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High Net Worth Divorce | Child Custody | Criminal Defense | DUI  Defense

When you are facing the prospect of criminal charges, an acrimonious divorce, or grueling rehabilitation from injuries suffered in a car accident, your decision to obtain an experiencedand proven attorney can minimize the stress and disruption to your life.  Legal entanglements can mean a litany of difficulties for those from all walks of life. However, high-profile personalities like celebrities, professional athletes, officers and directors of large corporations, owners of professional practices, and entertainers must navigate the additional challenges of negative publicity.  The negative media attention associated with a domestic violence allegation against a high-profile individual can result in the loss of millions of dollars in future earnings or even a career.

At the Law Offices of Beryl Thompson-McClary, our clients trust us based on our proven experience and expertise.  Whether you are focused on protecting your parent-child relationship, avoiding jail, or obtaining the compensation necessary to move past serious injuries, you can take comfort in the fact you are represented by a successful trial attorney.  Our managing partner Beryl Thompson-McClary has litigated over 350 trials during her 28 years practicing law in Orlando and throughout Florida. Her litigation experience also includes participation in more than 120 administrative cases.  This thorough background navigating the procedural, evidentiary, and tactical aspects of litigation meanOrlando attorney Thompson-McClary has a distinct advantage. Our success includes handling civil and criminal matters for a range of high-profile individuals.  Celebrities seek out our expertise because they know we can handle the unique concerns that face high-profile individuals involved in divorces, criminal prosecutions, and personal injury lawsuits.

High Net Worth Divorce & Family Law in Orlando, FL

The media often portrays divorces between people subject to a heightened degree of media scrutiny as tenacious and protracted, so embarrassing personal information is ultimately disclosed. Fueled by exaggerated tabloid stories of “War of the Roses” style conflicts, many famous people assume their divorce will be an acrimonious quagmire.  Orlando divorce attorney Beryl Thompson-McClary takes pride in guiding clients past the negative emotions that can derail a mutually amicable divorce settlement.  Our law firm is uniquely positioned to handle particularly challenging and complex issues that include:

  • Equitable division of large marital estates
  • High conflict custody disputes
  • Waste and hidden marital assets
  • Valuation and division of businesses and professional practices
  • Determination of the worth of difficult to value assets (e.g. stock options, rare art collections, etc.)
  • Parental relocations
  • Custody disputes involving allegations of substance abuse, child abuse or neglect, or domestic violence
  • Highly contentious alimony cases involving a high income party

While our Orlando family law firm has built a reputation for successfullyrepresenting clients referred to as “high profile,” this does not mean that we value one client over others.  Some cases simply attract a greater focus from the media.  Our founding attorney tenaciously represents each of her clients’ interests through skilled negotiation, persuasive advocacy, appropriate legal research, and compelling legal and factual arguments.

We explore the possibility for mutually amicable divorce solutions to promote stable and effective settlement of marital issues.  The process of resolving marital disputes can be complicated because of feelingsof anger, jealousy, and distrustthat interfere with the communication needed to find common ground.  Our experience handling hundreds upon hundreds of divorces means Attorney Beryl Thompson-McClary recognizes how to negotiate around these emotional pitfalls to reach a settlement that can promote the financial interests and security of both parties.  While we are prepared to engage in contentious litigation, no judge will ever be as familiar with the family dynamics, marital property, and other circumstances of a couple’s situation than the spouses.  We advice you regarding your legal rights and the likely outcome if a judge decides your case.  At our law firm, we recognize that a negotiated solution usually will be more acceptable to both sides than one imposed by a judge.

Some of the divorce issues that we routinely handle for our clients include but are not limited to the following:

  • Spousal Support (Alimony)
  • Child Custody
  • Child Support
  • Property Division
  • Paternity Disputes
  • Parental Relocation
  • Modifications of Orders and Divorce Judgments
  • Child Visitation
  • Domestic Violence

At our law firm,  our attorneys tailor ourapproachto the objectives, needs, and circumstances of our clients.  We often retain experts and conduct a thorough investigation and analysis of documents to resolve complex property division, alimony, or child support issues. Orlando divorce attorney Beryl Thompson-McClary balances artful negotiation with effective advocacy to obtain lasting solutions that mitigate ongoing post-judgment conflicts and the need for constant trips back to court.

Personal Injury Claims in Orlando, FL

When you are involved in a collision caused by a fatigued truck driver or you are injured in a fall during a cruise, your choice of personal injury attorney can make an enormous difference.  Insurance companies and their insurance defense lawyers will be familiar with the reputation of your attorney.  Insurance companies know if an attorney has a reputation for preparing every case for a settlement with no real threat of trial.  Our clients take comfort in the fact that Orlando personal injury lawyer Beryl Thompson-McClary has taken over 350 cases to trial and litigated another 120 administrative cases in her 27 years as an attorney.  Our law firm believes the largest settlements are the natural byproduct of thoroughly preparing to obtain a large verdict at trial.  This preparation and approach meanthat insurance companies and their clients must weigh the risk of an adverse judgment at trial along with the cost of trial when engaging in settlement negotiations.

