Dawn Marie Bates-Buchanan

I handle cases in Bankruptcy, Estate Planning, Probate, Trust Administration, Contracts (Collections of Debts/Defense of Collection of Debts), Landlord Tenant, Real Property (Sales, Foreclosure Defense), Family Law, Collaborative Family Law, Family Law Mediation and in Sarasota, Venice, Port Charlotte, and throughout the State of Florida.

I am an attorney with 25 years experience in preparing wills, trusts, healthcare living wills, powers of attorney, helping seniors and others with collections violations, contract violations, bankruptcy, foreclosure issues and probate. I am also a certified mediator in Circuit Civil and Family Law, with specific training in mortgage modification mediation in bankruptcy. I am also specially training in Collabrative Family Law, a confidential negotation based, non litigation type of family law.

My primary office is in Venice, Florida, but I also have a office in Bradenton. I live in Venice and my family still lives in a Venice and I went to high school in Venice and graduated in 1986. I work in counties throughout the State of Florida, but usually work between Fort Myers and Tampa appearing in Manatee, Sarasota, Lee, Pinellas, Pasco and Hillsborough Counties.

I was born in Texas, but have lived my whole life in one part of Florida or another. I was raised in Venice, Florida, went college at University of South Florida, in Tampa and recieved a Bachelors degree in Criminology, Sociology and Child Psychcology and became a Guardian Ad Litem. I went to work for the 12th Judicial Circuit State Attorney's office and went back to school and became a certified legal assistant with a A.S. in Legal Assisting and national certification from NALA. I then worked for the 12th Judicial Circuit in the worthless check division for five years before being endorsed by Earl Moreland to go to law school. I was accepted and attended Stetson University College of Law from 1995-2008 where I earned my Juris Doctorate. I was admitted to the Florida Bar in October of 1999. While in law school i continued my community service as a Guardian Ad Litem and interned for the U.S. Attorney's office in Tampa, as well as for Judge Fleming in Pinellas County. After law school I worked for the 12th Judicial Circuit State Attorney's Office as an intern, but found a job working in Family Law with Central Florida Legal Services, Inc in Daytona Beach, Florida, which ultimately became Community Legal Services of Mid-Florida, Inc. I was promoted to Family Law Unit Leader in my 4th year and Managing Attorney of the Daytona Beach office in my 5th year. I moved to Bradenton, Florida to be closer to my family that still lived in Venice in February of 2006 and became Managing Attorney of Gulfcoast Legal Services, Inc, Bradenton Office where a specialized in elder law, which included estate planning, bankruptcy, foreclosure defense and consumer defense law.

I am animal advocate and often foster dogs, along with raising and caring for my dachshunds. 

I am married to Eddie Robert Buchanan, for 22 years and we have a beautiful daughter named Darian.