By Gobind Singh Grewal ( March 23, 2026, 2:37 PM EDT) -- Most family lawyers have used a joint expert at some point. Fewer have a clear sense of when joint retainers advance a file and when they create more problems than they solve. The difference matters. A well-managed joint retainer saves money, narrows issues and moves files toward settlement. A poorly managed one generates motion after motion, escalates costs and poisons settlement prospects....