North Bay Village Divorce Lawyers

Caryn A. Van Matre, Attorney at Law, has been representing families in Northwest Florida in a variety of family law matters since 1993. Our practice first opened in the downtown Pensacola historic district, which is where our office remains. We represent clients involved in family law disputes in Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa and Walton counties.

Our focus areas include divorce and modification actions involving alimony, child custody, time-sharing and support and asset protection. We also assist clients in establishing paternity rights and support obligations for children. Associated with these matters are issues of enforcement and contempt...

As a Pensacola native, I graduated with a Bachelor of Science from the University of West Florida and with my Juris Doctorate degree from Faulkner Law in Montgomery, Alabama. I have been practicing law in Pensacola for 8 years, focusing exclusively in the area of marital and family law. I am admitted to practice in both the State of Florida and the State of Alabama. I am also a member of the Florida Bar Association, the Escambia-Santa Rosa Bar Association, the Alabama Bar Association and the Family Law Section of the Florida Bar. I am also a member of the Pensacola...

William R. Wade has practiced criminal defense law for 29 years in Kentucky, Alabama and Florida. He is the President of the Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (2014-2015). He is admitted to practice in all Florida State and Federal Courts. While his principal physical office is in Milton, Mr. Wade practices in all courts of the 1st Judicial Circuit.

Attorney Ophelia Bernal-Mora graduated with her law degree from Nova Southeastern University in 2004. She was admitted to The Florida Bar and the U.S. Middle District Court of Florida, Mrs. Bernal-Mora has represented well over 1,000 clients in her career thus far.

Mrs. Bernal-Mora's has a strong litigation background, her experience and the focus of her practice remain with family law. Divorce, child custody, mediation, paternity, domestic violence, child support, alimony, and family law appeals are just some of the cases in which Mrs. Bernal-Mora has assisted her clients.

What differentiates Ophelia from other lawyers is over 10 years of experience...

Russell Knight was born in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, Canada. His family moved to the United States in 1991.

Russell Knight attended Bradley University in Peoria, Illinois and graduated in 2000 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Computers Systems.

After two years working as a computer programmer for a Fortune 50 company, Russell Knight decided that he’d rather work with people than machines and he enrolled in the University of Illinois College of Law in Urbana, Illinois.

Upon graduating from the University of Illinois College of Law in 2006, Russell Knight began working for a small general practice law firm in Chicago,...

Cheri Hobbs is a co-owner and managing partner of Compass Law. Cheri grew up in a family where service was not just something that was talked about, but something that was practiced daily in their lives. As a daughter of missionaries, she grew up helping people from all walks of life. From living with Indian tribes in the Amazon forest, to serving the needy in orphanages, to taking in domestic violence victims into their home, Cheri has always seen first-hand the real need that exists in all of humanity. It is this perspective and sincere compassion that propelled her into...

Keersten Heskin Martinez has over 20 years experience and is one of the few attorneys that is board certified in Marital and Family Law. A partner at a civil litigation firm for many years, she recently started The Heskin Martinez Law Group to focus solely on family law. Keersten tries to resolve cases amicably if possible. However, if not possible, she has the experience necessary to aggressively represent her client's interests in Court.

Mark D. Drasites is a partner at Lusk, Drasites & Tolisano, P.A. where he handles a wide array of legal matters. Prior to attending law school, Mr. Drasites was an Information Systems Project Manager at ExxonMobil in the Washington, D.C. area. This unique background in navigating large corporate governance and intense project requirements has allowed Mr. Drasites to quickly make an impact in his practice of law and the legal community.

Mr. Drasites grew up in Fort Myers, FL and had always known he would make his way back to Southwest Florida to pursue his career. He has the...

Ms. Williams obtained her Bachelors and Masters degree from the University of Florida. After working in corporate america for a few years, she attended law school at Stetson University College of Law. Upon her graduation from law school, Ms. Williams started her legal career in 2013 practicing family law at a small law firm in Fort Myers, Florida. In 2014, she accepted a position at a mid-size firm in Stuart, Florida. Her areas of practice included mortgage foreclosure defense, family law, personal injury and general civil litigation. In 2015, she began managing the firm's satellite office in Fort Myers, Florida....

