Legal Services

David Bulitt focuses his practice on complex family law cases, zealously and thoughtfully representing clients through difficult times, including divorces, custody disputes and other contentious domestic conflicts. Clients regard David as an thoughtful strategist and skilled negotiator at the mediation table and as well as a staunch advocate in the courtroom. Although he has been involved in cases throughout the State of Maryland and in other jurisdictions as well, David most frequently litigates cases in the DC metropolitan area, including courtrooms in Montgomery, Howard, Frederick, Anne Arundel and Howard counties, as well as the District of Columbia. His clients most frequently are women, ages 40 to 70, with a complicated mix of assets, marital and non-marital. “My goal is to help clients reach favorable divorce settlements that protect their rights, their assets and their children,” as David put it. “There are some cases that need to be tried for one reason or another and I am fully prepared to advocate for my client in the courtroom if that is what the case calls for.”

Litigation is a process geared toward conflict. In a divorce case, that conflict involves not just the spouses, but often children and other family members as well. In many cases, litigation concludes after a lengthy period of time with a trial before a judge who will make decisions that will affect you and your family, in some instances for many years and even a lifetime.

In mediation, we take a different approach. The approach does require planning and strategy in advance, but is one of primarily of cooperation rather than confrontation. Mediation can take many forms. It can occur with the parties themselves alone with a mediator with or without counsel and, in some instances, just the parties and their lawyers without a third party mediator. Every person, ever family and therefore every case is different. There is no “boilerplate” or “cookie cutter” method that works for all cases. Before embarking on a path of mediation, I will always discuss the options and suggest alternatives to my clients.

Ultimately, mediation enables my clients to have control their future and that of their children. I find that once people understand the effects of litigation on their family, mediation becomes a preferable alternative to abdicating that control to a Judge who, despite the best of intentions, cannot possibly fashion a resolution in as thoughtful a way as the parties and their lawyers can do themselves. In most cases, I have found that people who are invested in the mediation process and the outcome are much more likely to abide by an agreement than those who have had a result imposed upon them by a Court.

I represent many clients who participate successfully in the mediation process. I have been called upon on several occasions by other lawyers to serve as a private mediator for their cases and, in addition, been appointed by local court’s to mediate family matters. If you would like to speak with me or obtain more information regarding mediation, please contact me.

Divorce ends a marriage but does not need to sever family ties or relationships, especially when children are involved. By preserving respect and encouraging cooperation, Collaborative family practice helps parents maintain relationships with each other and their children long after the divorce is over.

The collaborative divorce process is based on three fundamental principles:

• a pledge not to go to court
• an honest exchange of information by both spouses
• a solution that takes into account the highest priorities of both the adults and their children

The collaborative process:

• encourages mutual respect
• emphasize the constant changing needs of children
• avoids lengthy litigation and court
• vests control of the process with the parties, not judges
• provides for open communication
• utilizes a problem solving approach
• identifies and addresses both parties interests and concerns
• prepares individuals for new lives

David Bulitt is trained and certified in Collaborative Family Practice. He maintains a network of professionals who are familiar with the many sensitive issues that arise during the divorce process. These individuals include other collaboratively trained attorneys, mental health professionals, investment counselors, accountants, real estate agents, bankers and mortgage brokers.