least one spouse without a lawyer — and how the 3 universal steps (petition, financials, agreement) let you hire a lawyer in pieces instead of handing over the whole thing on retainerWhere AI falls short on divorce — those conversations aren't privileged, and a general-purpose tool can't keep up with rules that vary county by county and often change without being published"We're optimizing for the future, not this moment" — why the urge to grab control and speed things up is usually the thing that costs you controlAbout Erin Levine:Erin Levine is a family law attorney turned legal tech founder. She spent 20+ years as an attorney, law firm owner, mediator, and private judge before founding Hello Divorce, the top-rated online platform that blends legal technology, financial guidance, and emotional support so people can divorce with clarity, confidence, and control.Erin's work has been featured in Fast Company, Forbes, Bloomberg, TechCrunch, The Washington Post, and How I Built This. She is an ABA Legal Rebel, a Fast Company Most Innovative Company honoree (#6, Social Impact), a Super Lawyer (2014 to 2026), and sits on the founding board of the Justice Technology Association.Connect with Erin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/erinlevine/About Hello Divorce:Hello Divorce is the only female lawyer-founded, fully automated divorce platform in its category. Through guided technology and on-demand experts (attorneys, mediators, financial advisors, divorce coaches, and real estate specialists), Hello Divorce serves the missing middle: families who don't qualify for legal aid but can't afford full-service attorneys. The company covers 250,000+ employee lives through direct-to-consumer and employer benefits channels.Learn more: https://hellodivorce.com/Book a free 15-minute planning call: https://hellodivorce.com/schedule-call?hsCtaAttrib=205582133787Follow Hello Divorce on Instagram and TikTok: @HelloDivorceEpisode-Specific Notes:Erin Levine is a licensed attorney, but nothing in this episode is legal advice or creates an attorney-client relationship. Divorce rules vary significantly by state and county — confirm anything you plan to act on with a professional licensed in your jurisdiction.One caution worth repeating from the episode: conversations with ChatGPT and other general AI tools are not privileged. Unlike what you tell your attorney, they can potentially be discovered or subpoenaed in your case. Be thoughtful about what you share.About "The D. Tales with Allison Kahler":The D. Tales blends real divorce stories with grounded expert insight — helping you find clarity and courage to move forward on your own terms.Follow The D. Tales wherever you listen to podcasts.Follow along on Instagram: @thedtalespodcastLearn more at https://thedtalespodcast.comThis podcast is for informational and educational purposes only and is not a substitute for legal, medical, mental health, or financial advice.