This article appeared in the October-November 2021 issue of Entrepreneur, Forbes and Fortune magazines.
The Law Offices of Thomas Stahl protects the rights of couples and their families in Central Maryland and Washington, D.C.
Thomas Stahl never planned to become a family law attorney. His second career—as a passionate legal advocate focused on effective representation for couples and their families—found him through personal tragedy, one that drew his interests to helping couples in the midst of domestic matters.
Today, Stahl is a tenacious attorney with more than 13 years of experience known for dedicated client advocacy—whether in mediation, litigation, or the courtroom. Now with his own rm, the Law Offices of Thomas Stahl, he has dedicated his practice to helping all couples and their families with divorce, child support and custody, alimony, guardianships, and estate law matters.
“I know firsthand what is needed legally for all couples,” Stahl says. “No family should face these issues alone.”
Planning Ahead
Stahl encourages couples to proactively seek a family law attorney’s advice at major life transitions; engagement, marriage, the birth or adoption of a child, and significant financial changes are all circumstances that merit legal counsel.
“When it comes to your family and your estate, nothing matters more than advance planning,” Stahl explains. “Prenuptial agreements, wills, and trusts are not just for the rich, and same-sex couples in particular need an attorney to create legally binding documentation.”
While considering divorce, death, or the early disability of a beloved partner is uncomfortable, Stahl urges all families to discuss these important issues. “It’s worth asking the hard questions,” he notes. “In the aftermath of a tragedy, you do not want a court making decisions for you.”
Stahl’s track record is a testament to his compassionate approach and penchant for creative thinking. e weight of family law matters may be daunting, but the Law Offices of Thomas Stahl proves time and again that the right advocate can lighten the load.
Advocacy For All
In the early 2000s, Thomas Stahl was working as a Red Cross educator and for a pool management company when his life partner was diagnosed with incurable brain cancer. Throughout the illness, they endured constant inequities in care and access because they were a same-sex couple in a state that did not yet recognize their union. Upon his partner’s death in 2004, Stahl entered law school to help all couples navigate the complex legal issues facing their families.
“At age 36, I was far from a traditional student,” acknowledges Stahl. “But I was on a mission to become the kind of powerful advocate my partner and I needed during our di‘ cult journey—someone with deep expertise and nimble strategy.”