Divorce, Gosselin style, for 'Jon & Kate'

(CNN) -- They say that breaking up is hard to do, especially when millions of eyes are there to witness every caustic comment and verbal volley.

Kate and Jon Gosselin are going through a very public and contentious divorce.

No one knows that better than Jon and Kate Gosselin, whose divorce is playing out on a world stage, complete with tabloid covers, he-said-she-said television appearances and court orders.

Such public spats can do a great deal of harm, said divorce attorney Randall M. Kessler, who's handled several celebrity cases.

"I just gave a presentation where I said, 'When can press hurt you? It's when clients start talking,'" Kessler said. "The hard thing for [famous people] to do is to not speak out, because they are so used to everything they say being quoted and helping them, but this is the opposite. Talking about a divorce is never good."

The Gosselins join a growing list of celebrities whose marital woes have been well-documented by the media and paparazzi. 

Kessler has represented quite a few clients involved in celebrity divorce cases, including Tameka Foster Raymond (who is in the midst of a divorce with superstar singer Usher) and rapper Mack 10 (ex-husband of TLC member Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins), as well as some high-profile paternity and child support lawsuits.

Celebrities often want to protect their reputations and the wrong sound bite can ruin that, Kessler said. Yet, at the same time, it can be difficult for the famous to take direction, he said.

"They are so used to being in charge of their own destiny and being able to decide what's best for them that it's very hard for them to listen to attorneys, accountants or anyone that is trying to advise them," Kessler said.