# Lawyer-client relationship in divorce proceedings: development and validation of a new instrument

## TL;DR

This paper introduces a new tool to assess lawyer-client relationships in divorce cases, showing it is reliable and linked to parents' well-being.

## Contribution

The study develops and validates a novel instrument for evaluating lawyer-client relationships in family law contexts.

## Key findings

- The 12-item LCR scale has a two-dimensional structure and strong psychometric properties.
- The instrument is invariant for both mothers and fathers, indicating fairness in measurement.
- The LCR scale correlates with parents' psychological well-being, suggesting practical relevance.

## Abstract

This study is based on the paradigm of collaborative law and the current absence of instruments that evaluate the lawyer-client relationship as a function of the needs of the family system. The objective was to construct and validate an instrument, conceptualizing the lawyer-client relationship as a helping relationship.

Two groups of experts and 239 parents (58% mothers and 42% fathers), users of Family Visitation Centers, participated in the study. The content, construct, and criterion validity of the instrument, as well as its invariance for both parents, were analyzed.

The resulting 12-item instrument has been shown to have a two-dimensional structure, invariant for both parents, with high psychometric solidity.

The LCR scale seems to be a valuable and effective measure for use in a legal context, with important correlations with the parents’ psychological well-being, leading to a promising and relevant instrument for the holistic approach to the divorce process.