Stuart Skok

Stuart Skok is a matrimonial and family law attorney. Stuart was born in Potomac, Maryland, where she grew up the youngest of four daughters. She attended the University of Denver and received her Bachelor of Arts Degree, with Honors, in 1991, majoring in Political Science with minors in Philosophy and Speech Communications. Stuart competed on the University of Denver travel Debate Team, which sparked her passion for advocacy. After college, Stuart took a year off to live in London, England, where she interned for a Member of Parliament, Sir William Nigel Paul Cash of Stafford, a valuable experience campaigning in a foreign state’s political process during their general election. Following her father and grandfather’s footsteps, Stuart obtained her law degree from West Virginia University College of Law in 1995, her grandfather’s alma mater. As a 3L, Stuart was awarded First Place in the Marlyn E. Lugar Moot Trial Competition, a multi-day jury trial competition with the final round before a West Virginia Judge. During law school, Stuart interned each summer for the late Honorable Charles R. Richey, United States District Court Judge for the District of Columbia.

Stuart became licensed to practice law in Maryland in 1995 and the District of Columbia in 1996. She thereafter became admitted to the United States District Court for the District of Maryland and the United States Supreme Court. Stuart began her law career and exclusive practice of family law, by opening her own law firm. That firm merged with another firm, where she continued her family law practice and became a partner. In 2009, Stuart joined another firm as a partner to open their Rockville, Maryland office branch and continue her family law practice. In 2017, Stuart returned to her entrepreneurial roots, opening her law firm, Stuart Skok Law LLC (SSL), www.stuartskoklaw.com. In a short time, SSL was recognized by Best Lawyers® as one of the Best Family Law Firms, by Acquisition International Global as Most Outstanding Matrimonial & Family Law Firm in Maryland, and Stuart was featured by Attorney at Law Magazine as Attorney of the Month in January 2018.

In 2020, Stuart decided to move across the country for a new beginning in Colorado, where she missed living during college. Stuart took and passed the Colorado Bar Exam and, in December 2020, received her license to practice law in Colorado. She now practices in Maryland and Colorado.

With over 25 years of experience, Stuart is highly qualified to handle all matters related to divorce, parenting, separation, domestic violence, separation and prenuptial agreements, and post-divorce modification and contempt. Stuart also has expertise with cases involving special needs children, having a son with Down Syndrome, and going through her own divorce. Stuart firmly believes in alternative dispute resolution methods to resolve family law cases out of court whenever possible – she is both a trained family law mediator and a certified Collaborative Divorce lawyer. The court also appoints Stuart as a Best Interest Attorney for minor children in contested parenting cases.

Stuart has been a Bar leader throughout her career, serving as past President of the Montgomery County, Maryland Chapter of the Women’s Bar Association, past President of the Collaborative Divorce Association, Inc., twice past Co-Chair of the Family Law Section for Montgomery County, Maryland, earning Co-Chair of the Year Award for each term, and past Barrister of the Montgomery County Maryland Inn of Court. She recently became a Fellow of the American Bar Foundation (ABF), and, since 2000 has served on the Peer Review Committee for the Attorney Grievance Commission of Maryland. She is a member of the Colorado Bar Association (CBA), Colorado Women’s Bar Association (CWBA), American Bar Association (ABA), Maryland State Bar Association (MSBA), D.C. Bar Association (DBA), and the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals (IACP).

Stuart has been selected for inclusion in the Maryland Super Lawyers® and District of Columbia Super Lawyers® for ten years (2012 – 2021). For three consecutive years, 2018 – 2020, Stuart was named on Super Lawyers® Top Lists as one of the Top 25 Lawyers in Maryland and Top 50 Women Lawyers in Washington, D.C. Best Lawyers® awarded Stuart honors, including Top 100 Lawyers in America, Best Family Lawyers, Best Family Law Firms and Top Women in Law. Stuart and SSL are AV Preeminent® rated by Martindale-Hubbell® Peer and Judicial Review, and Stuart was awarded the Client Champion Award in 2018 and 2020 by Martindale-Hubbell®. Marquis Who’s Who in America® named Stuart among the Top Professionals, awarded her the Albert Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award, and selected her for inclusion in the Top 50 Women of Distinction for 2020. Stuart is recognized as one of the Top 50 Women Attorneys in D.C. by Washington Lawyer, Top 50 Women Attorneys in Maryland by Baltimore magazine, Top Ten Leaders in Collaborative by Ten Leaders Cooperative, Top Family Law Attorneys by Bethesda Magazine, Collaborative Lawyer of the Year by Lawyers Monthly Magazine, and Best Family Law Lawyers by Best Lawyers® Business Magazine.

Stuart has been featured in magazines for her legal work, including Bethesda Magazine Leading Professionals, Women in Business, Lawyer Monthly Magazine Expert Insights and Interview, and Maryland Super Lawyers® Magazine – The Crisis at Hand – Stuart Knotts Skok’s Unique Knowledge of Divorces Involving Children with Special Needs. Stuart published her Handbook for Separation and Divorce in Maryland, Fourth Edition, available on Amazon. She has written numerous articles on family law, testified before Congress on family law legislation, and lectures in family law Continuing Legal Education (CLE) programs.

Stuart lives in Castle Rock, Colorado, with her son and two cats. In her free time, she enjoys skiing and exploring Colorado.