Finding divorce lawyer with domestic violence experience

[Anonymous]

Where do I start looking for such a person in DC? Thanks.

[Anonymous]

You could try the DC Coalition Against Domestic Violence for a referral? http://www.dccadv.org/

Are you both in DC? Legal Resource Center on Violence Against Women if you're both not in DC and have custody issues:http://www.lrcvaw.org/

Family Justice Center in Rockville for a referral as well.

[Anonymous]

Ask the domestic violence organizations and/or try asking on the Out of the Fog.net website. You might ask Meg McKinney about her experience as well. She seemed to understand the needs of verbal and emotional abuse better but I ended up going with someone else because she had a busy trial schedule right when my case was blowing up. If I had not been so adamant about keeping to the schedule I had in my head and waited for her I think I might have had a better process. My case was verbal and emotion plus substance issues, so I did not have the physical and didn't ask about that. Good luck.

[Anonymous]

are you looking for an attorney who has experienced domestic violence or one who has perpetrated it? I would think the later would be disbarred.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:are you looking for an attorney who has experienced domestic violence or one who has perpetrated it? I would think the later would be disbarred.

I assume OP is looking for someone who has helped DV victims through a divorce. You don't have to have personally experienced it so long as you "get it". And no they would not necessarily disbar you for committing DV. Depends on what it was, whether reported, how serious the injury, the nature of the conviction, etc. DV often goes unreported.

OP is smart to look for someone who gets it. If they don't they can adopt a "go off and work this out amicably and save the court costs" approach which is a disaster for most victims of any kind of abuse.

[Anonymous]

Georgetown University Law Center has a domestic violence clinic represents clients in court pro bono. I'm not sure of the parameters of who they select to represent pro bono, but I'm sure they would discuss with you either by phone or in person and give good alternative recommendations for representation.

https://www.law.georgetown.edu/academics/academic-programs/clinical-programs/our-clinics/domestic-violence-clinic/about-our-clinic.cfm