If you or someone you love has suffered an injuryin a catastrophic accident, our law firm’s founder Beryl Thompson-McClary is a seasoned veteran with extensive experience handling legal claims involving serious injury in Orlando and throughout Florida.  Once we have engaged in a thorough investigation and review of the facts of your situation, our focus is on pursuing the fullest financial compensation for our clients.  When unreasonably careless or inattentive individuals, corporations, or government entities cause you injury or harm, Attorney Thompson-McClary can help you navigate past insurance company traps and legal obstacles.

Our law firm has recovered millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts for personal injury and wrongful death victims and their families.  While the attorneys at our law firm have the skill, background, and tenacity to represent clients in the full range of serious injury cases, some of the claims our law firm focuses on include:

Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect

As Baby Boomers approach retirement age, the average age of the U.S. population is increasing, which will place increased demand on nursing home resources.  Because more seniors call Florida home than any other state, these facilities will try to expand services despite limited resources.  The understaffing epidemic in nursing homes continues to threaten the safety of elderly residents.  Our law firm represents nursing home residents subject to all forms of mistreatment, which include the following:

  • Physical Abuse: This form of abuse can involve any form of physical harm, such as punching, slapping, kicking, burning, manhandling, or unjustified physical restraint.
  • Sexual Abuse: This form of abuse might be especially appalling, but non-consensualsexual acts perpetrated against elderly residents occur.Staff members might fondle, rape, sexually molest or force the viewing of pornography just to name a few examples.
  • Improper Medication: Nursing home staff can be liable for improperly withholding medication or chemically restraining residents.
  • Neglect of Basic Needs: Nursing homes neglect of the basic needs of residents like hydration, nutrition, or hygiene constitutes the most common basis for lawsuits against nursing homes.
  • Emotional/Financial Abuse: Emotional mistreatment (e.g. isolation of a resident), as well as misuse or theft of a seniors money or assets also constitutes a form of abuse.

Cruise Injuries/Accidents

Many passengers injured on a cruise or during the embarkation or disembarkation process do not know that they agreed to severely limit their rights when they purchased their ticket.  Orlando cruise injury attorney Beryl Thompson-McClary has the knowledge to represent clients in this highly specialized area of litigation. She understands that the passenger ticket contract often means a federalcourt, special procedures, shorter time limits, and the applicability of federal maritime or admiralty law.

Work-Related Injuries

The worker’s compensation system offers benefits in the form of medical care, partial wage replacement, and disability benefits, depending on the specific circumstances.  However, our Orlando workplace injury lawyers recognize this compensation frequently will be woefully inadequate.  Although the worker’s compensation system constitutes the exclusive remedy for injured employees against an employer, Attorney Thompson-McClary explores the potential liability of third-parties in a civil lawsuit.  The amount of compensation awarded for lost wages,diminished income capacity, and permanent disability in a personal injury lawsuit tends to far exceed comparable categories of compensation through the worker’s compensation system.  Further, types of damages commonly received in personal injury cases, such as pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of consortium, and more are not compensated within the worker’s compensation system.  Our law firm frequently pursues the dual strategy of filing a worker’s compensation claim against our client’s employer and a personal injury lawsuit against a responsible third-party.

Motor Vehicle Accident Injuries

Some motor vehicle accident victims assume they can reach an agreement with the insurance company of the responsible party, but this misguided approach can result in critical mistakes.  Although the adjuster for the other driver might seem amicable, the insurance company has no interest in treating you fairly.  Our Orlando motor vehicle accident attorneys aggressively negotiate with the responsible party’s insurance carrier while avoiding missteps that could derail your claim.  Our law firm handles all motor vehicle accidents caused by drivers speeding, multitasking, driving while intoxicated, or otherwise operating a motor vehicle in an unreasonably unsafe manner. Some of the vehicle injury claims we handle include:

Car Accidents: Our law firm works with experts in accident reconstruction and medical professionals to build a compelling case on both liability and damages.

Tractor-Trailer Accidents: Trucking cases require special expertise because of the unique aspects of trucking litigation.  Accidents caused by negligent truck drivers and indifferenttrucking companies are not just collisions involving large vehicles that are more prone to cause catastrophic injury or death.  Trucking companies often have investigators that can be dispatched to the scene of a crash within minutes.  Because the trucking company begins building their defense as soon as an accident occurs, our law firm is prepared to move promptly to pursue a trucking accident claim.  Our experienced Florida trucking accident attorneys engage in prompt investigations and send spoliation letters to the opposing parties warning that the truck and its onboard data recorder must be maintained in its post-accident condition to prevent the loss of evidence.  The court can impose monetary sanctions or rulings that harm the defendants’ case if they ignore these warnings.  Attorney Beryl Thompson-McClary also usesher extensive knowledge of state and federal trucking regulations to identify violations by the driver or commercial carrier.

