Top Best Family Lawyers | 14866 Available

As an attorney, the highest compliment I can earn is my client's trust and confidence.  In  that regard, I pledge my very best to each client  I represent.

After graduating from Cleveland Marshall College of Law and Cleveland State University with degrees in both public administration and law, Ingrid began her legal career as an Assistant State Attorney with the Miami-Dade County State Attorney’s Office where she worked her way from a county prosecutor to an “A” level felony prosecutor handling all aspects of the prosecution of the cases. During her tenure at the State Attorney’s Office, she tried over 25 jury trials and a wide array of bench trials.. In 2001, Ms. Hooglander worked as a Staff Attorney for Circuit Criminal and Circuit Civil Judges preparing judicial orders on all litigation motions. Thereafter, she moved into private practice and has held the position of In-House Counsel for two privately-owned companies handling various employment law, Human Resources, and general business issues. Ingrid has managed a diversified caseload involving insurance defense, landlord-tenant, business and corporate litigation, employment and labor law, family law, healthcare law, contracts and contract review, social security/disability, and criminal law.. In addition to her legal work, Ms. Hooglander is also an accomplished college professor at the following institutions: the University of Phoenix, Kaplan University, Hillsborough Community College,  and Saint Leo University in the areas of Business Administration, Criminal Justice, and Paralegal Studies.. Ingrid is also very involved in the Brandon, Florida community where she currently resides.  She is a an active member of the Brandon Chamber of Commerce,  a graduate of the Leadership Brandon Program and currently serves as Co-Chair of the Leadership Brandon Committee.  Additionally, Ms. Hooglander is a member of the Young Professionals of Brandon.

Vanessa Bevington has been practicing law since 2006. She emulates the personality and philosophy of the firm through her tenacious protection of her clients’ rights and the personal care she provides in each case. She is respected throughout the legal community as a skilled litigator and tough negotiator on her clients’ behalf.. Selected to Super Lawyers 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022 Rising Star lists

Victoria Vilchez is the owner and managing attorney for Victoria Vilchez, P.A. She has focused her practice primarily on family and juvenile matters.. Ms. Vilchez is a native of Florida who received her B.A. degree from Florida State University and her J.D. from Mercer University. She is admitted to practice in the State of Florida, as well as the Southern and Middle Districts of Florida. She is also a Supreme Court Certified Circuit Civil and Family Mediator.. Ms. Vilchez is active in the community, having served on the Board of Directors of the Palm Glades Girl Scout Council and Gratitude House. She has been extremely active in legal organizations such as the Palm Beach County Bar Association, serving as founder and chairperson of the Juvenile Practice Committee, as well as having served on the Family Law, Judicial Relations, Criminal Practice, Professionalism, Special Needs of Children and Quality of Life committees. She has been a board member of the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County for over ten years, serving as President from 2001-2003. She is also a past president of both the Palm Beach County Chapter of the Florida Association for Women Lawyers and the Palm Beach County Hispanic Bar Association.. Ms. Vilchez is fluent in Spanish.

“You’d make a great attorney. You love to argue!” People told me this my whole life but it’s not arguing that I love, it’s advocating for others. As a native New Yorker navigating conflict is second nature but it takes more than a strong desire to speak for those who wouldn’t otherwise be heard. I began sharpening my advocacy skills as an undergraduate at Mercy College where earned my bachelor of Science degree in psychology graduating with top honors.. I completed my legal studies at Fordham University school of Law where I was privileged to represent clients in criminal matters through the Lincoln Square Legal Services criminal defense clinic. I was later honored with the Archibald Murray award for service to the citizens of New York. I honed my advocacy skills as a member of the Brendan Moore Trial Advocates and received the award for Best Overall Advocate. After law school I began my career at the Bronx District Attorney’s Office in the complaints and arraignments bureau.  I relocated to the sunshine state in and spent the next five years working for several of Florida’s largest law firms. I gained valuable experience litigating cases on behalf of numerous large corporations, non-profit organizations and small business owners, criminal defense and family law clients. It was also during these years that I became known amongst judicial officials as “the closer” for my ability to resolve cases through negotiation. Despite all these accomplishments something was missing.. I began to see client’s getting lost in large firm life. Quantity of cases was emphasized over quality of representation. Client’s had questions and concerns, but no one was listening. I founded my firm with one goal in mind; to revive client-centered representation. When you hire me as your attorney you get more than experience. You get a lawyer who listens. What good is expertise if you have a “ghost lawyer” you can never speak to or meet with? I believe the success of each case depends, in part, on building a successful attorney-client partnership. It’s my goal to provide advocacy that is active and accessible even after the retainer is signed. I will work with you to understand your specific goals and provide you with straight forward answers and realistic resolutions to your legal issues. I won’t just fight for you. I will fight for what matters to you most.

