Issue 6 2019

Acquisition International - Issue 6 2019 85 Nov18045 The Path Forward Stuart K. Skok, Esquire has practiced matrimonial and family law for over 20 years. Her firm’s mission is to assist clients in looking forward and visualizing the path ahead through innovative thinking and collaborative approaches. ward-winning attorney, Stuart Skok, is owner and principal of Stuart Skok Law LLC, with offices in Montgomery and Frederick Counties. She is licensed to practice in Maryland and Washington, D.C. As an experienced Matrimonial and Family Law lawyer for more than 20 years, her practice is devoted to separation, divorce, custody and other family law matters, in and out of court, at the lower court level and on appeal. She also handles post-divorce modification and contempt, domestic violence proceedings, prenuptial and separation agreements. She is certified in Collaborative Law, where parties agree to resolve their family law disputes out of court in a private team-approached process. She is also certified in Divorce Mediation, where she is appointed by the Court or hired by parties to mediate their family law dispute. Stuart is routinely appointed by the Court to act as a Best Interest Attorney or Nagle v. Hooks Attorney (as to therapeutic privilege) representing minor children in divorce cases. Stuart has particular experience in family law cases involving children with special needs, having a special needs child herself. On the rating system that applies to all lawyers, Stuart has been awarded the highest rating of A-V Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell. In addition, in 2017 she earned the Gold Client Champion Award from Martindale-Hubbel, based on client on-line reviews. Fewer than 1% of attorneys have achieved this client award, making her part of an elite group of attorneys showcased for their commitment to the best in client service. Stuart has also been consistently recognized by AVVO with a 10/10 Rating for client service and achievement. AVVO is an on-line service to help individuals find an attorney by providing profiles, verified reviews and ratings for lawyers. Stuart is a member of the Maryland State and Federal Courts, District of Columbia State Bar and the United States Supreme Court. Stuart grew up in Maryland and received her undergraduate degree from the University of Denver, where she began her interest in the law on the D.U. debate team. She received her law degree from West Virginia University College of Law, where her grandfather, late Judge Gus H. Muntzing of Hardy County, WV was an alumnus. Law school was where she decided to be a trial lawyer and won 1st place in the Lugar Moot Trial Competition. She was inspired to be a lawyer by her grandfather as well as her late father, L. Manning Muntzing, a renowned international nuclear lawyer in D.C. and former President of the American Nuclear Society. L. Manning Muntzing devoted his life to the advancement of safe nuclear power in our world and serves as her inspiration on “doing something that matters to you and to the world every day.” As a leader in the legal community throughout her career, Stuart has been active in the collaborative divorce community since it started in Maryland in 2007. She currently serves on the Board of the Collaborative Project of Maryland (CPM), an organisation that A provides free and low fee collaborative divorce services to families that cannot afford the collaborative process, and which also provides training to newly-certified collaborative divorce lawyers. Stuart believes that the collaborative divorce process, a non-adversarial and private resolution process, is an invaluable process to offer clients because it is the only process that puts family first. The Collaborative Process protects children from much of the conflict that arises during the traditional divorce process and assists parents in developing a cooperative co-parenting relationship so children and parents can sustain their relationships and share milestones throughout their lives after the divorce. The parties, together with their team of Collaborative Professionals (e.g. attorney, mental health professional, child specialist, financial professional) meet to discuss all issues needed to reach a durable agreement that serves the needs of the family as a whole. While Stuart’s specialty and passion for the practice of law is family law, she enjoys handling other kinds of litigation matters for clients from time to time, be it a federal court civil dispute or lower court civil jury trial. She is committed to helping every client with all of their legal needs, or making sure to get them to the right resource. Each case has its own path and strategy she believes and no case is too small or too big. “As an experienced Matrimonial and Family Law lawyer for more than 20 years, her practice is devoted to separation, divorce, custody and other family law matters, in and out of court, at the lower court level and on appeal.” Company: Stuart Skok Law LLC Website: http://www.stuartskoklaw.com/