Domestic Relations

Practice Contacts

Domestic Relations

Taft’s experienced Domestic Relations attorneys are dedicated to helping families transition smoothly through the termination of marriage process and other family law matters. Our attorneys assist clients in navigating through one of the most difficult and complex periods of their lives. From assisting in preparing prenuptial arrangements to the frustration, fear, and anger that can come with divorce and child custody negotiations, we provide compassionate, practical advice at an excellent value. Through sound counsel and years of experience, we are able to deliver favorable client outcomes in family law matters, including divorce, dissolution of marriage, juvenile court, and more.

We are experienced and experts in every aspect of family law, from pre-filing (Minnesota and Michigan), counseling, negotiating, and drafting of prenuptial agreements for high net-worth clients and families deciding to retain family wealth to post-judgment enforcement and modification of judgments. We avoid contested litigation whenever possible and are formidable litigators when necessary. We are highly skilled in appeals processes, both in defending trial court orders or fixing trial court errors.

Taft’s Domestic Relations attorneys are distinguished in the industry and boast an impressive array of credentials. Four of our partners have been certified by the Ohio State Bar Association Family Law Specialty Board as specialists in Family Relations Law. Several of our partners are fellows of the prestigious American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and are regularly recognized in Chambers High Net Worth Guide, Best Lawyers in America and Ohio and Michigan Super Lawyers. In 2021, Chambers noted that Taft’s Domestic Relations attorneys are “highly professional and very experienced … the team is extremely bright, diligent, and hard-working.”

Our attorneys skillfully handle all domestic relations matters for clients with estates of all sizes, with the advantage of Taft’s Tax, Real Estate, and Estate Planning practice groups to structure favorable property settlements and other agreements affecting property rights.

We represent individuals in all facets of family law. Our depth of experience includes:

Divorce.
Custody.
Parenting time (visitation).
Family law appeals.
Prenuptial and postnuptial agreements.
Complex business valuation analysis.
Tax treatment and division of qualified and non-qualified retirement benefits.
Valuation, division and distribution of stock options and other incentive plans.
Analysis of complex executive compensation arrangements.
Tax considerations related to the division and disbursement of property.
Determination of spousal support.
Calculation and determination of child support, especially in high income cases.
Issues related to allocation of parental rights, parenting time (visitation), and custody.
Negotiation of shared parenting plans.
Negotiation and enforcement of divorce decrees, including the separation agreements and shared parenting plans incorporated therein.
Negotiation of prenuptial agreements.
Friend of the Court matters.
Post-judgment modifications.
Property settlement enforcement.
Step-parent adoption.
Birth record corrections.
Separate maintenance.
Annulment.
Paternity.

Creative Results in Non-Litigated Matters

Our attorneys understand and appreciate the value of the personal and private nature of the termination of marriage process. For that reason, we regularly work with our sophisticated clients to identify an alternative process through which we can negotiate and finalize their termination of marriage proceeding. We provide our clients with choices on processes other than litigation, including:

Collaborative divorce.
Mediation.
Arbitration.
Cooperative divorce.
Principled negotiation.

These processes are centered on interest-based negotiation rather than positional bargaining. By listening carefully to our clients’ concerns and interests, we provide superior service that delivers creative results in non-litigated matters. Our clients maintain control over the sensitive process and rave about the confidential, yet unique, outcomes we render.

Skilled Litigators

Our Domestic Relations attorneys are recognized as skilled negotiators and litigators with extensive courtroom experience in contested matters. When warranted, we find litigation to be an effective process to provide clients and their loved ones with personal and financial protection. We tackle the fierce negotiation and enforcement of separation agreements, valuation issues, and complex tax issues. We provide our clients the safeguards and protection afforded by the court.

Our clients know that our Domestic Relations attorneys have the ability and experience necessary to handle even the most complex and delicate situations with both sensitivity and effectiveness.