Dana McKee, a partner at the firm Brown Goldstein Levy has been recognized in the 2019 edition of Best Lawyers in America for the fifth consecutive year in the area of Family Law, and for the third consecutive year in the area of Commercial Litigation. McKee is on a winning streak with this announcement as she is one of only a small number of Baltimore lawyers to have earned this distinction consecutive times and an even smaller number to have earned the distinction in both Family Law and Commercial Litigation.
Best Lawyers is the oldest peer review publication in the legal profession. Lawyers are chosen based on peer review surveys completed by thousands of lawyers.
To be outstanding in the field of Family Law, a lawyer must keep up-to-speed with changes in family law, but also stay on top of changes in many other areas of law and financial management. McKee notes that many clients seek her services because they need assistance in multiple areas of law. For example, when a family owns a large business, it requires a deep understanding of how that business may be structured and thus could be managed after a divorce.
“When clients are looking for a lawyer to assist with their divorce or other family law services, they are drilling down to make sure the firm has the skills sophisticated enough to handle the complexity of their needs,” says McKee.
McKee’s legal background includes medical practices, partnership disputes, securities litigation, banking litigation, and construction litigation. Her understanding of these industries enhances her skills in divorce proceedings with her clients, including those from the medical and legal professions.
Clients quickly learn to trust that McKee will leverage whatever tools are necessary – inside and outside court – to get them the best outcome. She is a tough but fair negotiator who has successfully handled mediations, trials, and appeals for 33 years. Clients value the way McKee speaks in a straightforward way that is easy to understand.
When a client seeks assistance, they may have a specific outcome in mind for their prenuptial agreement or divorce. But the best family lawyer helps the client to become aware of the longer term impacts of various options. McKee helps clients make educated decisions based on her experiences with other families and her ongoing trend research.
“Sometimes going through the regular legal process will not get the result a client needs in the long term. A better outcome may be found by appealing to one’s sense of fairness and problem-solving. Clients recognize that I have empowered them to act wisely. The goal is a better, fairer alternative for all involved,” says McKee.
Often family lawyers see their clients at their worst moments, when dreams did not come true. Parents and children are in limbo until a new reality can be created, and often this can only be done through skillful negotiation with the assistance of a trusted family lawyer such as Dana McKee.
McKee has an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell, the highest possible rating in both legal ability and ethical standards from her peers. Less than 5 percent of women lawyers have been recognized with an AV Preeminent rating.