Best Miami Divorce Attorneys

Divorce lawyers in Miami cannot work on contingency. Florida Bar rules ban it, so firms bill hourly against a retainer. A free consultation says nothing about the total cost. Ask the firms below what the retainer is and what refills it.

We research each listing using public records, verified reviews, and direct evaluation. Our rankings reflect reputation, reliability, and results.

  • Bar standing and public disciplinary history review
  • Documented case results and courtroom trial experience
  • Peer recognition within the legal community
  • Client reviews, communication, and responsiveness
  • Overall online reputation and verified user feedback

Rankings are determined independently based on public information and editorial research.

Leading Miami Family Law Attorneys for High-Asset & Custody Cases

Screenshot of the Vasquez de Lara Law Group Website
7700 N Kendall Dr, Suite 607, Miami, FL 33156, USA

Vanessa Vasquez de Lara founded this Kendall practice, now a nine-attorney team of Miami divorce lawyers. She has appeared on Telemundo and Despierta America to explain Florida time-sharing rules.

The firm takes contested cases, flat-fee uncontested filings, high-net-worth splits, paternity actions, and post-judgment modifications. Additional offices in Downtown Miami, Coral Gables, Fort Lauderdale, and Pembroke Pines widen its reach across South Florida.

Staff work in English and Spanish, and case evaluations cost nothing. The site also hosts free alimony and child support calculators plus a guide written for divorcing dads.

Screenshot of the Jeffrey Law, PA Website
150 SE 2nd Ave #1000, Miami, FL 33131, USA

Complicated cases are the point here. Jeffrey Law, PA is a boutique Downtown Miami practice built for litigated family law, led by trial lawyer Robert Jeffrey.

Clients include doctors, professional athletes, business owners, corporate executives and foreign nationals. Work centers on high-asset divorce with complex property division, significant spousal support, and high-conflict custody disputes that cross international borders.

The team regularly brings in forensic accountants, business valuation specialists, social investigators and forensic psychologists to build the record before trial. Jeffrey holds an AV Preeminent peer rating and has been named to Super Lawyers and Best Lawyers. The firm accepts a limited number of matters at a time.

Screenshot of the Pacheco Perez P.A. Website
2121 Douglas Rd Suite 200, Miami, FL 33145, USA

Not every split needs a fight. Pacheco Perez P.A. steers many clients toward collaborative solutions first, then litigates when the other side forces the issue.

Partners Norma Iglesias Pacheco and Chastity Perez are divorce attorneys in Miami serving clients across South Florida. Their caseload covers military and same-sex dissolutions, uncontested filings, hidden asset investigations, parental relocation and domestic violence matters.

Mediation is a common first step, though both partners prepare each file as though a judge will decide it. Consultations are handled in English and Spanish.

Screenshot of the Filler Rodriguez, LLP - Divorce Lawyer Miami & Family Law Attorney Website

Catherine Rodriguez is one of a small group of board-certified marital and family law specialists in Miami-Dade. She is also a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and a 2026 Super Lawyer, with more than 30 years in practice.

Her commercial litigation background pays off in divorces involving business interests and layered corporate structures. The firm also represents parents in Hague Convention disputes over international child abduction.

Screenshot of the Richard A. Schurr, P. A. Website
100 Almeria Ave # 340, Coral Gables, FL 33134, USA

Thirty years of work in forensic accounting, taxation, and business valuation sit behind this Coral Gables firm. Richard Schurr holds a master's degree in taxation, works as a Certified Financial Planner, and was trained as a negotiator at Harvard Law School.

He is also a Florida Supreme Court-certified mediator, which matters once a case reaches settlement talks. Splits involving business owners and disputed company valuations are the firm's strongest suit, and it handles appeals and business disputes too.

Screenshot of the Bickman Law, PLLC Website
1130 Washington Ave 4th Floor, Miami Beach, FL 33139, USA

Before entering private practice, Joshua Bickman prosecuted cases in the Domestic Violence Unit of the Miami-Dade State Attorney's Office. That courtroom grounding shapes how Bickman Law, PLLC approaches contested matters.

The Miami Beach office also takes uncontested filings that require little more than paperwork, as well as parenting plans and injunction hearings. Consultations are free, and the phone line is staffed around the clock.

Screenshot of the Hertz • Sager Website
3081 Salzedo St #201, Coral Gables, FL 33134, USA

Christy L. Hertz has been a Florida Supreme Court Certified Mediator since 2003. That lets Hertz Sager act as an advocate or neutral, depending on what a case needs.

The Coral Gables firm has over 30 years of experience in high-conflict marital disputes. It also handles estates, trusts and guardianship work that many family practices skip. Katie Sager handles timesharing and support matters, including cases for military families.

Screenshot of the Vilar Law, P.A. Website
66 W Flagler St #500, Miami, FL 33130, USA

Since 1996, Patrick Vilar has practiced only marital and family law, from an office near the Miami-Dade courthouse. He and Mark Wegmann bring 31 years of combined experience to property distribution, parental relocation and post-judgment enforcement.

Vilar handles initial consultations himself, and the bilingual team serves Miami-Dade and Broward counties.

Screenshot of the Law Offices of Robert J. Hanreck Website
420 SW 7th St Suite 1104, Miami, FL 33130, USA

The Law Offices of Robert J. Hanreck pairs divorce work with civil litigation, backed by more than 60 years of combined attorney experience. Alongside dissolutions, the Miami team takes paternity claims, prenuptial agreements, injunction hearings and property partition suits. Robert Hanreck has been recognized by Super Lawyers.

