Is it immoral to work at a divorce law firm?

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Gelatto

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I’ve been looking for legal jobs, and I don’t normally care for divorce law, but I found a small, conveniently-located firm run by two delightful female attorneys who I’m considering working with.

I agree with the traditional Catholic teaching of marriage and its obvious rejection of divorce. However, I’m feeling indifferent to secular divorce, mainly because I don’t think I should force Catholic standards on non-Catholics (and other Catholics for that matter.)

Would it be immoral to involve myself with this firm?
 
Pope John Paul II had this to say on the matter of lawyers working divorce cases:

“They [lawyers, etc.] can only collaborate in an action of this kind when, in keeping with the client’s intentions, it is not directed to the rupture of marriage, but to other legitimate effects, which can only be attained by a specific juridical ruling through the judicial avenue”

(Seemingly in line with CCC 2383: “if civil divorce remains the only possible way of ensuring certain legal rights, the care of children, or the protection of inheritance, it can be tolerated and does not constitute a moral offense”)

https://www.ewtn.com/library/Marriage/ZROTA.HTM

I’m not sure whether one could morally work at a divorce law firm in other roles. I would think contributing in some way (either directly or more behind the scenes) to the facilitation of immoral divorces wouldn’t be permitted. But as to the specifics of your situation, that might be something to discuss with your priest.
 
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Gelatto said:
However, I’m feeling indifferent to secular divorce, mainly because I don’t think I should force Catholic standards on non-Catholics (and other Catholics for that matter.)
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God’s plan for and laws regarding marriage are for all people, not just Catholics.

The Church does not teach that separation including legal divorce is an intrinsic evil. There are situations where it is allowable. Others where it is an offense against marriage.
Gelatto said:
Would it be immoral to involve myself with this firm?
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Some individual cases might not be appropriate to be involved in, but we can’t make blanket statements about a firm or an entire branch of the law.
 
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Fascinating question. As far as I know although we don’t believe in divorce, Protestants do - would it matter whether the clients were mostly Protestant or non-Christian?
 
Even if it’s moral, it will taint you. I would try real estate law and help people buy houses without the real estate agent’s fee. Then you’d really be doing something wonderful for society.
 
If you yourself wouldn’t divorce for purely selfish/immoral reasons why would you want any part in helping other people destroy their families for selfish/immoral reasons(which the vast majority of divorces are for)?
 
So you are saying that it might be immoral for someone to work for a law firm that handles divorces (very few law firms only do divorces. Most do a wide variety of matters) even if they arent directly involved? I am talking about clerks, secretaries, book keepers, receptionists etc. People who just do their job but dont call the shots? That is like saying a guy who works at CVS or a drugstore is immoral for working somewhere they dispense birth control or sell condoms. Most jobs require dealing with the world, and most employees have little choice about everything their employer does but can act in a moral manner. What if you work for a building management company that rents to unmarried couples? But you are just the book keeper or secretary? Is that a sin? What about working at a liquor store and selling a bottle to the same habitual drinker on an almost daily basis?
 
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I don’t know, for that one would have to employ principles of cooperation with evil (formal vs. material, proximate vs. remote), which I am not exactly an expert on. As you say one could find a connection to immoral activity with practically everything, but the Church does not teach that we are held culpable for remote material cooperation with evil. I’m not sure how far cooperation of this sort extends in a situation like this; I would consult a trusted priest if I were faced with something like it.

Being associated with a place where immoral behaviour occurs doesn’t necessarily imply sin on my part, but some levels of involvement (and not only formal cooperation) would be immoral. I at least wouldn’t take it upon myself to say that being involved with an immoral divorce case is fine without getting an expert opinion.
 
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Could be…I’d talk to a solid, good priest, VERSED in these matters.
 
What if you are not representing, advising or directly consulting with the client? What if the client is a rapist or murderer? Lets say you just typed or answered phones or did IT work for a law firm that handled some divorce cases? Btw, From what i understand, it is immoral for a Catholic lawyer themself to encourage divorces or make people think divorce is good. But a Catholic lawyer can represent a party in order to protect their rights in good conscience. This is material cooperation. Encouraging divorce is formal cooperation. But with office staff you have remote cooperation and they just manage the office and their work is done to assist the lawyers directly. Their work is done for the lawyer, who works for the client. The staff only indirectly works for the clients, divorce or non divorce, criminal or not, etc.
 
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It is selfish if the unfaithful spouse is getting divorced to break free from their marriage to be with their lover. It is selfish if the “domestic violence” is emotional which the vast majority of marriages-lasting or unlasting-can suffer from.
 
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And infidelity is actually not a valid reason for an annulment(unless it took place before the marriage), so unless the Catholic lawyer represented the spouse who was cheated on who HAD to get a civil divorce because his/her spouse was determined to live a new life cheating with their new lover, it would be immoral to represent a spouse otherwise. Definitely immoral to represent the spouse who was unfaithful.
 
I’ve been married a few times, sadly, and I can tell you-it’s not a good idea. Part of the reason people don’t get divorced is that they don’t know what it’s like and how to do it. If you find out how easy it is to get divorced (strictly from a legal standpoint) you might be more likely to personally get one.
 
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