The speaker, a divorce attorney and mother of four children, shares her personal experiences and professional observations about fatherhood. She describes how she and her father, who runs the business side of her law firm, have represented over 2,000 men in divorce and custody battles. She shares personal stories about her children, who come from two different mothers and three different fathers.
The speaker emphasizes the importance of fathers in their children's lives, citing research that shows children with involved fathers have stronger cognitive and motor skills, elevated physical and mental health, and are more confident, curious, and empathetic. She highlights the significant role of fathers in child development, noting that children from fatherless homes account for 90% of all homeless and runaway kids, 71% of high school dropouts, and 63% of youth suicides.
The speaker also discusses the challenges faced by fathers in family court, particularly in custody rulings and paternity laws. She notes that it's illegal to remove a child from their father once custody has been ordered, but it's perfectly legal for a woman to conceal her pregnancy, leave the father's name off the birth certificate, and never tell him he has a child. She calls for reform of paternity laws to protect children born out of wedlock and for society to recognize and value the role of fathers in their children's lives.
Finally, the speaker asks the audience to stand if they have grown up without a father, are raising a child without a father, or are a father who's been separated from their child. She urges everyone to help the remaining 17 million fatherless children avoid the fate of the 1,000 who were murdered last year, the 3,000 who died from drugs, the 3,200 who committed suicide, and the 14,000 who were incarcerated.
1. The speaker is a divorce attorney who practices men's rights, specifically representing men in divorce and custody battles. She has been practicing for over 20 years, beginning in Los Angeles but owning her firm in Nevada since 2001 [Document(page_content='00:02:08.99: I\'ve been practicing for over 20 years.\n00:02:11.72: I began in Los Angeles,\n00:02:12.89: but I\'ve owned my firm\nin Nevada since 2001.\n00:02:16.12: My firm has a particular sub-specialty:\n00:02:19.29: men\'s rights.\n00:02:20.83: My nine female employees and I\n00:02:22.80: specifically represent men\nin divorce and custody battles.\n00:02:26.59: And guess who runs\nthe business end of my law firm?\n00:02:29.53: My father.\n00:02:30.79: (Laughter)\n00:02:32.91: In my practice,\n00:02:33.91: we\'ve represented over 2,000 men,\n00:02:36.39: 650 of whom are fathers.\n00:02:39.63: My expertise not only comes from my career\n00:02:42.19: but just as much from my personal life.\n00:02:44.85: I\'m a mother.\n00:02:46.06: My children are 23, 15, 12, and barely 3.\n00:02:50.81: They come from two different mothers\nand three different fathers.\n00:02:53.87: Hooker!\n00:02:54.90: Let me explain.\n00:02:56.02: (Laughter)\n00:02:57.73: Let me explain.\n00:02:59.69: I helped my ex-husband\nraise our 23-year-old son,\nwhom I didn\'t birth,\nfrom age 5.\n00:03:02.20: I share custody of my 15-year-old daughter\nwith the same father.\n00:03:04.37: My 12-year-old son\nsadly lost his father to suicide\nwhen he was just 7.\n00:03:08.02: My 12-year-old son\nsadly lost his father to suicide\nwhen he was just 7.\n00:03:10.92: And my 3-year-old\nis being raised at home\nwith his father and me.\n00:03:12.56: I literally live my work every day!\n00:03:14.66: So, what has 20 years\nof representing men in family law\n00:03:19.18: (Laughter)\n00:03:20.38: So, what has 20 years\nof representing men in family law\n00:03:24.89: while living my own reality show\nas a wife, mother, and daughter', metadata={})].
2. The speaker's firm represents men in divorce and custody battles, with her father running the business end of it. In her practice, they've represented over 2,000 men, 650 of whom are fathers [Document(page_content='00:02:32.91: In my practice,\n00:02:33.91: we\'ve represented over 2,000 men,\n00:02:36.39: 650 of whom are fathers.\n00:02:39.63: My expert