Donna Mae Dougherty

My son retained the law firm of Donna Dougherty Law P.C. after his attempt to gain custodial time with my nine-month-old grandson using another firm failed miserably. While Donna herself was lead counsel on his case, all of the other members of the firm assisted either directly or indirectly with the... case. My son met with his first attorney in December, 2013 to discuss his options in his divorce and custody case. The attorney assured him that he had a very good chance of getting a reasonable visitation schedule. His definition of reasonable and my son’s were poles apart because in June, 2014, the judge only gave my son only 9% of visitation time while his ex-wife was granted primary custody and 91% of the time and the divorce trial date was set for April, 2015. A colleague of my son’s recommended Donna describing her as a ‘bulldog’ when fighting for her clients and this is an apt description of her. From the time that my son retained her firm, Donna and her associates have worked doggedly to allow my grandson to have more time with his dad. During the two-day custody/divorce trial in April, 2015, the judge increased the time my son and grandson had with each other to 37% and although his ex-wife and he had joint legal custody, the judge gave him final decision-making authority on some important but contentious issues. His ex-wife was not pleased with the decision and repeatedly violated every aspect of the court order, which led to a series of Motions and modifications of the original court order. This, in turn, led to a full two-day trial in February, 2017, to revisit the issue of custody and visitation. At this trial, the court ordered joint physical and legal custody for both parents and agreed to Donna’s recommendation of a four-three custody arrangement (Monday afternoon-Friday morning with my son and Friday afternoon to Monday morning with his mother). Although this was what we had hoped for, we weren’t sure the court would agree since my grandson was only three years and five months old, so needless to say we were extremely pleased. Throughout this process, Donna and her staff have been steadfast in supporting not only my son, but also me. I don’t believe that any ‘Father’s Rights’ attorney could have done a better job than Donna and her associates, and therefore, I whole heartedly recommend the law firm of Donna Dougherty Law P.C. to anyone who is going through the trauma of a divorce or child custody case. Unlike full-service law firms, this firm specializes in Family Law, which I feel is why they are so successful.

Donna is a smart and steadfast attorney who also has compassion and is a strong advocate for her clients and their cases. I believe these are the best characteristics to have when practicing family law because things can get pretty emotional when dealing with custody and other similar cases. Donna an...d her staff were very professional and always on top of things. It is because of this that I believe the case worked out in my favor and I will be forever thankful.

The most critical skill any advocate or counselor can have is the ability to listen, to understand, and to support the client. In a situation as full of emotion as a family separation or divorce, it is even more critical. Donna has this skill in abundance. Her active listening style and calm demea...nor provide a comforting setting in which to make the critical decisions required in these situations. In my case, Donna established rapport, and impressed me with her skills and knowledge of the law. She allowed me to vent my frustrations without letting me ramble on – she kept me focused and on topic. She listened and supported my wishes, and brought me back on track when I was tempted to escalate in response to my ex-husband’s actions. She had an uncanny ability to discern my ex’s motivations and provided an extremely creative solution to our dispute. She protected my interests as if they were her own. If you are angry and want to fight, Donna knows how to win. If you want to negotiate and settle, Donna will help you do that by keeping you on track and calming your anger. My spouse wanted to fight dirty, and Donna’s knowledge of law and procedure prevented him from bullying me. Her assistance during this incredibly difficult time in my life was the sole reason I reached a successful settlement, finalized my divorce and am happily getting on with my life.