Attorneys in Charleston, SC

The Strowd Law Firm is a family law firm in South Carolina.  Our attorneys proudly serve the Counties of Dorchester, Berkeley, and Charleston, SC.

Our firm is dedicated to handling family court matters and probate court matters, including but not limited to: divorce, child custody and visitation, child support, alimony, premarital agreements, separation agreements, paternity, domestic violence, conservatorships, guardianships, litigating estate issues and assisting executors or personal representatives through the probate process.

Our divorce attorneys know that a divorce can be a difficult and confusing time for you and your family and that you would not be seeking a family law attorney unless you were in the midst of a crisis. That is why we want to be sure that we give you all the legal guidance you will need to make a well-informed decision.

We believe that sound, ethical legal advice and guidance are the keys to protecting your interests and maintaining your peace of mind. We want the best for you and your family, and our clients have come to depend on our dedication, innovative strategies and continuous professionalism.

By providing experienced, affordable, competent and ethical legal counsel, we offer our clients an objective and realistic approach to resolve all their legal matters.

About Us
We represent a wide range of clients and circumstances. With a diverse and experienced staff, we are able to accommodate your needs, regardless of the complexity of your case. Because family law matters are also extremely private in nature, we treat each case with the highest level of confidentiality.

Our clients know that any information shared with our firm is safe and will stay within the parameters of their case. We will never disclose any confidential information about you or your children to anyone – period.

Divorce and child custody cases can be complicated and painful for everyone involved, especially children. When children are involved, their needs become our number one priority. We take any and all actions necessary to ensure that the outcome will be in your child’s best interest.

Our experienced lawyers specialize in divorce & family law.

The Strowd Law Firm practices primarily in the area of divorce and family law, focusing on the following types of cases:

· Divorce - Divorce, by definition, is the legal dissolution of a marriage. Rarely, though, are divorces as simple as people would like them to be. Most divorces involve the division of property between spouses and/or the arrangement of child custody and support. There are many other matters that can be affected by divorce including family businesses, social security, retirement benefits and health insurance. In addition to material issues, the emotional aspect of a divorce may well have its own timetable. Ideally, a divorce settlement will be reached without the intervention of the court. If, however, agreements cannot be reached, we offer aggressive legal representation to ensure that your personal needs are addressed. As divorce issues can be very complex, we can help you use a rational perspective to approach the process. Knowledgable about the military, pay and benefits.

· Family Law - The term family law applies to legal matters that relate to family relationships, rights, duties and finances. In addition to relationships between members within a family, family law rules also apply to the relationship between a family and society. Family law reflects the values society shares regarding how people who are related treat each other. By definition, a family law attorney aids the creation or termination of family relationships. Because family law is the only area of law in which we practice, we can offer advice and assistance on many of the intricacies involved. Since you are dealing with a life-altering situation such as divorce, we want to assist in your understanding and resolve the matter to your satisfaction.

· Alimony and Spousal Support - Spousal support, or alimony, is payment that one person in a marriage must pay to the other when the couple separates or divorces. The purpose of alimony is to avoid any unfair economic consequences of a divorce, even after property is divided.

· Child Support - Child support is a payment by a non-custodial parent to the custodial parent to contribute to the cost of raising children. Recent research has indicated that more than 13 million divorced parents have sole custody of a child in the United States. Luckily for those 13 million, there are strict laws in each state that dictate the collection and enforcement of child support. Because these laws vary from state to state, it is crucial that you meet with an experienced family law attorney to discuss your child support issues. Whether you are seeking child support for your child or are required by law to pay child support, we will fight to secure a final disposition that is sufficient and fair.

· Custody and Visitation - After a divorce, who maintains custody of the children is one of the most difficult decisions a couple can agree upon. First, the couple must learn what custody and visitation options are available in addition to the details and implications of each. Physical custody is the set of parental responsibilities regarding day-to-day care in addition to the rights to direct the child’s daily activities, while legal custody is the set of rights and responsibilities regarding the child’s upbringing. As a family law attorney firm, we routinely work with child psychologists, parenting coordinators, guardians ad litem and other mental health professions to develop parenting plans which are in the best interests of the children. Ideally, an agreement can be made without the need of a court order.

· Paternity and Legitimation - Paternity and legitimation are important not only for establishing a healthy relationship between a child and its parent, but also in determining responsibility for the upbringing and support of the child. We will work with you to obtain all of the required tests to ensure that your child receives the support he or she deserves.

· Annulment - An annulment, in essence, sets aside the marriage as if it never existed. The procedures for annulment are very similar to the procedures for divorce.

