Judith del Cuadro-Zimmerman has built a reputation as skilled family law attorney known as an effective litigator and strategic negotiator. Devoting her entire legal career to the practice of family law and probate, Judith has extensive experience in a broad range of family law matters. Before founding del Cuadro-Zimmerman, PLLC, Judith spent years working for family law firms in D.C. and Maryland where she handled custody, divorce, probate, and estate planning matters.
SKILLED NEGOTIATOR
Judith actively seeks creative solutions for her clients’ needs. She is keenly aware of the emotional toll on families resulting from combative court proceedings and recognizes that the expense of litigation can be prohibitive for many clients. Judith believes in a comprehensive approach to representation that begins with understanding a client’s circumstances and goals and finding the best avenue for achieving results. Judith employs skillful negotiation as her primary tool when representing clients in premarital negotiations and settlement agreements in divorce and custody cases.
TRIAL LAWYER
If you need an experienced litigator on your side, Judith has the knowledge and expertise to handle your case. Judith is frequently required to litigate as a member of the D.C. Superior Court Child Abuse and Neglect panel. As a panel member, she represents parents and guardians when Child Protective Services have removed a child from his or her home or when a child is at risk of removal. In the past Judith has served as a Guardian ad Litem, where she represents children who are in foster care, residing in unstable homes, or during fraught custody battles.
Judith also represents parents in complex custody cases, individuals engaged in lengthy divorce litigation, and foster or biological parents in contested adoptions. When litigation is necessary, Judith is a fierce and tireless advocate for her clients.
KNOWLEDGABLE AND PRECISE
Judith’s goal is to provide clients with valuable and trusted advice. Whether Judith is drafting a will, probating an estate, or negotiating a settlement agreement, she strives to ensure that clients fully understand their options. She understands that clients are often faced with situations in which there is no “good” course of action. Judith empowers clients by giving them the information they need to make informed decisions.
AN ATTORNEY WHO CARES
Judith is deeply invested in promoting diversity and the administration of justice in the legal profession. She is a member of AARP Legal Counsel for the Elderly’s Reduced Fee Panel where she drafts wills, powers of attorney and healthcare directives at reduced rates. She is also a member of the D.C. Superior Court Probate Fiduciary Panel where she acts as a guardian for adults in need of intervention.
Judith works to empower and advance women lawyers as a member of the Women’s Bar Association. She also serves on the D.C. Superior Court Sub-committee for Child Abuse and Neglect, which is dedicated to resolving administrative and procedural barriers to justice in child abuse and neglect cases and is a member of the National Association of Counsel for Children.
EDUCATION AND BACKGROUND
Judith was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. She received a Bachelor of Arts in English Language and Literature from Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts where she also minored in Dance.
Judith received her Juris Doctorate from American University in Washington, D.C. In law school, Judith served on the board of the Lambda Law Association organizing educational programs and outreach around LGBTQ legal issues. While in law school, she was recognized for her outstanding advocacy for people in poverty by being awarded an Equal Justice America Fellowship and a Bingham McCutchen Legal Fellowship for her work at the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights.
Judith is an avid adventurer who loves to travel. In 2010, she drove 13,000 miles from London to Mongolia in an ambulance as a competitor in Mongol Rally—an adventure rally that raises money for your charity of choice. She has also lived briefly in Florence, Italy and Barcelona, Spain. Judith, her husband, Chris, and Wolly currently live at the Wharf in D.C. where she spends her free time practicing Ashtanga yoga and going for long walks with her family.
