Page 15 - Miami Vol 8 No 1

and perhaps even better than they had initially imagined. As the saying goes, “the best success stories begin with failures”. e journey I embark with them on helps make even my toughest days and cases worthwhile.
AALM: What do you nd particularly challenging about your practice?
Costa: I nd that a few family law attorneys adopt an attitude of unnecessary aggression and harassment. ey o en direct their unprofessional behavior towards my client and myself, as their attorney. I imagine they feel their behavior is applauded or expected from their client. Family law should not be adversarial, we are not “attack dogs” for our clients, in fact it ought to be quite the contrary. Family law practitioners should focus their actions in a way that helps reduce hostility between the parties and en- courage the clients to conduct themselves in ways that would re- duce the emotional tension.
AALM: How do you overcome these challenges?
Costa: I do not let others change who I am and respond to ag- gression with courtesy and respect. at is easier said than done, but I work hard at acting not reacting.
AALM: Can you tell us the most unusual incident or funny story that has happened to you in your career?
Costa: ose who know me understand there is a quirky and playful side of me and I can easily laugh at myself. Early on in my career, I had what I perceived as a big case (because it involved issues I was handling for the rst time) and well let’s just say I may have been a little anxious or nervous. Long story short, I walked from the parking lot into the courthouse and sensed that everyone was noticing me. Just an observation that I made and thought nothing of it. I walked into the waiting area right outside of the courtroom, and realized I was wearing one navy heel and one black heel. It doesn’t stop there, in my fascination to have curly hair, I had le a bright pink curler right smack in the front of my forehead to “curl my bangs.” I thank a tall and handsome young attorney for asking me if the hair thing was a tactile move; if you are out there and remember this please call me!
AALM: How would you describe the culture of the rm?
Costa: Together with my brother, Maurice R. Costa, and three sta members that we like to refer to as directors of rst iimpres- sions we are a boutique rm. We are family, literally and gura- tively. We are a team and work together to achieve all goals. Our success is due to each one of us being accountable and taking ownership of our work and because of that we can depend on each other. One sentence that best portrays the attorneys and the sta at the rm is “things happen around here because of me!”
AALM: What events are you most looking forward to in the coming year?
Costa: I’m looking forward to participating in more collab- orative family cases. I have been trained in the collaborative fam- ily law process for over a year now and I am a true believer in the process. is process not only helps my client, but the whole family, in resolving lifelong intimate family issues in a manner that minimizes scarring. Additionally, it keeps all their family af- fairs private and con dential and out of the public courtroom. By the end of this year I hope to have been able to counsel clients in cases involving pre-nuptial issues and agreements, or dissolution of marriages wherein the parties have achieved and accumulated signi cant assets, businesses and complex nancial ventures us- ing the collaborative process.
Ata Glance
Costa & Associates P.A
6843 Main Street, Suite 302 Miami Lakes, FL 33014 (305) 827-0100 www.costalawyers.com [email protected]
PRACTICE AREAS
Family Law Real Estate
EDUCATION
Juris Doctor, Saint Thomas University School of Law, 1994
Master in Health Services Administration, Florida International University, 1993
Paralegal Studies Certi cate, Barry University, 1985
Bachelor of Science, University of Miami, 1986
AWARDS
Put Something Back Pro Bono Service Award, 2008
Top 100 Lawyers, the National Advocate, 2015, 2016
Divorce & Family Law Small Business Excellence Award, Miami Lakes, 2016
10 Best Attorneys in Florida, American Institute of Family Law Attorneys, 2017
Top 100 Family Lawyers in Florida, The American Society of Legal Advocates, 2018
Excellence in Family and Divorce Law, Lawyers of Distinction, 2018