Child Custody
Separation and family restructuring is incredibly difficult,
but it doesn’t have to be damaging.
The single greatest gift you can give your children is to reduce conflict.
Every day of your children’s lives you’ve made decisions, big and small, that impact their well being, development, and future. And as parents, you’ve undoubtedly done your best to do this together, as the most important people in their world.
Our child custody lawyers believe that every parent wants what is best for their children, even if it may not always appear this way when in the throes of conflict. Now that your family structure is changing, you are undoubtedly worried about what this means for your kids. And the good news is, doing what is best for them doesn’t have to be at odds with doing what is best for you. You can continue parenting effectively in separate households that are focused more intentionally on contributions from each parent that optimize happy, healthy kids.
Change is not ruinous to children - Conflict is.
Our primary goal as child custody lawyers is to protect the well being of your children. When parents focus on reducing conflict, everyone in the family benefits. In fact, research shows that the single most important factor in determining how children fare after parents go their separate ways is the level of parental conflict.
This knowledge is so highly valued by our child custody lawyers that it informs our approach in very direct and intentional ways. Our lawyers support conflict reduction through time-tested strategies and techniques and connecting our clients with outside resources in Maryland and Washington DC. You end up with a roadmap of what works, and what doesn’t, for the benefit of your children.
With our chid custody lawyers' focus placed firmly on the best interests of your kids, we can move forward with figuring out a custody arrangement that will work best for your family. Although we will help you explore options, we will not try to fit your family into a box. Thoughtful consideration of your family’s totality of circumstances will help us resolve your child custody matter in a way that suits your family’s needs.
You can expect our child support lawyers to...
- Discover pertinent information. Your experiences as a parent and partner will be discussed. We’ll talk through what’s worked, what hasn’t, circumstances that may impact custody, and how your children are faring with any existing arrangement.
- Connect and coach to ease conflict. We know that conflict reduction in divorce is key to improving outcomes for children. We cultivate a healthy mindset around conflict and co-parenting through coaching and counsel. We can also connect your family with outside resources that promote long-term, effective outcomes.
- Explore potential custody arrangements. Some parents have put some thought into what this may look like before restructuring their family. Others may be very anxious because they do not know where to start. Still others may feel that the other parent is dictating outcomes that do not work for them or their children. We will review existing arrangements and make recommendations that may better meet your family’s needs.
- Secure a healthy future for your family. You will no longer be together but you will always be co-parents. We will help you achieve a resolution that promotes a healthy dynamic between parents and secures the long-term interests of your children.
The family law attorneys at McKinney Figini take an approach to child custody that is rooted in research and focused firmly on the healthy growth and development of your children. You care deeply about their future. And so do we.
At McKinney Figini we value,
- Conflict reduction. We cut down contention and strive for considerate compromise to reach resolutions with grace and dignity.
- Child-centered resolutions. We put the well-being of children first, always.
- Client-focused futures. We place clients at the center of the decision-making process, never losing sight of attaining their vision of their family’s future.
- Clarity and confidence. We bring clarity where there is confusion, focus to the path forward, and strategic guidance that creates confidence.
- Constructive processes. We move your matter forward with efficiency, open communication, and collaboration.