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Scott M. Strickler

Scott M. Strickler

T 301-230-6562
F 301-230-2891

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People turn to Scott Strickler when they are facing a challenging situation involving their marriage, custody of their children, or other legal concerns involving their family, particularly when the issues are complex and the stakes are high. Clients benefit from Scott’s inventive tactics. Opponents are rarely able to predict how he will approach a particular issue in a case.

Scott’s clients benefit from his creative style, his highly tactical approach, and his three decades of experience in the field of family law. Understanding that no two cases should be approached alike and that every circumstance requires a different strategy, he treats each matter as unique, with no preconceived notions and in a manner that is not one-size-fits-all.

Bethesda Magazine has featured Scott multiple times as one of the top divorce lawyers in the DC metro region. The magazine notes that he is excellent at “dealing with complicated tax issues” and he remains focused and committed to improving his clients’ overall “strategic position.” Scott has also been selected numerous times by Worth Magazine as one of the top one hundred attorneys in the country serving the needs of affluent clientele, recognized by Super Lawyers Magazine as among the top family law attorneys in Maryland, and named in Washington Post Magazine’s “Best Lawyers, A Comprehensive Guide to the Area’s Top Attorneys.”

Scott began practicing law in 1986, after serving as the judicial law clerk to the Chief Judge of Maryland’s Fifth Judicial Circuit. Since then, his practice has concentrated solely on the field of domestic relations and family law. He represents clients in the negotiation and preparation of property settlement agreements, antenuptial agreements, and post-nuptial agreements, and litigates before the Family Division Masters and judges of the Circuit Courts of Maryland in contested and uncontested divorce, custody, and support matters.

Scott has argued and/or briefed cases in both of the appellate courts of Maryland, as well as the District of Columbia Court of Appeals. Much of his practice focuses on complex domestic relations issues involving such things as business valuations, domestic relations taxation, and the use of the tax code to optimize settlement solutions for both parties in a case.

A respected authority in the field of domestic relations and family law, Scott is a frequent lecturer and has given numerous presentations to other lawyers, accountants and financial advisors, as well as members of the general public.  He has presented programs at the:

  • American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers,
  • Bar Association of Montgomery County,
  • Montgomery County Bar Foundation,
  • Maryland Institute for Continuing Professional Education for Lawyers,
  • International Association of Financial Planners,
  • American Association of Attorney CPAs, and
  • Maryland Commission for Women.

His presentations have included such topics as

  • “Stock Options and Hidden Assets in Divorce,”
  • “Alimony Trends in Maryland”,
  • “Creative Settlement Strategies – Maximizing Tax Savings,” and
  • “How to Choose a Divorce Lawyer.”

Professional & Community Affiliations

  • Frequent expert witness on issues related to attorneys fees in divorce cases
  • Expert witness before The World Bank on Maryland child support laws
  • Pro Bono Mentor, Montgomery County Bar Foundation, 1994 to present
  • Chair, Program Committee of Family Law Section of Bar Association of Montgomery County, 1997-1998
  • Court-Appointed Domestic Relations Mediator and Facilitator, 1998 to present
  • Chair, Family Law Section of Bar Association of Montgomery County, 1998-1999
  • Executive Committee, Bar Association of Montgomery County, 2000-2001
  • Hughes v. Hughes, 80 Md. App. 216, 560 A.2d 1145 (1989)
  • Johnson v. Domingues, 82 Md. App. 128, 570 A.2d 369 (1990)
  • Domingues v. Johnson, 323 Md. 486, 593 A.2d 1133 (1991)
  • Tolima, Inc. v. Veiga, Court of Special Appeals of Maryland, unreported
  • State Farm v. Hoang, 682 A.2d 202 (D.C. App. 1996)
  • Koutsos v. Koustos, Court of Special Appeals of Maryland, unreported
  • Nolfi v. Henry, Court of Special Appeals of Maryland, dismissed by opposing party after briefing
  • Mills v. Mills, 178 Md. App. 728, 943 A.2d 677 (2008)
  • Watter v. Watter, Court of Special Appeals of Maryland, unreported
  • Selected by Worth Magazine for three years running (2007, 2008 and 2009) as one of the Top 100 attorneys in the nation serving the needs of the affluent.
    Top Family Law Attorneys in Maryland and Washington D.C., Super Lawyers Magazine, 2007 – 2018
  • Named in Washington D.C.’s “Best Lawyers, A Comprehensive Guide to the Areas Top Attorneys”,  featured in The Washington Post Magazine, November 2008
  • Selected by Washingtonian Magazine on multiple occasions for inclusion among the top domestic relations attorneys in the area, including February 2009 (“Breaking Up is Hard to Do”) and December 2007 (“Washington’s Top Lawyers”).
  • The Best Lawyers in America
  • “Legal Aspects of Separation and Divorce”,  Maryland Commission for Women, presented on multiple occasions since 1988; co-authored and edited the current Divorce Handbook, completed in 2009
  • “Divorce Decrees, College Degrees”,  College Financial Aid Strategies, June and July, 1991 (two-part series)
  • “How to Choose a Divorce Lawyer”, Maryland Commision for Women, 1994
  • Rita Rosenkrantz Pro Bono Family Law training, Montgomery County Bar Association, annual lecturer since 1994
  • “Guardians Ad Litem:  Collection of Fees From Bankruptcy Debtor”, Bar Association of Montgomery County, 1995
  • “Divorce or Separation:  What You Need to Know to Guide Your Clients Through Transition”, International Association of Financial Planners, 1997                 
  • “Alimony: Initial Awards and Modifications”, Bar Association of Montgomery County, 1998
  • “Prenuptial Agreements”, Law School for the Public, 1999
  • “Drafting Prenuptial Agreements:  The Times, They Are A-Changin'”, Maryland Institute for Continuing Education for Lawyers (MICPEL), February, 2000
  • “Civil Contempt:  An Update”, Maryland Institute for Continuing Professional Education for Lawyers (MICPEL), February, 2001
  • “Stock Options and Hidden Assets in Divorce”, Montgomery County Bar Foundation, December, 2001                              
  • “Alimony Trends in Maryland”, Bar Association of Montgomery County, 2002
  • “Creative Settlement Strategies:  Maximizing Tax Savings”, Mediation Matters (marital property training for mediators), presented on multiple occasions, beginning in 2003
  • “Greater Monetary Awards:  Stock Options and Property Settlements”, Montgomery County Bar Foundation, September, 2004
  • “Hot Tips for the Family Law Practitioner”, Maryland Institute for Continuing Professional Education for Lawyers (MICPEL), February, 2005
  • “Divorce Planning – The Financial Experts Role, A Litigator’s Perspective”, Maryland Institute of Certified Public Accountants (and local chapters thereof), presented on multiple occasions, beginning October, 2005  
  • “Grandparents’ Rights to Custody and Visitation”, Law School for the Public, 2007
  • “Collaborative Law – Pros and Cons”, Bar Association of Montgomery County, 2008
  • “Financial Experts in Divorce”, Montgomery County Bar Foundation, December, 2008 
  • “Prenuptial Agreements—Representing the Economically Dominant and Weaker Parties”, American Association of Attorney-CPAs, November, 2014