Motorcycle Accidents: While distracted motorists and drunk drivers pose a danger to everyone on the road, the risk to motorcyclists is magnified because motorcycles lack the safety features and stability of a passenger car.  Our law firm handles the type of catastrophic injury claims that often arise out of motorcycle accidents.  We understand the unique challenges of motorcycle litigation, such as an unfavorable law enforcement accident report because occupants of the other vehicle were the only ones interviewed after our client was rushed to the emergency room.

Bicyclists/Pedestrians: When bicyclists or pedestrians are struck by a motor vehicle, the risk of catastrophic injury is extremely high.  Our Orlando pedestrian accident attorneys are prepared for the common strategies used by insurance companies, which includeblaming the crash on the injury victim.

Criminal Defense in Orlando, FL

Whether you are under the cloud of an investigation by law enforcement authorities or you have been formally arrested, a misdemeanor or felony conviction can turn your life upside down.  The consequences of a misdemeanor could include jail time, substantial fines, mandatory participation in counseling and/or classes, a driver’s license suspension, a criminal record, probation, and other penalties depending on the situation.  If you are convicted of a felony, these forms of punishment could be supplemented by state prison time and the loss of certain constitutional rights, such as the right to vote, jury service, and ownership of a firearm.  As if these adverse ramifications are not bad enough, the long-term consequences of a felony conviction can derail your family relationships, educational pursuits, career, and reputation.

What Can Florida Criminal Defense Lawyer Do for Celebrity Clients?

This litany of penalties and adverse consequences only tells part of the story if you are a high-profile defendant.  The media publicity and damage to your professional reputation can cost you millions of dollars in earning potential and turn you into fodder for the paparazzi.  While our law firm provides atenaciousdefense to people from all walks of life, high-profile defendants like actors/actresses, professional sports figures, CEOs, and others subject to heightened media scrutiny seek out our services.  We understand the importance of doing the following:

Keeping Clients Out of Court: Beryl Thompson-McClary often can make all or most appearances for her clients to mitigate exposure to the paparazzi and disruption of her clients’ lives.

Getting Charges Reduced or Dismissed: Because of her reputation as a trial attorney and her relationship withinthe courts,prosecutors often work with us and our clients in a non-adversarial way.

Limiting Negative Publicity & Collateral Damage: We work diligently to prevent reporters from obtaining video footage or photos.  Attorney Thompson-McClary uses innovative strategies for staying ahead of the scandal hungry media.

Tenacious Defense of Client Rights – Types of Offenses

Our Orange County criminal defense lawyers have the expertise and experience to handle the full range of criminal defenses that include but are not limited to the following:

Violent Criminal Offenses

  • Murder
  • Rape
  • Sexual Battery
  • Assault
  • Manslaughter
  • Domestic Violence
  • Robbery
  • Drug & Alcohol Offenses
  • Drug Possession
  • Drug Distribution
  • Drug Manufacturing
  • Drug Conspiracy
  • Cultivation of Marijuana
  • Driving Under the Influence (DUI)

Financial Crimes White Collar Crimes)

  • Fraud Against the Government
  • Embezzlement
  • Fiduciary Crimes

Record Clearing

  • Expungements

Innovative and Aggressive Defense of Florida Criminal Offenses

Our Orlando criminal defense law firm conducts a thorough investigation to evaluate the admissibility of the prosecutor’s evidence, the veracity of the government’s witnesses, and the sufficiency of the evidence to prove the charged offense(s).  When Beryl Thompson-McClary builds her defense to criminal charges, her strategies are customized based on the specific charges and circumstances, but some of the defense she might successfully employ include:

  • Seeking suppression of evidence taken during an unreasonable search in violation of the Fourth Amendment
  • Conducting forensic testing of physical evidence
  • Moving for exclusion of confessions or other incriminating statements
  • Exposing contamination through improper handling of evidence or improper lab testing
  • Uncovering favorable witnesses
  • Exposing lies, misrepresentations, inconsistent statements, or relevant nondisclosures by the government’s witnesses through investigation and effective cross-examination
  • Contesting the legal sufficiency of evidence relied on to justify stopping your person or vehicle

When your liberty, financial security, reputation, and future hang in the balance, you should immediately assert your rights not to speak to the police and your right to speak with an attorney.  Once you are placed under arrest or made the target of a law enforcement investigation, time is of the essence in retaining an experienced Orlando criminal defense attorney to safeguard your rights and future.

Call the Law Offices of Beryl Thompson-McClary P.A. Today

We have law offices in Orlando and practice in Orange, Seminole, Osceola, Lake, Brevard,and Volusia counties.  To schedule a free initial consultation with an attorney, you can call our office at 1-888-640-2999.

Beryl Thompson-McClary

390 N. Orange Ave., Suite #2300
Orlando, Florida 32801

Tel: 1-888-640-2999
Open: 8 AM to 5 PM or by appointment

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Orlando Office Location

Orlando Office

390 N. Orange Ave., Suite 2300
Orlando, Florida 32801
Tel: 1-888-640-2999
Fax: 1-321-286-5888

Open: 24/7

ORLANDO LEGAL BLOG

Articles & Legal Information

Orlando Divorce Attorney

An Overview of Paternity Actions in the State of Florida

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