Building a business from scratch, Relationship Property Lawyer Sarah Moon has mastered the fine art of balancing a great career with a wonderful life. As the director of Clean Break, Sarah talks to Nelson Magazine about helping couples navigate the ‘next step’ when their relationship breaks down.
What inspired you to open your own firm?
I have never viewed divorce as something to be ashamed of. I think this might be because my parents’ divorce when I was 12 was the best thing that could have happened to my family. They both became happier, and family life was more peaceful once we had sorted the initial hiccups out.
After university, I worked in large firms on huge commercial disputes. While I loved the challenges, and the high quality of work that was expected, I started to struggle with whether I was helping people – or just making rich businesses even richer. When I began working for a smaller local firm, relationship property was part of the work I was asked to do. I never expected to enjoy it. Luckily for me, the work immediately felt like what I had been searching for! People’s relationships and their money are so important – and it is such a privilege to be invited into my client’s lives for those discussions. The decision to start my own law firm came easily after realising that I wanted to do more for my clients than I could in a commercial law firm environment.
Can you share the story behind the name?
I wanted my law firm to feel modern, optimistic and approachable. It also needed to be an obvious link to what I did. I used a business name generator – madly inserting legal concepts, my personal values, and the vision I have for my clients’ separations. Clean Break ended up being the clear winner.
While I’m a strong advocate for my clients, showing respect to everyone involved in a separation is very important for me. Separations are inherently traumatic, and as lawyers we can make things worse or easier. I want to make sure that my clients can look back on their separation with dignity.
For couples navigating separation, what proactive steps can they take to ensure a smoother process?
The most proactive step a couple can take is to negotiate a fair and reasonable division and process while they are madly in love. That should then be written up through lawyers (missing this step gets you into a very yucky situation should you ever separate). If a couple is separating without one of these agreements, I suggest they sign up to my free newsletter on my website ASAP as I have some great resources to share with them. Having access to great information is vital for a separation that is as smooth and amicable as possible.
