Skip to main content

Darla Katherine Snead

Open for Business
Virtual Consultation
  Save
Avvo Rating10
  • Lakeland, FL
  • Licensed for 23 years
Darla Katherine Snead
Darla Katherine Snead
AboutContactReviewsCost

About Darla

Video-Conference and Telephone Appointments are Available!

With over 23 years of experience as a trial attorney, Darla K. Snead has the experience you can trust to help you with your legal matter.  Her firm is dedicated to tailoring your legal representation to your specific needs. Whether you have a contested case or a case where you would like to negotiate a settlement, Attorney Snead can help you through the complex litigation process or guide you through mediation or settlement negotiations.  Although most people recognize that they should have an attorney to fight in court, and fight for their rights, some people think they should just handle a case themselves, or through a paralegal or mediation service, if they are close to agreeing.  Most of the time, this is a big mistake and you may be giving up important rights if you don't have an attorney by your side in mediation or settlement negotiations, just like in Court.  Attorney Snead provides representation for family law cases on a fixed fee basis for settlement agreements or for mediations.  Attorney Snead is also trained and certified in collaborative law.  During her legal career, she has tried over 100 cases involving both civil matters and criminal cases.  She currently represents clients in divorce matters, including child custody or timesharing issues, alimony, child support, as well as paternity cases and modifications of final orders. She also represents clients in personal injury and wrongful death cases, as well as criminal defense matters.  Attorney Snead is a Polk County, Florida native and began her career in the State Attorney's Office in Bartow, Florida.  

Practice areas

OtherUncontested divorceFamilyPersonal injuryDivorce and separation
  1. Divorce and separation: 45%

  2. Personal injury: 30%

    20 years

  3. Family: 10%

  4. Uncontested divorce: 10%

  1. Criminal defense: 5%

    16 years

Languages spoken

English

Photos and videos

1842910 1409249249

Contact

609 MidFlorida Dr., Ste. 2
address map

Darla K. Snead, P.L.

609 MidFlorida Dr., Ste. 2
Lakeland, FL, 33813

Office (863) 619-5291

Website

https://lakelandflattorney.com/

Resume

License
StateStatusAcquiredUpdated
ILActive And Authorized To Practice Law199803/24/2020
FLMember in Good Standing199709/29/2020
We have not found any instances of professional misconduct for this lawyer.
Avvo Contributions
Legal answers11
Legal guides0
Awards
Award nameGrantorDate granted
Top Rated Lawyer 10.0AVVO2019
Top-Rated Lawyer 10.0AVVO2018
10 Best AttorneysAmerican Institute of Family Law Attorneys2018
Advocacy - Certificate of MeritThomas M. CooleyN/A
Work Experience
TitleCompany nameDuration
AttorneyDarla K. Snead, P.L.2009 - Present
PartnerCrawford, Bracken & Snead, P.A.2003 - 2009
AssociateRuff, Weidenaar & Reidy2001 - 2003
Assistant State's AttorneyCook County State's Attorney's Office2000 - 2001
AssociateO'Brien & Somer1999 - 2000
Assistant State AttorneyState Attorney's Office - Bartow FL1997 - 1999
Associations
Association namePosition nameDuration
Lakeland Bar AssociationMember2014 - Present
Florida Bar, Entertainment, Arts and Sports Law SectionMember2014 - Present
Florida Bar, Family Law SectionMember2013 - Present
Florida Bar, Criminal Law SectionMember2009 - Present
US Middle District - Federal CourtAdmitted to Practice2009 - Present
Florida BarAdmitted to Practice1997 - Present
Polk County Trial Lawyers AssociationMemberN/A
Florida Bar, Grievance CommitteePast Chair2009 - 2012
Education
School nameDegreeGraduated
Thomas M. Cooley Law SchoolJD - Juris Doctor1996

Reviews

(48)
5 Star
96%
4 Star
2%
3 Star
0%
2 Star
0%
1 Star
2%
Review Darla Snead

Good resolution for a difficult case

Posted by

Darla helped me through a difficult time sharing case. My son's father appeared after 4 years and decided he wanted to see him. I was a crying mess at my consultation and Darla put me at ease. Her office staff is so sweet. Melissa (the paralegal) answered all my questions and forwarded the ones she needed clarification on to Darla. I was quite emotional throughout the process and the staff was very supportive. We were able to settle at mediation and come to a reasonable agreement. The number 1 reason I hired Darla is she is honest and she made me feel comfortable and confident. If you are going into a time sharing case, I would recommend Darla anyday.
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
Hired attorney
Darla Snead's response: Thank you so much!