· Prenuptial Agreements - A prenuptial agreement is a contract entered into by two people prior to marriage. The purpose of this agreement is to establish the division of property or spousal support arrangements should the couple divorce. If you and your significant other are considering a prenuptial agreement, we encourage you to meet with us to discuss your rights and wishes.

· Separation Agreements - A Separation or Settlement agreement is a contract entered into by two people which includes all issues regarding the division of property, child custody, child support and visitation. If you and your significant other are considering a separation or settlement agreement, we encourage you to meet with us to discuss your rights and wishes.

· Adoption - Adoption is the legal act of permanently placing a child with a parent or parents other than the birth parents and terminating the legal rights of the birth parents. Whether you are an adoptive parent or a birth parent, we will put the interests of your children first and foremost.

The Strowd Law Firm also handles probate and estate administration matters including:

· Probate and Estate Administration - In addition to setting up and organizing your estate correctly, we can see your will through the probate process and handle other related-issues, including will contests and the appointment of executors. We also offer legal advice and counsel on all estate planning matters.

· Guardianships and Conservatorships - We can set up a court-appointed guardianship to care for an incapacitated adult. We can also set up conservatorship for underage children and adults who are incapable of managing their estates...

· Wills, Powers of Attorney, and Health Care Directives - We can help you draft your will or appoint powers of attorney for your finances, health care, and other areas of your life. We can also help you outline your wishes for medical care—in the event that you become incapacitated—with a Health Care directive.

· Trusts - Whether your trust is a basic trust or a complex trust, our estate planning lawyers will simplify the process for you so that your assets are easily taken care of and ready for your beneficiaries when the time comes.

Meet The Attorney
Barbara A. Strowd, Attorney at Law
- College of Charleston, B.A.
- Mercer University Law School, J.D.
- SC Bar Association
- American Bar Association
- United States Airforce 315th AMXS Master Sergeant

Legal fees and other information
Consultation & Fees Perhaps the most valuable service we offer is the initial consultation. There is a $100.00* flat charge for the initial, one hour consultation with the attorney. If you retain the attorney to represent you, the consultation fee is credited to your retainer.  During the consultation we attempt not only to answer the questions you may have, but also to give you answers to questions which will arise for you in the future. It is also a time for you to meet the staff who, together with the lawyer, will assist you throughout your situation. The initial consultation is not a commitment to represent you. At the conclusion of the consultation, we will quote a retainer fee which is based on the complexities of the case. If we are both comfortable and ready to move forward together, a signed fee agreement and paid fee will result in the retainer of the Strowd Law firm. We will then begin preparing any necessary documents or other work, depending on the protocol of the case. Please Note: It is important for us to obtain all the facts, discuss all the issues with you and review any relevant documents, agreements or pleadings prior to giving legal advice. In order to determine the best way we can serve you and because of the nature of the matters we deal with, we believe the initial consultation is necessary to allow you and the attorney to get to know one another to assist you in determining whether to hire Ms. Strowd.  We cannot give you personal advice without a signed retainer agreement. Our Rates:  The attorney's rate varies depending on the complexity of the case, type of case, whether emergency circumstances exist and other factors.  Ms. Strowd's average hourly rate is $200.0 per hour.  Ms. Strowd offers discounts to military personnel and veterans.  We accept cash, personal checks or credit cards. An Informed Assessment of Your Case No two cases are alike and, accordingly no two fees will be the same. Since the amount of time involved can never be predicted with scientific precision, we will do our best, after an initial consultation, to approximate how long the case could take and how much it might ultimately cost. Of course, there may be variables which cannot be anticipated, but we will give an honest effort to try to help you determine and anticipate the costs involved. Billing Against Retainer Before we begin representation, we require an initial retainer and a signed fee contract.

Lawyer Rates
The initial retainer depends on the case, but usually ranges from $950.00 to $5,000.00. We then bill our time against that retainer, and, if and when the retainer is close to being depleted, we may require an additional retainer if it appears the case has become more time consuming than initially anticipated. Of course, where it is appropriate, we will seek to have the other party reimburse you for your attorney's fees. If you wish to arrange an initial consultation with our attorney, please simply call us at (843) 851-2588. If you would like to contact us via the Internet, please send an email to strowdlaw@knology.net. If you just have general questions, please complete our Contact form. We look forward to the possibility of meeting with you.

We are experienced attorneys, proudly serving the Charleston, SC area.  Call (843) 851-2588 today. We look forward to hearing from you.