Screenshot of the Beatriz Zyne, P.A. Website
Panter Bldg, 6950 N Kendall Dr 2nd floor, Miami, FL 33156, USA

Beatriz Zyne has been admitted to the Florida Bar since 2005 and runs a solo family practice in South Miami. A Miami native, she takes adoption, enforcement, modification and high-asset cases, and also serves clients in the Tampa and Naples markets. Financing options and Spanish-language service are available.

Screenshot of the Foster-Morales PLLC Website
150 W Flagler St Penthouse II, Miami, FL 33130, USA

Dori Foster-Morales served as president of The Florida Bar, and her boutique firm ranks among the larger matrimonial practices in Miami-Dade. Attorneys here hold board certification in marital and family law, National Board of Trial Advocacy credentials, and fellowships in two academies of matrimonial lawyers. Equitable distribution and international custody disputes are core work.

Screenshot of the Hamilton O'Neill - Miami High Net Worth Divorce Lawyer Website

Discretion is the selling point. Hamilton O'Neill accepts a limited number of high-net-worth cases for executives, entrepreneurs, physicians, media personalities and professional athletes. Founder Kathryn DeVane Hamilton has been ranked by Best Lawyers and Florida Super Lawyers, and the firm has appeared on the U.S. News Best Law Firms list in family law since 2020.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a divorce lawyer in Miami cost?

Hourly, against a retainer. Florida Bar Rule 4-1.5 prohibits contingency fees in dissolution cases. You pay an upfront retainer, the firm bills against it, and you replenish it when it runs low. Ask what the hourly rate is and how often invoices arrive.

How long does a Miami divorce take?

Weeks if uncontested, much longer if not. An agreed case with a signed marital settlement agreement can finish quickly. Contested matters in the Eleventh Judicial Circuit often run six months to two years. Discovery disputes and the court's calendar drive most of the delay.

Do I have to live in Florida to file?

Six months, at minimum. Florida Statute 61.021 requires one spouse to have resided in the state for six months before filing. The petition is filed in Miami-Dade if the couple last lived here as a married couple. File too early and the case can be dismissed.

Is mediation required in Miami-Dade family court?

Usually yes. Judges in the Eleventh Judicial Circuit routinely order mediation before a contested case gets a trial date. The county also runs in-house family mediation services. Roughly speaking, most cases settle there rather than go to trial.

Does Florida presume equal time-sharing?

Yes, since July 2023. Florida law now starts from a rebuttable presumption that equal time-sharing serves the child's best interests. Either parent can rebut it with evidence tied to the statutory best-interest factors. The law is gender-neutral.

Is permanent alimony still available in Florida?

No. The 2023 reform ended permanent alimony for new cases. Courts may still award bridge-the-gap, rehabilitative, or durational support. The type and length depend on the marriage's duration and each spouse's finances.

Do parents have to take a class before the divorce is final?

Yes, four hours minimum. Florida Statute 61.21 applies to any case with minor children. Both parents must finish an approved parent education and family stabilization course. Miami-Dade accepts online providers. The certificate must be filed before a final judgment is entered.

Types of Divorce Cases Miami Firms Handle

Uncontested dissolution. Both spouses agree on assets, debts, and any parenting plan. The work is drafting the marital settlement agreement correctly. Some Miami firms price these as a flat fee.

Contested dissolution. One or more issues go to litigation. Expect financial affidavits under Rule 12.285, depositions, and mandatory mediation before trial.

High-asset and business-owner cases. Closely held companies, stock options, and restricted stock units all need valuation. Firms in this tier work with forensic accountants and valuation experts.

Time-sharing and parental responsibility. Parenting plans must spell out weekdays, holidays, and decision-making authority. Relocation of 50 miles or more triggers a separate court process.

Child support and modification. Support follows the statutory guidelines and counts overnights with each parent. A substantial, permanent change in circumstances can justify a modification later.

Prenuptial and postnuptial agreements. These set the terms of property division ahead of any dispute. They can also be challenged for fraud, duress, or missing financial disclosure.

International and Hague Convention matters. Miami's population makes cross-border cases common. Several firms here handle child abduction claims and foreign judgment enforcement.

Domestic violence injunctions. These move on a fast track, separate from the divorce itself. An injunction can affect time-sharing and use of the marital home.

How to Choose a Divorce Attorney in Miami

Match the firm to the money. A boutique that lives on business valuations is overkill for a simple split. A general family practice may be underpowered for one.

Ask about Eleventh Circuit experience. Local judges, standing procedures, and courtroom habits vary. A lawyer who appears at the Lawson E. Thomas Courthouse weekly knows what a given judge wants documented.

Check board certification. The Florida Bar certifies specialists in marital and family law. It is a real credential and a fast filter.

Get the fee terms in writing. Retainer amount, hourly rates for partners and associates, and what costs pass through. Expert witnesses and court reporters are usually billed on top.

Ask who actually handles the file. Partners sell the case and associates often run it. Find out early which is which.

Confirm language and availability. Many Miami firms work in Spanish. Ask how quickly calls and emails get returned.

What Drives the Cost and Outcome of a Miami Divorce

Conflict is the main cost driver. Two spouses who agree can finish for a fraction of what a contested case runs. Disputed valuations, hidden asset claims, and custody fights are where the hours pile up.

Florida uses equitable distribution, which means fair rather than automatically equal. Judges weigh the length of the marriage, each spouse's contribution, and any waste of marital assets. Property owned before the marriage or received by gift or inheritance is usually non-marital if it was kept separate.

Alimony turns on need and ability to pay. A lawyer who knows the local bench can give you a realistic range once they see the financials.

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