For nearly three decades I have navigated the legal system, achieving the results my clients desire. As a former prosecutor with hundreds of trials under my belt, I understand that a successful lawyer is not just an aggressive one in the courtroom but also a compassionate one outside of it. Anyone can be aggressive; it takes experience and dedication to understand when to be each. You need a lawyer to preserve your interests during the worst of times. My job and my privilege is to assist my clients through the legal system and the pitfalls that are contained therein.

Wayne F. Jentis, Esq.

• Member in Good Standing of the State of Florida Bar

• Member in Good Standing of the State of New Jersey Bar

• Member in Good Standing of the State of New York Bar

• Admitted to practice in the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey

• Member Brevard County Bar Association

• Member Florida Bar Association and Family Law Section

• Member of the American Bar Association

• Member New Jersey Bar Association and Family Law Section

• Member Mercer County Bar Association

• Prior Law Clerk to the Honorable F. Lee Forrester.
(During Presiding Judgeship of the Family Part, Superior...

I have practiced law for 32 years. My experience is broad, but has mostly focused on litigation, court practice, and document drafting and review. I have MANY YEARS of courtroom experience. I handle a variety of family and criminal law issues including, but not limited to, divorce, child support enforcement, alimony issues, parenting issues, domestic violence injunctions, mediation, DUI's, drug offenses, battery, probation violations, and theft-related offenses, among many others. I also provide many estate planning services, including the drafting of documents such as, Wills, Power of Attorney (durable or for a limited purpose), and Advance Healthcare Directives (Living Wills,...

I am a trial attorney with more than nineteen years of courtroom experience helping individuals, couples, and families in Polk and Hardee Counties. I hold a Martindale-Hubbell AV Rating for Ethical Standards and Legal Ability. Due to the nature of my practice, I appear before the judges in the Family Law division practically every day of the week. Through my years of trial work I have grown to recognize which cases may ultimately have to be tried and which cases may be resolved without going to court. By focusing on solutions to my client’s problems rather than...

Mr. Friedland is currently licensed to practice law in the State of Florida and is a Florida Supreme Court Certified Family, Appellate, and Circuit Civil Mediator. Mr. Friedland graduated from Southern Connecticut State University in 1972 and from the University of Connecticut School of Law in 1975. Mr. Friedland practiced in Connecticut from 1975 through 1988 when he relocated his practice to Sarasota, Florida. He is a member of the Family Law, Alternate Dispute Resolution Section, and the Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Sections of the Florida Bar, Sarasota County Bar Association, and American...

Rafael was born and raised in Polk County, Florida, and graduated from Auburndale High School in 1984. Rafael received his B.A. degree from the University of Florida and his Juris Doctor degree from The Ohio State University College of Law in 1997. He was admitted to the Florida Bar in April of 1998, and initially served as an Assistant Public Defender, handling a variety of cases. After just a few months as a misdemeanor attorney, Rafael was quickly promoted to Felony, where he was responsible for cases ranging from drug possession to murder. Rafael soon established...

A native Floridian who was raised in the Tampa Bay area, Mrs. Joyner is an alumnus of Plant City High School. She continued her education at Florida Gulf Coast University, graduating summa cum laude. Thereafter, she earned her Juris Doctorate degree from Florida A&M University College of Law graduating cum laude while maintaining full-time employment, actively participating in the Cherry Chapter of the International Legal Fraternity of Phi Alpha Delta, and volunteering at her son’s elementary school and cub scout den.

Mrs. Joyner is admitted to practice in all Florida courts as well as the United States...

Sherri K. DeWitt was born and grew up in Middletown, New York. She was admitted to the Florida Bar in 1982 and has been authorized to practice before the U.S District Court of the Middle District of Florida since 1983 and before the U.S. Court of Appeal since 1985. She received her B.A. Cum Laude in 1973 and Ph.D. in 1977 from State University of New York at Binghamton. Dr. DeWitt received her J.D. Degree from Cornell University in 1982. She was an editor of the Cornell Law Review and is the author of a book and numerous articles. Dr....

