Richard Dodd Esq.

Since 2014 I have counseled and represented clients in the District of Columbia and Maryland focused entirely on divorce, child custody and support, alimony, and marital property division. At the outset, one or both parties may have confused expectations and may not want a contentious divorce, but may also be apprehensive about their financial security or loss of regular time with their children. Mindful to minimize the cost and acrimony of conventional divorce and custody litigation, whenever possible I encourage clients’ facilitated negotiation of mutually beneficial settlement agreements through collaborative negotiations, rather than litigation.

Why collaborative divorce? I have litigated too many cases in which the parties lose control of their financial and family prerogatives to lawyers’ tactics and judges’ whims, entailing substantial expense and delay. In my experience, parties represented by collaborative attorneys, a neutral financial advisor and one or two social workers can obtain better guidance and support for negotiating options that address children’s best interests and mutually sustainable, prospective financial arrangements.

Experience. I bring skillful and nuanced issue framing, negotiation and mediation skills to collaborative divorce, earned over 12 years negotiating and litigating family law cases, and previously 10 years as litigation counsel to individuals and small companies. I have counseled and coached clients through collaborative negotiations involving shared parenting time and decision-making, marital property distribution, alimony and child support, and drafted divorce settlement agreements flexible to meet the entire family’s evolving needs.