Heather M. Bachman and Morgan Hybner

Divorce can be hard, but it doesn’t have to be messy. According to Heather M. Bachman and Morgan Hybner, attorneys at The Adams Law Firm, clients can retain a sense of control by deciding how to divide the most precious parts of their marriage with their former spouse. In contrast to those who choose to appear in court, new models of divorce also give parents peace of mind by shielding children from witnessing parental antagonism, proving to be far more efficient to those able to cooperate through attorneys.

“Family law can be very emotional and stressful, but there is a way to get through the process and take control of it without going in front of a judge,” said Heather M. Bachman. As a board certified family law lawyer with almost 20 years of family law litigation experience, Bachman advocates for her clients to consider creative solutions in divorce agreements in order to avoid costly litigation.

Attorney Morgan Hybner added, “When you go in front of a judge, you have a limited amount of time to explain an entire marriage. You are putting your life in the hands of someone who has a limited time to get to know you and know your family, but yet is going to make decisions that impact your everyday life.”

Choose Your Fighter

From her earliest days in college, Bachman was drawn in by the study of how law impacts everyday life. Her college studies focused on how components of the criminal justice system affect juveniles and people with mental health issues. Earning her JD from Texas Southern University’s Thurgood Marshall School of Law in 2004, her focus shifted to corporate law and family law. This helped her understand how an everyday person’s interactions with the legal system can leave lasting impressions.

“Most parents do want to find a way to keep their cases out of the courtroom and find a way to co-parent for the benefit of their children,” she said. The attorney also helps her clients make difficult decisions on how to divide complex property holdings, housing, and stock options, among other important assets, during the divorce process.

In contrast, Hybner recalls a much earlier spark of interest in the law. “When I was seven years old watching The Little Mermaid, I was greatly offended at Ursula and the contract . I was livid. I thought that was completely unfair,” said Hybner. The young girl complained to her mother about the cartoon injustice and was told that a lawyer could have helped Princess Ariel. “That’s what your grandfather does,” said Hybner’s mother.

As a sixth-generation Texan, born, raised, and educated at the University of Houston and South Texas College of Law, Hybner understands Texans and stands up for the rights of each client. Hybner practiced law under her own name for six years, often working as an Amicus attorney to represent the interest of children, but joined The Adams Law Firm to focus on being a lawyer instead of the many hats a small business owner wears.

In 2015, Hybner earned entrance into a prestigious Children’s Commission training program through the Supreme Court of Texas’ Permanent Judicial Commission for Children to hone her skills advocating for children and parents, especially where Child Protective Services is involved. She recommends taking full advantage of the right to decide how parental responsibilities will be split. With past work in a CPA firm completed before embarking on her law school journey, she is also versed in many of the ins and outs of the financial world and is able to recognize areas where greater analysis would benefit her client.

Better, Faster Divorce

Bachman and Hybner have been with The Adams Law Firm for ten and six years, respectively. Hybner told us that the law firm thrives by collaborating and mining each attorney’s expertise for each client. 

“Be open and honest with the attorneys you meet with, and let them guide you,” said Bachman. Mediation makes it possible to arrange custom visitation schedules accounting for work in fields with varied schedules such as medicine, the airline industry, and first responders. The ability to maximize time with each parent is understood as a priority in these arrangements. Parents can also design their own visitation schedule through the collaborative law process. Bachman called it, “ … a unique process which allows the parties and their attorneys to work together, sometimes with mental health professionals and financial neutrals in settlement conferences to resolve issues without stepping foot into court.”

Both divorce settlements and modifications can be put into effect without going into court, the attorneys explained. On the other hand, divorcing spouses might find themselves tied up in the court system for a year or longer when they choose to stand in front of a judge. Not only do courts slow to a close during summertime and during the holidays, they are often overburdened to begin with. Harris County, said Hybner, is currently studying the issue to determine how many courts are necessary, but until then, settling through creative mediation very well might be the most expedient route for all involved. Thanks to new routes to custom plans agreed to by both parties, contentious divorces are becoming a thing of the past.