Thanks

Posted by

Best attorney I have ever had I would not dare go into any courtroom without her she will treat your case as if it was her own I am highly pleased with her abilities and her work ethic
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
Hired attorney
Darla Snead's response: It was a pleasure representing you!

family

Posted by

Attorney Snead has helped me in two cases with my son in which they went the way I had hoped. I will use her again for anything legal I need.
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
Hired attorney
Darla Snead's response: It was a pleasure representing you and your family! Thank you!

Divorce case

Posted by

Darla was very friendly and personable. She answered all my questions and got the job done.
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
Hired attorney
Darla Snead's response: Thank you very much!

Great representation

Posted by

Attorney Snead is an incredible lawyer and helped me through my divorce. Highly recommended!
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
Hired attorney
Darla Snead's response: It was a pleasure representing you!

Happily Divorced and Satisfied Client !

Posted by

I hired Attorney Snead to handle my Divorce case ...Ex Wife was unreasonable on her demands from the begining and asked to keep the House , Furniture, have custody of my minor 3 kids , asked me to pay her attorney fees , pay child support , pay alimoney , life insurance , etc... Ex Wife didn't want to be partially responsible for marital debts like credit cards debts because they were under my name and not hers . Attorney Snead was very clear with me from the start about the hourly fees she will charge through-out the case ..It wasn't a flat rate but she managed to delegate a lot of work to her knowledgeable and experienced paralegal assistant and that helped reduce the overall cost of my divorce . My Ex Wife never wanted to agree from the beginning on anything and she thought she had an apprehend on the divorce , so all the negotiations and settlement offers were rejected and the divorce was disputed and set for Trial . Attorney Snead stuck with the plan and continued to negotiate with Wife's attorney and tried diligently to settle the matter before Trial as she believed that whatever Ex Wife is asking for was not fair to me. Short and sweet ...all the issues were pretty much resolved before trial ..Trial didn't take more then 2 hours . Pretty much Everything I had asked for before trial I got... I Ended up with 50/50 on everything ..Assets , Liabilities and also rotating schedule on a 50/50 base for my kids..They stay one week with me and one week with her . Didn't have to pay her Attorney fees , no Alimoney , no life insurance , not even a child support , etc... At the end , I can say one thing that Attorney fees might look costly but when you are in good hands it is definitely worth it.. I am very satisfied with the results and the outcome of my divorce and I can't thank Attorney Darla Snead enough for that. I will definitely continue to use her in the future if needed , but I I highly recommend her for anyone but especially for Men dealing with difficult Women in their divorces .. Again , thank you Ms Darla Snead for a Job well done . I am a happy and satisfied Client. HICHEM
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
Hired attorney
Darla Snead's response: Thank you so much for the review! It was a pleasure representing you!!!

Adoption

Posted by

I am very satisfied with the services provided by this attorney and her staff . and would definitely recommend her and her office to anyone seeking legal services
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
Hired attorney
Darla Snead's response: Thank you!!!

Very professional

Posted by

Darla has provided legal advice and guidance during a difficult situation. I found her to be experienced, responsive, knowledgable and honest. While working with Darla, I felt as though my situation was in adept and trustworthy hands, and she did not steer me wrong. I would highly recommend Darla to anyone seeking legal representation that is fair, honest and will keep your best interest and unique needs at the forefront. Should the situation arise, I would not hesitate to seek representation from Darla again.
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
Hired attorney
Darla Snead's response: Thank you so much!!!

