“Bare-Knuckle Negotiation: Savvy Tips and True Stories from the Master of Give-and-Take” by Raoul Felder. John Wiley & Sons, 2004.

When we hear about divorce cases involving high-profile couples in the entertainment, political or business world, odds are high that Raoul Felder, arguably America’s best-known matrimonial lawyer, has been retained by one of the parties. He has represented the spouses of Rudy Giuliani, Johnny Carson, Martin Scorsese and Liza Minelli, as well as countless rich and famous individuals from all over the world.

Felder has probably seen just about everything during his professional career, and Bare-Knuckle Negotiation offers an unbeatable combinaion of ready-to-use advice and revealing anecdotes about those high-profile clients.

The lessons that can be learned from the “master of give-and take” are applicable to many situations beyond the courtroom. Most of us have come to the realization that it’s impossible to get everything we want, but it is possible to get quite a bit of it by incorporating some of Mr. Felder’s strategies into your game plan.

There is an art to keeping discussions moving along in the right direction; however, it’s often effective to use a well-timed distraction to interrupt your opponent’s train of thought. You’ll find out how information about your opponent’s personal interests, idiosyncrasies and health can be used to your advantage — although you might not want to go as far as Felder did when he kept food from a recalcitrant and diabetic opponent until he caved in.