Shawn Dougherty,
  • Family Law, Divorce
  • Delaware, Pennsylvania
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Client Reviews
G. D. October 12, 2020
Listen to us reviewers, we will save you! My experience with Shawn Dougherty has not been pleasant. During the time that I had her representing me, I never really felt she was on my side, or in my best interest – which is literally what I was paying her to do. 1. She always seemed to be in favor of the other party. a. Whatever the other party wanted she would want that too instead of asking me what I want. Even in the courtroom, she wouldn’t even save me when the other party tried to pin me down. 2. She would show unprofessionalism towards me in front of the other party. a. There had been several times where she has used profanity towards me – literally cursed at me – in front of the other party. 3. She basically used my winnings as retainer. a. When my case was finally finished, she held my money claiming it was not “ready to be picked up yet”. The money that I had won in court exceeded her retainer fee, and she held on to the money well after my case was over. When she finally let me come pick up my money, significantly less because she charged me for unnecessary fees that would not have existed if she had just given me my money when I won it. 4. Poor communication. a. My case had many intricate details that were necessary for her to be aware of in order to successfully argue in my favor. I rarely had a chance to inform her of these details, and when I did, I had to rush through it to make sure I could get out everything. Throughout the whole process she really didn’t know too much about the case. b. Shawn Dougherty and her paralegal would sign and submit documents without even letting me see the draft. She rarely updated me on what she was doing. At the end of the day, it’s all about the money for her, she’s made that quite clear. She doesn’t care about the case. Listen to me, listen to the other reviewers, because what we’re saying is valid. Get a lawyer that actually cares about your case.
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Biography

My practice is focused on Family Law including Divorce, Property Division, Alimony, Child Custody, Child Support, Prenuptial Agreements and Protection from Abuse Orders. With 30 years of experience, I am dedicated to providing exceptional representation for my clients' family law needs. I have been honored by numerous organizations including Best Lawyers in America, Delaware Today Top Lawyers, and America's Most Honored Professionals. Additionally, I have a Distinguished BV Rating from Martindale-Hubbell.

I received my B.S. from the University of Delaware. In 1987, I earned my J.D. from Delaware Law School. I am a member of the Delaware State Bar Association, Pennsylvania State Bar, Delaware Volunteer Legal Services, American Inns of Court, and Melson-Arsht Inns of Court. My jurisdictions include Pennsylvania, Delaware, and the U.S. Supreme Court.

Practice Areas
Family Law
Adoption, Child Custody, Child Support, Father's Rights, Guardianship & Conservatorship, Paternity, Prenups & Marital Agreements, Restraining Orders, Same Sex Family Law
Divorce
Collaborative Law, Contested Divorce, Military Divorce, Property Division, Same Sex Divorce, Spousal Support & Alimony, Uncontested Divorce
Video Conferencing
  • Zoom
  • WebEx
  • CourtScribes
Fees
  • Free Consultation
Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice
Delaware
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Pennsylvania
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U.S. Supreme Court
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Languages
  • English
Professional Experience
Attorney
Berkowitz, Schagrin, Coonin, Cooper & Dougherty
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Education
Widener University Delaware School of Law
J.D. (1987)
Widener University Delaware School of Law Logo
University of Delaware
B.S. (1983)
University of Delaware Logo
Awards
Best Lawyers in America
Best Lawyers in America
2007-2016
Delaware Today Top Lawyers
Delaware Today
2011-2013
America’s Most Honored Professionals
American Registry
2015, 2016
BV Distinguished
Martindal Hubbell
2014, 2015, 2016
Professional Associations
Delaware State Bar Association
Member
Current
Activities: Family Law Section
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Melson-Arsht Inns of Court
Executive Committee Member
Current
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Delaware Volunteer Legal Services
Member, Board Member
- Current
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American Inns of Court
Member
- Current
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Contact & Map
Wilmington, DE, US