Lydia Worden concentrates her practice in marital and family law in Palm Beach and Broward Counties.  Lydia is committed to protecting her client’s rights and serving their children’s best interests. Lydia handles cases in all areas of marital and family law, including adoption, alimony, child custody, child support, dissolution/divorce, marital agreements, paternity, and appeals of the same. Each case is handled in a professional and compassionate manner, negotiating when possible and aggressively litigating when necessary.  Prior to entering private practice she spent two years as a law clerk at the Fourth District Court of Appeal in West Palm Beach.

Jeffrey P. Cario began his legal career as an Assistant State Attorney for the Fifth Judicial Circuit in Hernando County, Florida. There, he tried a variety of felonies, including several capital murder cases. Mr. Cario left the State Attorney’s Office in 1989 and he devotes his practice to family law and criminal defense.. The Florida Bar certifies Mr. Cario as a specialist in marital and family law, and the Supreme Court of Florida certifies him as a family law mediator.. Over the course of his career, Mr. Cario has litigated complex family and matrimonial matters. He is committed to putting his clients’ needs and goals first, and he makes every effort to achieve resolution while recognizing that resolution in some matters must involve court intervention and proceedings. He ensures that all clients remain educated regarding the potential outcomes and process, enabling his clients to understand the issues affecting fundamental aspects of their life.

Mrs. Peters is a board certified family law attorney with over 23 years experience in the field.  She was admitted to the Florida Bar in 1995 at which time she was employed as an Assistant Public Defender, handling misdemeanor and felony jury trials. Since joining the firm in 1998, she has had an active family trial practice handling all family law matters, inclduing but not limited to divorce, paternity, child custody, child support, modification, alimony, enforcement, injunctions, temporary custody by extended family members, and adoptions.  She is also a Florida Supreme Court Certified Mediator and is trained in Collaborative Law. Attorney Peters is a member of the Florida Bar Association, the Brevard County Bar Association, and the Family Law section of the Florida Bar.. Mrs. Peters graduated Magna Cum Laude in receiving her Juris Doctorate from Boston College Law School in 1995, and was further honored by being named to the Order of the Coif, a legal honor society. She also served as a representative to the Law Students Association for two years. Prior to attending law school, Mrs. Peters graduated Cum Laude with a Bachelors of Arts degree in Sociology from the University of Colorado, Boulder. She was a member of the Golden Key National Honor Society and Alpha Omicron Pi Sorority.. Mrs. Peters served as a board member of the Brevard County Bar Association from 2010 through 2012, and was awarded the Board Member of the Year award for the 2010-2011 term. She has acted as an attorney ad litem for children aging out of foster care, and often serves as a Guardian Ad Litem in family law cases. She received recognition for her outstanding services to the community in 2009 and 2011. She frequently participates in the Justice Teaching Program, where she engages elementary and middle school students in discussions about their constitutional rights. She has volunteered as a coach, mentor, judge and chairperson of the Brevard County Bar Association Mock Trial Competition. Mrs. Peters is a registered volunteer with Brevard County Schools. In April 2000, Mrs. Peters received the Professionalism Award from the Brevard County Bar Association, “for her tireless pursuit and practice of the highest ideals and tenets of the legal profession and for consistently demonstrating the essential attributes of professionalism: Character, Competence and Commitment”. She is married with three daughters and one stepson, two dogs, and one hamster.