I have been a resident of the Sarasota area for most of my life, attended Pine View School, and am fluent in Spanish. Upon obtaining my law degree, I knew I wanted to return to the Sarasota County area and started work immediately as an Assistant State Attorney in Sarasota County, where I worked as a misdemeanor and juvenile prosecutor for several years. Since leaving the prosecutor’s office, I have practiced in the areas of civil litigation, insurance defense, family law, domestic violence and criminal defense. My practice is focused on all aspects of the firm’s...

AnnMarie Jenkinson is an attorney and sole owner of Jenkinson Legal PLLC. She graduated from Rollins College Cum Laude in 2005. AnnMarie began the journey to her legal career in 2006 when she commenced her legal education at Barry University – Dwayne O. Andreas School of Law. During her education at Barry University, AnnMarie was President of the St. Thomas More Society. An organization whose purpose is to promote high ethical and moral standards in the legal profession. She also earned high honors in Healthcare Law and Trial Advocacy. In addition, AnnMarie also participated in a clinical internship at Barry...

EXPERIENCE: President, University of Miami School of Law Family Law Society 1999-2000, Criminal Law Society, Author: Drugs a Process of Death Florida Police Chiefs Association, Computer Animation Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow, Will it Become Tomorrow's New Form of Substantive Evidence? If so, Should it Be? University of Miami School of Law. CALI Award for RICO University of Miami School of Law, Member Golden Key National Honors Society University of Central Florida; Chief of Police City Of Oak Hill Florida 1988-1991Youngest Police Chief In Florida; Lake County Sheriff's Office, Investigator in Charge of Intelligence and Organized Crime 1985-1988; Lead Investigator 5th...

Education B.A. Yale University, 1996 J.D. University of Miami School of Law, 1999 Michael has been practicing law since 1999, when he began his career in the area of complex civil litigation. In 2001, he was hired by Alston & Bird LLP, where he worked in both the Atlanta and New York offices in the areas of public and private securities transactions, mergers and acquisitions and general corporate law. In 2003, Michael founded Older, Lundy, Alvarez, Koch & Martino with Ben Older and the firm has seen extraordinary growth ever since. Currently, Michael practices almost exclusively in the area of Marital and...

Pi Sigma Alpha; Pi Gamma Mu. Recipient, Chester H. Ferguson Scholarship. Certified Family Law Mediator, 2000-2006. Co-Editor: "Modification of Child Support," Florida Proceedings After Dissolution of Marriage," Ninth Edition (2008). Speaker, "Working With Divorce Clients and Opposing Counsel," Half Moon Seminars, (2002). Member, Family Law Inn of Tampa, American Inns of Court, (2000-2005). Member, Board of Directors, Vetmade Industries, Inc.

I have represented hundreds of clients in Orlando and Central Florida for more than 16 years, handling all types of family law cases, including divorce, paternity, custody, modifications and step-parent adoption, as well as all types of criminal defense cases. We look forward to putting that experience to work for you and your family. We treat our firm like family, and treat our clients as members of that family. This is more than a business. We know dealing with Divorce/Custody issues, and Criminal allegations can be the most painful and difficult times for our clients. We will take the time to...

Board Certified Marital & Family Law attorney for Tampa Bay area.

George Chandler was a born in the Central Florida area and has practiced here his entire career. From taking on the Florida Attorney General to guiding families through difficult times; George has always practiced with the best interests of his clients in mind. He received his Bachelor’s in Business Administration in Finance from Stetson University and his Juris Doctorate from the Florida A & M University College of Law.

George has spent his entire career helping individuals prepare for and navigate the intricacies of the legal system. He has had success in trials throughout multiple disciplines of law and...

Maria is a native of Tarpon Springs, Florida and a graduate of Tarpon Springs High School. She also attended secondary school at the St. Nicholas Greek School where she was honored as a Lady's Philoptohos Fellowship recipient. She is bilingual in Greek. Maria received her Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Central Florida with a 3.86 GPA. She received her Juris Doctor from Quinnipiac University School of Law in Hamden, Connecticut. Maria received honors for Academic Achievement in Juvenile Law, Service to the Community and the Connecticut Title Insurance Company. Initially, Maria was a law clerk for...

Compassionate representation that is also aggressive when the need arises. Board certified by the Florida Bar as an Expert in Marital and Family Law. I know what you're going through, and I am here to watch over your interests.