Though they make a living pulling the plug on relationships -- capitalizing on the broken-hearted -- divorce lawyers may surprise you with their penchant for matchmaking. Years of dealing with marital misfortune may have trained them to maintain strict composure and a degree of aloofness when they're dealing with clients, but their experience by no means has deadened their fervor for romance. Be forewarned, once you're added to their Rolodex along with their cache of soon-to-be or newly minted singles, you're more than a client or a colleague -- you're another match to be made.

Divorce lawyers see relationships at their worst, and they have every reason (on top of amassed anecdotal and case evidence) to predict when a marriage will fail. They're the first to dissuade you from trading rings and vows if they've noticed any glint of trouble in the forecast. And when clients trod into their offices with sagging faces and empty eyes, murmuring, "I think we can try to make this work," lawyers are quick to reply, "No, I don't think so."

Even so, divorce attorneys find some positives in their profession. Notwithstanding their clients' pending court dates, they're pegging their next dinner dates, too. Attorney Sharyn T. Sooho fixed a client up with a colleague nearly 15 years ago. Her colleague, Tom, recounts their first date: "We're at dinner, and who shows up? Sharyn! She said she just happened to be passing by." Tom, who often chides Sooho for her benevolent meddling, may not voluntarily admit to the success of Sooho's set-up, but he has been dating Sooho's former client ever since. With a little encouragement, he inevitably concedes, "It was a good match."

Sooho says she's not alone. With file cabinets crammed with names and profiles of divorcees, plenty of divorce lawyers simply aim to put their resources to good use. Sooho also introduced a client to the ex-husband of another friend years ago, and the two remain happily married. She even offers her services for short-term stints, such as the time a client needed a one-time date for a dinner party. Sooho thumbed through her eggshell-colored address cards, starting with the A's, then the B's, then the C's. After the G's, she had tagged five eligible bachelors, who she soon called and propositioned. In short time, each man contacted Sooho's client, met the lovely woman in need of a date, and, in turn, poured over the woman and pawed Sooho for secrets to her client's affection. Sooho's client was also smitten with the men, but only one in particular, leaving the others dismayed. At that point, Sooho in fact had to put a stop to the love-struck persistence of one of the losing bachelors. Knowing all too well which couples don't match provides a sturdy platform for choosing which ones will.

Don't misunderstand your lawyer. Divorce may be her career, but love still weakens her knees.

Thanks to: Alexandra Vaughn, Legal Assistant, Law Offices of Sharyn T. Sooho