MEDINA FAMILY LAW ASSOCIATES - Key Persons

Job Titles:

• Assistant

Catherine Medina is a native of Phoenix, Arizona. She is a proud graduate of the University of Arizona, College of Law. During law school she studied Family Law, Immigration, and Innovating Legal Services. Prior to attending law school, Catherine worked in family law as a legal assistant. Catherine's practice focuses primarily on divorce and child custody matters including divorce, asset division, parenting plans, child support, legal decision making, relocation and grandparent/third party rights. Catherine has handled dozens of family law cases, serving as the lead attorney in each one. Prior to her retirement, Catherine was trained and mentored in family law by experienced family law attorney Terry Smith. Catherine believes the family law field is ever changing with new rules and case law often being implemented. As lead attorney, Catherine strives to keep her knowledge of family law up to date in order to offer her clients informed and up to date legal opinions. Because Catherine's time is devoted entirely to family law matters, she is adept at handling the various issues that arise in such cases and tailoring unique solutions and/or legal strategy to fulfill client goals. While some cases require advocacy of client needs through trial, Catherine also focuses a large part of her practice on mediation and settlement when possible. Catherine understands the demanding and overwhelming nature that divorce, and child custody disputes create for her clients and works hard to alleviate that burden with her legal knowledge and experience. Education University of Arizona College of Law, Tucson, Arizona J.D. - 2019 Northern Arizona University, Glendale, Arizona Bachelors of Science in Communication with Organization Emphasis - 2016

Job Titles:

• Law Clerk, March 2019 - May 2019

Terry Bays Smith is a 1989 graduate of the University Of Arizona, College of Law. She then went on to practice as a prosecutor for eight years before opening up her own practice. In 1999, Ms. Smith formed a private practice focusing her practice in the area of family law, including divorce, paternity, child support, enforcement issues, legal decision-making authority, relocation, grandparent rights and post decree modification matters. Ms. Smith served as the managing family law attorney at Smith Law Office, P.C. for twenty years where she was solely responsible for overseeing family law cases from the initial client consultation to the point of ultimate settlement or court litigation. In her time as managing attorney Ms. Smith trained and mentored several associate attorneys. In August of 2021 Ms. Smith welcomed attorney Catherine Medina as managing partner. Ms. Smith maintained the role of managing attorney overseeing case management and Smith Law Office P.C. thereafter merged and became Medina, Mitchell & Smith Law. In January of 2022, after more than 30 years of dedicated legal practice, Ms. Smith retired. Ms. Smith's legacy and dedication to family law matters continues on through Medina Family Law Associates where much of Ms. Smith's legal expertise and knowledge remains active through those who Ms. Smith has entrusted with her practice. Although no longer a practicing attorney with the firm, Medina Family Law Associates continue to wish Ms. Smith well in her feature endeavors. Ms. Smith remains a close and respected colleague of the firm. Education University of Arizona College of Law, Tucson, Arizona J.D. - 1989