Top Best Family Lawyers | 14650 Available

Miriam's practice focuses on all aspects of family law, including divorce, child custody, and LGBT family law.  She is dedicated to all families, and understands the unique legal challenges of ensuring protections for LGBT parents and children.. Miriam graduated cum laude from the University of Maryland School of Law in 2013, where received the William P. Cunningham Award for exceptional achievements and service to the school.  While in law school, Miriam served on the Board of Directors of the FreeState Legal Project, a not-for-profit legal organization serving the needs of low-income LGBT Marylanders.  Her academic work included courses such as Children, Parents and the Law, Estates and Trusts, Domestic Violence and the Law, and Sexual Orientation and the Law.  Miriam's work in law school also focused on LGBT legal issues, especially as they relate to family law and family formation. As an undergraduate student, Miriam studied child developent and examined the legal and social barriers that impact individuals and families seeking equality.. She graduated from Brandeis University with a degree in Psychology, and minor concentrations in Legal Studies and Women’s and Gender Studies. Before entering law school, Miriam taught kindergarten and second grade to students from predominantly low-income households in Charlotte, North Carolina. Her time in the classroom continues to inform her passion for quality education, and her belief in family advocacy.

Lawrence Whittaker, PC provides value based legal services to families, businesses and our community. We concentrate in the areas of family law, business litigation, estates and trusts litigation, personal injury and criminal defense. Our founding member, Lorraine Lawrence-Whittaker, has over 24 years of litigation and trial experience that she brings to bear on your behalf.. I obtained an $850, verdict in the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County on behalf of a former family law client for whom I had already achieved a complete reversal of custody.  The jury found in our favor on theories of invasion of privacy, placing a person before the public in a false light and malicious use of civil process.  To read more about this case, please click on the following link:. ?ne=1. I am a member of the Maryland State Bar, the Federal Bar for the Fourth Circuit and the District of Columbia.

Steve Homola is an attorney in Annapolis, MD.  His practice focuses on family law, criminal law, traffic offenses, and general civil litigation.

Mr. Houpt has lived in the Mid- Atlantic region for the majority of his life graduating from James Buchanan High School in Ft. Loudon, PA. After a brief tenure in the U.S. Navy as a cryptologist Mr. Houpt received his bachelors degree from the University of Shippensburg in Shippensburg, PA. While involved in several successful business ventures Mr. Houpt completed his MBA from the Frostburg University campus located in Hagerstown, MD. Mr. Houpt received his Juris Doctor from the University of Baltimore in 2015. Mr. Houpt holds a licence to practice law in the State of Maryland.

Ashley Wilburn was born and raised in Hagerstown, Maryland and is a North Hagerstown High School alumnus.  Ashley’s current practice emphasizes family law, including divorce, alimony, marital property distribution, child custody, child support, prenuptial and postnuptial (separation) agreements, enforcement and post-divorce matters, step-parent and private party adoptions, and child welfare.  Her practice also includes estate planning, wills and trust, probate and estate administration, and commercial, contract and civil litigation.  Ashley is also court-appointed to represent children in contested custody cases, and she has recently become a certified mediator.  She looks forward to expanding her practice to include mediation.. After receiving a B.A. in History and a B.A. in Political Science from Loyola University of Maryland, Ashley earned her law degree from Western New England University School of Law, where she graduated in the top 10 of her class in 2013, and served as Noted Editor for the Western New England Law law school, Ashley clerked for the Honorable Richard A. Robinson and the Honorable Elliott D. Prescott of the Connecticut Appellate Court.  In 2014, she returned to Hagerstown where she clerked for the Honorable M. Kenneth Long of the Washington County Circuit Court.  Ashley joined Poole & Kane, P.A. in 2015, as an associate attorney where she represented the Washington County Department of Social Services in child welfare cases, helping children that had been abused or neglected by their parents.  She served as a board member to the Washington County Human Trafficking Task Force, and worked to raise awareness regarding human trafficking in the tri-state area.

Born and raised in Nashville, Tennessee, I graduated high school from Ezell Harding Christian School in Antioch, Tennessee. I then attended Samford University, in Birmingham Alabama, and double majored in Political Science and History.. I received a full scholarship to Pepperdine School of Law and graduated in the top 3% of my class as the highest ranking female. I was inducted into the Order of the Coif and Order of the Barristers. While in law school, I received 7 CALI awards: Civil Procedure I; Contracts I; Criminal Law; Interviewing, Planning & Counseling; Criminal Procedure; Constitutional Structure; and Remedies. I was awarded the Faculty Scholar scholarship for academic excellence, and I also received the President's Scholarship.. Since graduation, I have chosen to focus my practice exclusively on Family Law related matters (which in my practice includes juvenile law, wills, powers of attorney and other needs your family may have throughout their lives). I have especially served as an advocate for fathers, representing many men throughout middle Tennessee, and advocating for them to receive maximum time with their children.

