DC and MD Matrimonial Lawyer Focusing on Custody, Divorce and Prenups
For over 20 years, Regina A. DeMeo has been helping families in MD and DC with custody and divorce issues either through mediation, litigation or advocacy. She is an alumna of Georgetown University and GW University Law School, who is nationally recognized as a top matrimonial attorney. She is frequently quoted in the media for her ideas to promote healthier relationships and featured in the Washington Post, ABA Journal and Bethesda Magazine for her care and commitment to her clients. As a legal commentator, she has appeared on Washington Post Express Facebook Live, ABC tv, Good Morning America, MMCTV, YouTube and Sirius XM, and has been quoted in various magazines, books and journals across the country.
Regina offers appointments in Maryland and DC. Her areas of practice include:
Latest Blog Posts by GenXSmartie
Bridging Two Worlds
As internet dating has taken off and our society has become more fluid, there is now more than ever an increased probability that you might pair up with someone that is not part of your world. I see this with many of my prenup clients-- young adults that meet in college or graduate school, yet one comes from a very affluent family while the other is saddled with significant student loans. Or maybe their income and assets are not that disparate, but they come from completely different cultural or religious backgrounds. Of course it is precisely their diverse backgrounds that attract them, but to me it is clear that now more than ever, their ability to compromise is going to be key. Young couples planning to have children really need to get on the same page about the values they want to instill in their kids-- before they come into this world. Older couples will seriously have to consider how their past choices (including significant financial obligations made to other spouses or children from previous relationships) will impact the life they envision creating together. The more different you are from your potential partner, the more you need to question whether it is likely that you can create a bridge between two different worlds. Remember, for some, change is very scary, [...]
Love, The Second Time Around
The first time I got married, I was in my 20's, still in law school, no kids, and not much baggage. When we got engaged in Key Biscayne we were watching the sunset, and just at the moment that he asked me to marry him, a mosquito landed on his cheek. I was so focused on the mosquito that I actually missed the question and wound up slapping him. That is just one of many hilarious moments we shared throughout our 12 years together, and I truly think that it is because I can remember our good times so fondly that we are on such good terms today, despite having been divorced for over 7 years now. In my post-divorce years, I've admittedly focused a tremendous amount on work and my son. But, I've also tried to work through a lot of the emotional baggage and self doubt that resulted from my failed marriage. In the process of facing my past, I could not ignore the one glaring unresolved issue of having an absentee father. It is only in finding him, and my family, that I could finally find real peace. My father's best gift to me, whether he realizes it or not, has been to restore my faith in love. My family has shown me the power of forgiveness-- in our case, it has completely [...]
Goodbye 30’s, Hello 40!
As my countdown begins with only a few days left before my 40th birthday, I cannot help but look back at the past decade in awe at how much changed in my life during the last ten years. Among the many things I learned, here are some of the most important ones: (1) Don't make work your entire focus in life. I did for many years, but law firm life is not all that I imagined it would be at my level-- each attorney needs to be prepared to understand the business of law, marketing, and find a way to make it rain. Rarely do firms care about the individual human being, they are mostly just focused on the bottom line. Competition is tougher than ever, and the pressures are immense. It is no doubt a survival of the fittest mentality out there in the shark tank. Harsh realities, but true, and I now understand why over 40% will leave private practice. So here is my bottom line- take care of yourself. Do not pour your heart and soul into one single endeavor. Enjoy other aspects of life, which will yield you a far greater return on your investment of time. (2) Becoming a parent can completely transform someone. I finally learned through my son about unconditional love. The gift of parenthood [...]
$7.4 Million on Legal Fees- for a Divorce????
According to DMagazine, a Texas couple spent almost $7.4 million in legal fees as part of their divorce. Ed Bailey, who was married for over 30 years, acquired various McDonald restaurants throughout the marriage. After he sold his 63 restaurants, the couple's estate was worth about $100 million. The case was about to be heard by a jury, when through some legal manuvering a mistrial was declared. Bottom line is that after spending $7.4 Mn the couple still wasn't divorced! So, they switched gears, and hired all new attorneys-- this time to work things out in a Collaborative Divorce process. They reached a deal outside of court-- and for just about $80,000 total they finally got their divorce with the assets being split pretty evenly. No surprise, Ed Bailey now wants some of that $7.4 Million back, and he has sued his former attorney, alleging a conspiracy between the first set of divorce attorneys. I guess we'll see how that all plays out in court, but the point I want to make here is that this is a prime example of how people can get carried away in a divorce battle and lose track of the legal fees. Litigation, which is a very costly process, is fueled by anger, and we all know that emotional people do not make the [...]