Prior to joining M & T, Victoria Snell owned and operated her own law firm as a solo practitioner who practiced family law together with probate law for over fifteen (15) years in St. Lucie County, Florida.
However, when she moved to Orlando, she was interested in working with a firm where she could be part of a team such as Meriwether and Tharp, LLC. During her extensive years of practicing family law, she has honed one of her major professional strengths which is uncovering a client’s needs and negotiating settlements while diffusing tense situations that divorcing parties encounter during a difficult time in their lives.
Victoria has dealt with many legal issues within the area of family law that have a major impact on the lives of her clients. By being able to recognize these potential issues from the outset, she is able to positively affect the client’s end results.
Victoria earned her Juris Doctorate (J.D.), with honors, from Nova Southeastern University, Shepard Broad Law School, in 2001. Before attending law school, she pursued her Bachelors and Masters degrees from Florida Atlantic University (“FAU”) and University of Central Florida (“UCF”). She graduated magna cum laude from FAU with a M.Ed in early childhood education and a B.A. in communicative disorders from UCF.
Prior to becoming an attorney, Victoria was employed by the St. Lucie County School System as a Speech and Language Pathologist and taught various child development/education classes at Indian River Community College in Fort Pierce, Florida. She was a Florida certified teacher for over twenty three (23) years. The educational system definitely opened her eyes to the challenges divorcing families experience when drafting and executing parenting plans for their minor children.
During law school, many distinct clinics and internships were offered to the students and Victoria seized the opportunity to avail herself of the ADR, Domestic Violence and Bankruptcy clinics/internships. From the very beginning, she was actively involved in family law issues. In fact, Victoria found her passion for alternative dispute resolution (“ADR”) in one of these clinics.
She participated in the ADR Clinic where she trained to become a mediator. Following law school, she continued to pursue Alternative Dispute Resolution by becoming a Florida Supreme Court Certified Family, Circuit Civil and County Mediator. However, she didn’t stop there. She gained her certification in foreclosure mediation and quickly studied to become a Qualified Arbitrator. Victoria believes in the mediation process because it leaves the decision making in the client’s hands, not the courts.
Moreover, ADR allows the parties the opportunity to tell their story. When the parties make their own decisions, then they tend to feel a greater allegiance/loyalty to adhere to the formalized agreement, thereby avoiding costly and lengthy litigation. It promotes amicable resolutions in a more cost efficient and timely manner.
Mediation is a beneficial tool used to encourage effective co-parenting skills. When parties amicably reach an agreement in mediation, it is a clear indicator that they will be able to put the conflict aside and provide the necessary stability and security for their children.
Her participation in these legal, civic and community organizations have resulted in several Pro Bono Awardsfrom Nova Southeastern University and Florida Rural Legal Services. She received an Outstanding Service Award from the St. Lucie County Bar Association for her service as President.
Outside the office, Victoria enjoys traveling, reading, board games, hiking and spending time with her family and friends. She always says she wants to try yoga but she hasn’t found any “flexibility” in her schedule yet.
Education:
- University of Central Florida, Orlando, Florida, B.A, 1993
- Nova Southeastern University – Shepard Broad College of Law, Davie, Florida, J.D., 2001
Bar Admissions:
- State Bar of Florida, Member (2003 through present)
Associations:
- The American Inns of Court, Member (2014-2017)
- FAWL (Florida Association of Women Lawyers), Member (2000-Present)
- Florida Academy of Professional Mediators, Member (2010-Present)
Cost
Rate : $$$