Awarded One of the Top 10 Family Law Attorney under the Age of 40 in Tennessee. Received the Pro Bono Service award 3 consecutive years by the Tennessee Supreme Court as an Attorney for Justice.. Formerly worked for the Florida Department of Children's Services Legal Staff as well as the Office of the Public Defender, Duval County, Florida.

Family Law and Complex Litigation Attorney

Sam Shirley is a Tennessee native, having grown up and resided in the Middle Tennessee area for almost two decades. Prior to attending Belmont University in Nashville, Sam graduated from Ravenwood High School in Brentwood, Tennessee. Sam earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Journalism from Belmont, and was also a member of the Iota Phi chapter of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity, including serving on its executive council.. After earning his undergraduate degree, Sam continued his education in Nashville and enrolled in Belmont University College of Law on a full tuition scholarship, before receiving his Juris Doctor degree. During law school, Sam was a member of the American Inns of Court, the Belmont Criminal Law Society, and The Federalist Society. Sam is licensed to practice law in the State of Tennessee and is admitted in all Tennessee state courts. Sam is also licensed to practice law before the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee and the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals.. Sam focuses his practice on matters pertaining to business and commercial litigation, contractual disputes, family law, defamation and privacy law, education law, and employment law. He also assists clients in real and personal property litigation and cases involving Second Amendment rights.. Sam's unique background in journalism, as well as the law, provides him with the skillset to evaluate complex legal issues through a distinctive point of view. Sam focuses on offering his clients creative and efficient solutions, while telling their stories in the process. His excellent verbal and written skills enable Sam to communicate complex legal concepts in a straightforward manner, ensuring a trusted relationship between him and his clients.. In his free time, Sam enjoys fishing, spending time with his dog, and rooting for a diverse array of sports teams including the Tennessee Volunteers, Tennessee Titans, Nashville Predators, Nashville Soccer Club, and the Atlanta Braves.

Demi Marks is the newest partner at McCracken Kuhn PLLC. She is passionate about family law and prides herself on her peacemaking approach, accessibility, efficiency, and empathy. She works in close conjunction with all the firm’s clients as their point of contact throughout their matter and beyond. Demi specializes in divorce, pre- and post-marital agreements, estate planning, and child custody. She is a Rule 31 Mediator and collaboratively trained attorney, both alternative dispute resolution methods she is very dedicated to, serving as a board member for Collaborative Divorce Nashville and the co-chair of the Nashville Bar Association’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Group. Demi believes in using creativity and customization to tailor every matter to the individual and particularly to help families redefine their relationships in a respectful and harmonious manner. She endeavors to keep people out of Court as she understands how stressful that can be, but is a devoted advocate for her clients regardless of their unique pathway to dissolution. Demi is a member of the Nashville, Tennessee, California, and American Bar Associations and is licensed to practice in both Tennessee and California.. Prior to moving to Nashville, Demi worked at a boutique family law office in Beverly Hills, California. She handled a variety of complex litigation cases involving high net worth individuals, from post-judgment enforcements of qualified domestic orders to child and animal custody cases. Demi also has an entertainment law background, having worked at Amazon, NBCUniversal, and Sony in various capacities during her time in Los Angeles. While attending UCLA School of Law, she was the President of the Entertainment Law Society, Chief Articles Editor for the Entertainment Law Review, and Submissions Editor for the Journal of Law and Technology.. Demi studied with the esteemed collaborative law professional, Forrest “Woody” Mosten. She soon realized her passion for family law and, through Woody’s mentorship, developed skills in mediation, collaborative law, unbundled legal services, and hybrid solutions to tricky family law situations. After graduation, Demi worked with Woody as a research assistant on his book Unbundled Legal Services: A Family Lawyer’s Guide. She volunteers regularly in Woody’s mediation training courses as a coach and mentor to professionals around the world.. When Demi is not at work, she can typically be found exploring Nashville with her daughter, Ryder, and her husband, Lorne. She enjoys hiking with her two pups, Riggins and Wild, riding horses, and traveling the globe. She is a passionate advocate for animals, LGBTQ+ rights, and mentorship. She serves as a volunteer interviewer for her alma matter, Tufts University, is involved with the Temple community, and spearheads the firm’s clerkship and mentorship programs.