Definitely recommend

Posted by

Mrs. Darla Snead and Mrs. Melissa Sasser were amazing in representing me and my case. They are both extremely helpful and knowledgeable when it came to giving me the proper advice for my scenario. They were both extremely attentive in notifying me by email and phone about every step of the process.I was extremely happy with the way they handled me and my case and I would highly recommend them to anyone who needs legal help!
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
Hired attorney
Darla Snead's response: Thank you! I greatly appreciate your review!!!

Fast and Efficient

Posted by

Ms. Snead handled my divorce quickly and efficiently. She answered every question and told me what to expect. Would recommend this lawyer to friends and family.
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
Hired attorney
Darla Snead's response: Thank you so much!
See all reviews

Attorney endorsements

(13)
Are you an attorney? Endorse this lawyer

Richard Rudolph, Employment and labor Attorney on May 23, 2018
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

I endorse this lawyer.

Homer Jordan, Divorce and separation Attorney on Feb 24, 2018
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

I endorse this lawyer.

Susan Best, Family Attorney on Apr 25, 2016
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

I endorse this lawyer. I have worked with Darla on several cases and have always found her to be responsive, professional and extremely competent, which makes for a better result for clients when working on family cases!

Mark Martinez, Real estate Attorney on Apr 12, 2016
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

I would recommend this attorney to any potential client for criminal defense or family law. Darla is a very down to earth, humble individual who comes across as a regular person. Yet, underneath a calm and gentle exterior is a knowledgeable, intelligent and zealous individual who shows that she truly cares about her clients. As a former prosecutor she possesses the requisite knowledge to provide excellent representation, but I believe it is her willingness to continue to learn and grow that separates her from other attorneys.

Christian Lassen, Life insurance Attorney on Aug 31, 2014
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

Top-notch attorney. Highly respected in the legal community.

Alberto Quirantes, Criminal defense Attorney on Apr 25, 2014
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

When you need a lawyer with trial experience, you want to pick a lawyer that was a former prosecutor. When you want a heavy hitting, and well connected attorney on your personal injury and Family law case, or if you are in a bind with the law on a criminal case, look no further than Darla Snead. Darla is well respected by her colleagues and liked by her clients. For these reasons I highly endorse Darla Snead as your attorney when you are in the need for legal services in the Lakeland area.

Brian Monk, Family Attorney on Aug 9, 2013
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

I endorse Darla Snead. Darla is a thorough and conscientious attorney who will get the job done right for her clients.

Christopher Ison, Personal injury Attorney on Jan 12, 2013
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

As a former prosecutor, I had the pleasure of working with Darla on several criminal cases. Darla is a dedicated and extremely competent attorney. I highly recommend Darla if you need representation in a criminal matter.

Benjamin Crawford, Personal injury Attorney on Aug 28, 2012
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

I endorse this lawyer. Darla is an excellent lawyer, who pays very close attention to every detail in the case she is handling.

Carl Barone, Estate planning Attorney on Aug 18, 2012
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

Simply put...The best at what she does. I wholeheartedly recommend Darla as the attorney to go to for any criminal defense matter in Polk County. As a former prosecutor, she will put her experience to work for you.

Daniel Bachert, Divorce and separation Attorney on Jul 27, 2012
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

I endorse this lawyer. Ms. Snead offers very sound, thorough and real world advice to Avvo questioners. I consider her an exceptional attorney and would have no reservation referring a client needing her services in the Lakeland area.

Jalal Shehadeh, Real estate Attorney on Feb 13, 2012
Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter

Excellent attorney. I was opposing counsel to Ms. Snead. Ms. Snead knows the law well, has earned the respect of all the individuals in the court room, and most importantly, does everything she can for he her clients.

Rafael Echemendia, Divorce and separation Attorney on Jan 12, 2012
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

I endorse this lawyer. Darla is an excellent lawyer who brings many years of experience, and her personal warmth and openness, to the resolution of cases. Whether she is working as an advocate in negotiations or arguing a case in court, she is over prepared and confident. At the same time, she will not back down from taking on a difficult issue, a difficult opposing party, or a difficult attorney in the protection of her client or her client’s rights.