Margaret J. McKinney, Partner

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Margaret J. McKinney is a founding partner in Delaney McKinney, L.L.P., whose entire career has been devoted to the practice of family law in the District of Columbia and Maryland. Ms. McKinney's experience representing parents and children in all aspects of family law is broad and deep. Her litigation experience includes numerous complex divorce and child custody cases, at both the trial court and appellate levels. Her understanding of business and personal financial and tax issues is unsurpassed. In addition to being a skilled litigator, Ms. McKinney is also an experienced and successful mediator, who is often called on by her colleagues to assist them in resolving intractable disputes. And, because of her careful preparation and negotiating skills, she is highly successful in settling her own clients' cases. Ms. McKinney also has represented many individuals in negotiating prenuptial agreements. Described by Washingtonian Magazine in its most recent survey of the best local divorce attorneys as an “up and comer,” her clients and colleagues know that Ms. McKinney is unique in her capacity to handle virtually any family law issue in any context.

In addition to her private practice, Ms. McKinney has been active in local bar associations and pro bono services. Ms. McKinney was elected to two three-year terms on the Steering Committee of the Family Law Section of the D.C. Bar, and during her tenure as co-chair, the Family Law Section won the Best Bar Project (2002) and the Frederick B. Abramson awards (2003). In January 2003, Ms. McKinney was appointed to a key three-year term on the District of Columbia Child Support Guideline Commission. During her tenure, the D.C. Child Support Guidelines were completely revised and updated. Ms. McKinney has been appointed or elected to other important positions, including President of the D.C. Bar Council on Sections from July 2004 through June 2005, and Vice President of the Council the preceding year. She also is a member of the D.C. Superior Court Family Court Implementation Committee and other Court committees.

Ms. McKinney's pro bono activities, in addition to the activities above, include her membership in the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Program's Family Law Representation Committee, serving as a mentor for the D.C. Bar Pro Bono Program's Law Firm Clinic, and volunteering in the D.C. Family Court Self-Help Center. Like her partner, Lin Delaney, Ms. McKinney has served since 2004 as an attorney advisor to the Psychology and Law Parent Coordinator Project, a joint project of the American Psychological Association, the Family Law Section of the D.C. Bar, and Argosy University, which provides free parent coordinators to low income families with custody cases pending in the D.C. Family Court. With Lin Delaney, Ms. McKinney founded the non-profit public policy institute, Montauro Group. Through targeted research and writing, the organization seeks to inform and influence the economic and social policy debate around work, family, child well-being and other vital issues. Ms. McKinney also serves as a settlement Facilitator for the D.C. Superior Court Family Court ADR Project, which she helped design and implement. Ms. McKinney has served as a faculty member for continuing legal education courses in Maryland and the District of Columbia, and has provided training for D.C. Family Court judges. She has testified on a number of occasions before the D.C. Council, as well as committees of the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate, on a variety of family law issues.

Ms. McKinney is a member of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, the American Bar Association, the Maryland and D.C. Bar Associations, and the Montgomery County Bar Association, and their Family Law Sections. Ms. McKinney is also a member of the William Bryant Inn of Court, in Washington, D.C. Ms. McKinney received her B.A. in political science, magna cum laude, in 1989, and her J.D., with honors, in 1992, from the George Washington University.

Publications by Margaret McKinney: “No Approximate Parents: States Should Reject ALI's Proposed Standard for Child Custody Disputes,” Legal Times, Vol. XXVIII, No. 9, February 28, 2005.

Email: Meg McKinney

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