Attorney Profiles
Lara G. Davis
Lara G. Davis received her Bachelor of Arts, Cum Laude, from the University of South Florida in 1992, and her Juris Doctor with Honors from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law in 1995. While in law school, Ms. Davis was an editor of the North Carolina Journal of International Law and Commercial Regulation.
Ms. Davis is admitted to practice law in both Florida and Virginia, having been admitted to the Virginia Bar in 1996, and the Florida Bar in 2007. Ms. Davis began her career in 1996 in private practice in Charlottesville, Virginia, where she concentrated primarily in the fields of matrimonial and family law and personal injury. Ms. Davis has practiced in both state and federal courts, and was admitted to the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Virginia in 1998, and to the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Virginia in 1998.
In 2001, Ms. Davis took off time from practicing law to raise her two young children. Upon her return to the practice of law, she joined an established law firm in Tampa, concentrating in the field of matrimonial and family law. Ms. Davis formed The Women's Law Group in 2009 with her law partner, Deborah Thomson. Ms. Davis is active in the legal community, and is a member of the Family Law Inn of Court for Hillsborough County, the Family Law Section of the Florida Bar, the Family Law Section of the Hillsborough County Bar Association, and the Hillsborough Association of Women Lawyers. Ms. Davis is a member of the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals, an organization dedicated to the promotion of Collaborative Divorces. In a Collaborative Divorce, both attorneys and spouses sign a contract, agreeing not to litigate in court, but instead to reach an amicable settlement out of court. Ms. Davis believes that Collaborative Divorces promote family harmony both during and long after the divorce is final. Ms. Davis also volunteers her time at the Bay Area Legal Services Family Forms Clinic, and is an attorney member of 'Are You Safe', a group of lawyers who provide free legal representation to victims of domestic violence. She was recently quoted in an article in the Tampa Tribune regarding this volunteer organization. Volunteers Guide Women to Justice.
Ms. Davis was awarded a CV ® rating from Martindale Hubbell Peer Review Ratings for above-average legal ability and unquestionable ethics, a rating achieved from attorneys and judges who are familiar with Ms. Davis. She is dedicated to helping her clients navigate through some of the most difficult times of their lives, and to helping them achieve the best possible outcome for themselves and their children.
Deborah L. Thomson
Deborah L. Thomson was admitted to the Florida Bar in March, 1997. She received her Bachelors of Arts, Magna Cum Laude, from Nova Southeastern University in 1994, and her Juris Doctorate with Honors (top 3%) from Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad Law Center in December, 1996. While in law school, she was a member of the Nova Law Review, and her article entitled City of N. Miami v. Kurtz – Is It Curtains for Privacy in Florida? was published in 1996. She also worked as an assistant to her Legal Research and Writing Professor. Additionally, during college and prior to law school, she worked as an assistant to a bankruptcy attorney, preparing and reviewing many documents for bankruptcies.
After law school, Ms. Thomson worked as a staff attorney for three years at the Fourth District Court of Appeal in West Palm Beach for the Honorable John W. Dell. She concentrated on both civil and criminal appellate work, tackling issues ranging from divorce and equitable distribution cases, to contract issues, and even a variety of criminal issues as well. She was responsible for thoroughly researching every issue presented in an appellate brief, and she drafted many opinions published by the Court. She moved to North Carolina and took some time off to raise her two sons, but returned to Florida where she began her focus on marital and family law. While Ms. Thomson concentrates on family law matters, she still handles civil and criminal appellate work as well. She has had opinions on her appellate cases published in the Florida Law Weekly. Ms. Thomson is an active member of the legal community. She is a member of the Family Law Section of the Florida Bar Association, the Appellate Law Section of the Florida Bar Association, the Hillsborough Association of Women Lawyers, the National Association of Professional Women, and the Carrollwood Chapter of BNI. Ms. Thomson volunteers her time with Are You Safe, Inc., a group that helps victims of domestic violence. Also, Ms. Thomson is very involved in numerous charity functions to raise money for cancer research, she volunteers her time at her children’s schools, and she recently completed the St. Anthony's Triathlon and is involved in other athletic events.
Ms. Thomson is a passionate and ethical attorney who works diligently for and with each and every client. She empathizes with her clients, understanding the difficulties and emotional phases they endure throughout the legal process. She helps them transition through what is normally a very emotionally draining time in their lives, and she is focused on working to efficiently obtain optimum results for every individual client and his or her children, whether they are able to settle their case out of court or have to litigate in front of a judge.
Susan Caudill
Our paralegal, Susan Caudill, has over 10 years of experience in the area of marital and family law. Susan's experience, combined with her compassion toward our clients and their needs, make her an indispensable member of our team at The Women's Law Group.