Our Services

Sarasota Family Law Firm

Resolving Divorce & Other Issues in Sarasota & Manatee Counties

Family law covers many topics, such as divorce and child-related matters, financial support, property issues, paternity, domestic violence, and many others. Marital and family law attempt to apply legal solutions to these often complex domestic relations problems.

Family law is an essential field of practice since outcomes of cases, whether by judicial decision or private settlement agreements, will shape the future of our society's most fundamental building block, the family.

Families profoundly impact shaping the values and identity of the next generation in many visible and invisible ways. Parents are the most influential force on a child, whether positive or negative. For example, how parents deal with conflict in their relationship is often shaped by how they witnessed conflict resolution in their own home growing up.

Thus, how parents resolve conflict when it arises will impact the next generation. Sadly, unresolved strife often leads to separation and divorce.

At McDermott Law Offices, PLLC, we believe one of the essential jobs of a family lawyer is to zealously advocate for a client's goals while also keeping in mind the impact of conflict on children. With more than 20 years of experience in this field, our firm is committed to providing exceptional representation that achieves optimum results as efficiently as possible.

Discuss your case with our family law attorney in Sarasota. You can reach us online or at (941) 837-5071 to get started.

Our Philosophy

Our philosophy is to begin with an attempt at meaningful settlement negotiations with opposing counsel, including formal mediation and collaborative law. Attorney McDermott was previously a Certified Family Law Mediator per the Florida Supreme Court and is certified in Collaborative Law training.

If a private settlement is not possible, which can be due to many reasons, we strategically deploy our litigation tactics to finish the case. We believe this approach will preserve client assets and, more importantly, preserve a measure of civility for the sake of any children involved.

If you are experiencing marital discord, we encourage you to seek counseling and pursue reconciliation. If you or your spouse cannot resolve differences, we can provide mediation or collaborative law services to help settle your case without expensive litigation.

If these efforts are not the right approach for your case due to circumstances beyond your control, we will litigate your case to the fullest extent of the law and work hard to protect your rights.

Continue Reading Read Less

Read More About Us

Read more about how our dedicated team can help you.

Learn More

"Empathy, Creativity, & Integrity"
This team demonstrated incredible empathy, creativity, integrity, wealth of knowledge, and humor when helping me with my divorce. They lead me step by step with projected timelines, options, and reality checks.

- Eduardo L.
"Honest and Responsive"
Mr. McDermott provided me with the greatest counseling and representation that I could ask for. I really appreciate his honesty, integrity, and responsiveness.

- Sergio A.
"Excellent Counsel"
I strongly recommend using Paul McDermott. Paul always had my best interests in mind when deciding our course of action.

- William G.
"Calm and Considerate"
Paul was always calm, organized, and helpful during my time of need. The team was also very caring and considerate like it was their own life they were dealing with!

- Casey E.
"Kindess in a Legal Team"
Paul and Louise were professional, knowledgeable, prompt in my returning my calls and above all else, kind to the situation at hand.

- Joanne H.
"They Actually Care"
Paul & Louise were amazing!! He was patient with my case, despite all the bumps in my case and understood my situation.

- David A.
"A Pleasure to Work With"
Paul was very responsive and understanding of individual situations. Was a pleasure working with him!

- Heather L.
"A Terrific Listener"
In addition to his expertise and recommendations, Paul was also a terrific listener, showed compassion (which lawyers rarely do!), and made me feel at ease.

- Andrea M.

View All Reviews

Our Family Law Services

We provide legal representation in all family law matters, such as:

Divorce. This is formally known as “dissolution of marriage.” We handle both contested and uncontested divorces.
Child Custody. Florida no longer uses "custody" or "visitation" to describe a parent's time with children. Instead, Florida law uses the term "timesharing" to describe this. Timesharing is more relational and eliminates the negative connotations that being "in custody" denotes.
Child Support. This financial support is required under Florida law to ensure that children of divorced, separated, or unmarried parents have the same economic benefits they would have had if parents lived together.
Alimony. The legal standard for this support is a spouse's "need" and the other spouse's "ability" to pay. Determination of need and ability is based on comparing each party's Financial Affidavit, which contains income and expense information required to be filed with the court. If your case is contested, you will need an experienced attorney to make the case for or against alimony. Many factual and legal points not considered on the face of the Financial Affidavit may need to be brought to the court's attention to render a fair decision.

Marital Property and Debt Division. This is often a complex issue, especially in cases where high net worth, multiple assets, retirement accounts, pensions, family businesses, and other complicated financial matters exist.
Paternity. Unmarried parents may seek to establish the father’s paternity to pursue child support or custody/visitation rights.
Modifications. Court decrees issued in divorce, child custody and support, and alimony are legally binding. To modify their terms, you must seek changes through the court with justification as to why a modification should be granted.
Enforcement. When a court order regarding child custody or support or alimony has been violated, you can seek to have it enforced by petitioning the court.
Mediation. This is a process in which a trained and certified mediator acts as an impartial third party to help couples resolve their disputes outside of court. The goal is to promote communication and cooperation, resulting in a mutually satisfactory agreement without litigation.
Collaborative Divorce. This is a process where spouses and their respective lawyers agree to avoid litigation and come to a settlement agreement without court intervention. The collaborative approach aims to take the family's personal, emotional, and financial business out of the hands of a judge, allowing the parties to resolve their disputes with less adversity.

Our firm has resolved thousands of family law cases. Mr. McDermott has earned many five-star reviews from former clients attesting to his integrity, legal proficiency, and high level of client service.

Reserve your case evaluation with our family lawyer in Sarasota by calling (941) 837-5071.

Continue Reading Read Less

What Sets Us Apart

Advocating for You With Compassion and Integrity

Compassionately Aggressive

We understand this can be a difficult process; we care for the person behind the case, while still fighting aggressively for your rights.
Responsive and Reachable

You'll never wonder where your case stands; we'll return you calls and walk you through the process every step of the way.
Prioritizing Your Experience

We have served thousands of clients, providing excellent customer service with the utmost integrity.
Serving Clients Since 2001

Paul McDermott has been effectively advocating for clients like you for over twenty years.

Get Started Today

Contact Us for A Case Evaluation

Reach out using the contact form below or call us today at (941) 837-5071.

First Name
Please enter your first name.
Last Name
Please enter your last name.
Phone
Please enter your phone number.

This isn't a valid phone number.
Email
Please enter your email address.

This isn't a valid email address.
Are you a new client?
Please make a selection.
How can we help you?
Please enter a message.
By submitting, you agree to be contacted about your request & other information using automated technology. Message frequency varies. Msg & data rates may apply. Text STOP to cancel. Acceptable Use Policy