Wendy Velez, Esq.

Attorney Wendy Velez has focused her life on advocating for children and families.  Ms. Velez has been practicing Domestic Relations and Special Education Law for the past 12 years in the state of Maryland.  She graduated from The University of Maryland School of Law and there received The Anne Barlow Gallagher Award for Service to Children and Youth for her work as a clinic student attorney. Prior to law school, Ms. Velez had a distinguished teaching career of 20 years in the Baltimore County Public Schools working with special needs and general education children from ages 3 to 21 years old.    Having recently relocated to Florida, she is focusing her expertise on Family Law Mediation with CPLS, as well as instructing other professionals in the field. 

Attorney Velez operated and maintained a successful solo practice focusing on family law, special education, and child advocacy, managing all aspects of the business operations and cloud-based management program... 

Provided the full range of domestic law services in divorce, custody, child support, and protective order cases, assessing each prospective case, formulating and executing specifically tailored strategies for each client, and taking the case through litigation. 

Advocated for clients with special needs children to secure appropriate special education services, which includes writing and reviewing Individualized Education Plans (IEP) and 504’s, participating in mediation, negotiating with school administrators, evaluating alternative school settings, attending IEP meetings as a parent advocate, and providing representation at hearings 

 Independently managed, coordinated, and conducted cases through all steps in the litigation process from filings of Complaints, Answers, and dispositive Motions, to propounding Discovery, issuing Subpoenas, attending mediation, and negotiating terms of agreements, through representation at Merits Hearings. 

 Successfully represented clients in civil court proceedings such as Emergency, Pendente Lite, Show Cause, and Merits hearings. 

 Draft, negotiate, and execute Marital Settlement Agreements, Separation Agreements, and Parenting Agreements. 

 Work collaboratively with clients, colleagues, support staff, and court personnel to conduct business professionally, ethically, and respectfully. 

Represent children in divorce or custody cases, as Best Interest Attorney, Child Advocate, or Guardian Ad Litem as appointed by the Court. 

Serve disadvantaged, indigent, and disabled clients by providing more than 100 hours yearly of pro bono services through the local Family Law Pro Se Clinic, the Maryland Volunteer Lawyers Services and the Maryland Disability Law Center.