Publications

  • “Income Tax Consequences upon Separation or Divorce”, The Prudential Flyer, May, 1992 

Seminars & Speaking Engagements

  • “Legal Aspects of Separation and Divorce”,  Maryland Commission for Women, presented on multiple occasions since 1988; co-authored and edited the current Divorce Handbook, completed in 2009
  • “Divorce Decrees, College Degrees”,  College Financial Aid Strategies, June and July, 1991 (two-part series)
  • “How to Choose a Divorce Lawyer”, Maryland Commision for Women, 1994
  • Rita Rosenkrantz Pro Bono Family Law training, Montgomery County Bar Association, annual lecturer since 1994
  • “Guardians Ad Litem:  Collection of Fees From Bankruptcy Debtor”, Bar Association of Montgomery County, 1995
  • “Divorce or Separation:  What You Need to Know to Guide Your Clients Through Transition”, International Association of Financial Planners, 1997                 
  • “Alimony: Initial Awards and Modifications”, Bar Association of Montgomery County, 1998
  • “Prenuptial Agreements”, Law School for the Public, 1999
  • “Drafting Prenuptial Agreements:  The Times, They Are A-Changin'”, Maryland Institute for Continuing Education for Lawyers (MICPEL), February, 2000
  • “Civil Contempt:  An Update”, Maryland Institute for Continuing Professional Education for Lawyers (MICPEL), February, 2001
  • “Stock Options and Hidden Assets in Divorce”, Montgomery County Bar Foundation, December, 2001                              
  • “Alimony Trends in Maryland”, Bar Association of Montgomery County, 2002
  • “Creative Settlement Strategies:  Maximizing Tax Savings”, Mediation Matters (marital property training for mediators), presented on multiple occasions, beginning in 2003
  • “Greater Monetary Awards:  Stock Options and Property Settlements”, Montgomery County Bar Foundation, September, 2004
  • “Hot Tips for the Family Law Practitioner”, Maryland Institute for Continuing Professional Education for Lawyers (MICPEL), February, 2005
  • “Divorce Planning – The Financial Experts Role, A Litigator’s Perspective”, Maryland Institute of Certified Public Accountants (and local chapters thereof), presented on multiple occasions, beginning October, 2005  
  • “Grandparents’ Rights to Custody and Visitation”, Law School for the Public, 2007
  • “Collaborative Law – Pros and Cons”, Bar Association of Montgomery County, 2008
  • “Financial Experts in Divorce”, Montgomery County Bar Foundation, December, 2008 
  • “Prenuptial Agreements—Representing the Economically Dominant and Weaker Parties”, American Association of Attorney-CPAs, November, 2014

News & Events

Practice Areas

Education

  • University of Maryland School of Law, J.D., 1985, with Honors
  • University of Maryland, College Park, B.S. in Journalism, 1981, with Honors including Dean’s List and Kappa Tau Alpha (National Journalism Honor Society)

Bar & Court Admissions

  • Maryland Court of Appeals
  • District of Columbia
  • District of Columbia Court of Appeals
  • Maryland
  • U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland
  • U.S. Supreme Court
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