Kuder, Smollar, Friedman & Mihalik, PC

We offer over seventy years of experience in the practice of Family Law. Located in Washington D.C., we represent clients in Maryland and Virginia, as well as the District of Columbia. Our firm has experience in all areas of Family Law, including: actions for divorce; child custody and support; negotiation of property settlement agreements, premarital agreements and cohabitation agreements; enforcement and modification of court orders; family-related matters, such as taxes, wills, trust and estate matters. Our attorneys are qualified in various alternative dispute resolution methods: mediation, arbitration, and collaborative law. Collaborative law is a growing alternative to litigation. Our firm is among the first in the Washington area to provide this service.

The practice of family law requires an understanding of both legal and human issues. While fully advocating our clients' legal rights, we also strive to be aware of the emotional and psychological impact of family disputes. We work with our clients to understand their uniquely personal concerns, and to pursue personal goals. We promote the resolution of disputes through negotiation, mediation, and arbitration so as to minimize the financial and emotional impact of a divorce. In cases where it becomes necessary to litigate, we are recognized for our ability to provide effective representation in court with attorneys who have tried a wide variety of civil cases.

Family law is one of the last areas of general practice. In order to properly represent people in family matters, one must be familiar with the issues that impact on a client in a divorce action, from personal tax matters, to bankruptcy, to business interests, whether they be family partnerships or closely held businesses. Our attorneys collaborate effectively with specialists in a variety of disciplines, such as accountants, business appraisers and mental health professionals to effectively advance our clients' cases.

Divorce represents a beginning as well as an end. In such cases, our goal is to help clients through what is often a painful and difficult process, to bring order out of what may seem to be chaos, and to enable them to move forward in their lives.

We also have a reputation in the field of mental health law, advising mental health professionals and patients, on such diverse matters as confidentiality of records, professional malpractice, payment and insurance issues, medical directives for health care and ethical privilege issues.