After forty years as a practicing attorney and litigator, my practice is now limited to Mediation and Guardian ad Litem. I am a Certified Family Mediator. I am a Certified Guardian ad Litem. I am trained in Collaborative Family Law. My experience in Family Law, Mental Health law, Business, Tax, and Criminal law, informs my work as a Guardian ad Litem and Family Law Mediator.

I have represented people with issues that arise in the beginning of a legal domestic relationship, such as prenuptial agreements, paternity, stepparent adoption, and grandparent and extended family custody. And, I represented people with issues that arise as a relationship ends, such as divorce, equitable distribution, child custody and timesharing, child support, alimony, and domestic violence. Read More

Mediation

Mediation is a confidential, informal and non-adversarial process with the objective of helping people in conflict to reach a mutually acceptable and voluntary agreement. Read More

Collaborative Family Law

Collaborative practice is an alternative approach to the traditional model of litigation. The parties, each represented by their own collaboratively trained attorney, commit to settlement without litigation by engaging in structured conferences to reach a settlement, often assisted by a neutral mental health professional and a neutral financial professional. Read More

Child Advocacy

A Guardian ad Litem is a court-appointed child advocate who speaks for the child in contested cases.  The GAL is trained to investigate the claims and make objective recommendations to the court based on the child’s best interests.  An Attorney ad Litem is a lawyer appointed by the Court to represent the child’s legal rights, such as issues involving the release of a child’s confidential records. Read More

Mental Health Issues

I have represented people involved in proceedings under the Hal S. Marchman Act for assessment and treatment of a person allegedly abusing substances like drugs or alcohol. The Florida Mental Health Act known as the “Baker Act” provides for involuntary detention of people for mental health assessment and treatment. I also served as a Guardian Advocate for people involuntarily committed for mental health services.  A Guardian Advocate is a court appointed volunteer tasked with reviewing and consenting to medical or mental health treatment. Read More

I am a Certified Family Mediator.  I am a certified Guardian ad Litem.  I am trained in Collaborative Family Law.  Additionally, my experience in the full range of Family Law, and former practice in mental health law, business, tax, and criminal law, informs my work as a Guardian ad Litem and Mediator. Family Law I have represented people with issues that arise in the beginning of a legal domestic relationship, such as prenuptial agreements, paternity, stepparent adoption, and grandparent and extended family custody. And, I represented people with issues that arise as a relationship ends, such as divorce, equitable distribution, child custody and timesharing, child support, alimony, and domestic violence. Read More

Mediation

Mediation is a confidential, informal and non-adversarial process with the objective of helping people in conflict to reach a mutually acceptable and voluntary agreement. Read More

Collaborative Family Law

Collaborative practice is an alternative approach to the traditional model of litigation. The parties, each represented by their own collaboratively trained attorney, commit to settlement without litigation by engaging in structured conferences to reach a settlement, often assisted by a neutral mental health professional and a neutral financial professional. Read More

Child Advocacy

A Guardian ad Litem is a court-appointed child advocate who speaks for the child in contested cases.  The GAL is trained to investigate the claims and make objective recommendations to the court based on the child’s best interests.  An Attorney ad Litem is a lawyer appointed by the Court to represent the child’s legal rights, such as issues involving the release of a child’s confidential records. Read More

Mental Health Issues

I have represented people involved in proceedings under the Hal S. Marchman Act for assessment and treatment of a person allegedly abusing substances like drugs or alcohol. The Florida Mental Health Act known as the “Baker Act” provides for involuntary detention of people for mental health assessment and treatment. I also served as a Guardian Advocate for people involuntarily committed for mental health services.  A Guardian Advocate is a court appointed volunteer tasked with reviewing and consenting to medical or mental health treatment. Read More