Florida Family Law Second Opinion · Miami · Statewide
Get an independent read on your Florida divorce — before you sign, settle, or spend another retainer.
An expert Florida family law attorney's written second opinion on your active divorce, custody, alimony, or high-conflict case. Flat fee. 30-day report. I never take over your case.
Florida Bar 2004 · Forbes Legal Advisory Board · 22 yrs matrimonial law · Miami-Dade · Broward · Palm Beach · EN · ES
22 yrs Florida family law · Forbes Legal Advisory Board · 30-day written report · Flat fee · EN · ES · Miami-Dade · Broward · Palm Beach
Structural independence
Why this second opinion is structurally honest.
Every other attorney reviewing your case has a financial incentive to find problems they can solve by litigating for you. I built this practice so that incentive doesn’t exist. I do not accept transfers of any case I have reviewed. The flat fee is the whole fee.
Three common starts
Built for the moment you're in.
Mediation in 30 days?
Independent posture read before you sign anything binding. Rush turnaround in 5 days.
Start a Second Opinion →
Deposition or hearing coming?
Independent strategy memo and prep — separate from, and confidential to, your counsel of record.
Start a Second Opinion →
Something feels off?
A 22-year Florida family law attorney's pattern-recognition read in 30 days. Written report. Flat fee.
Start a Second Opinion →
Three flat-fee engagements · Florida only
Second opinions, on three terms.
One independent review. One monthly behind-the-scenes retainer. One presuit advisory path. All flat-fee. All Florida.
02 · Flat-Fee Strategy Retainer
Behind-the-scenes monthly advisor on your Florida family law case.
Begins with a $995 Strategic Plan consultation (credits toward your first month). Standard $2,995/mo · Premium $8,995/mo. No change of counsel. Cancel any time.
$2,995 or $8,995 / mo →
Flagship · Most clients start here01 · Second Opinion Review
An independent expert read on your active Florida case.
Written report. Two video calls. $750 audit. Full engagement $7,500 or $15,000 — or custom-quoted by complexity band.
$750 audit →
03 · Presuit Strategy Advisory
Resolve your Florida divorce or custody matter before anyone files.
Limited-scope drafting through Final Judgment. Flat fee.
Flat fee per matter →
Also available: flat-fee consultations and prenups & postnups.
What happens next
From inquiry to clarity, in days — not months.
01
Pick a path
Choose a consultation tier or a Second Opinion intake. Pay a flat fee online.
02
Brief intake
Short questionnaire so we don’t spend the meeting on logistics.
03
We meet
Scheduled video conversation. You bring questions. I bring 22 years of experience and pattern recognition.
04
You decide
Direct answers. Written report. No upsell.
Why this practice exists
Why this practice exists.
In April 2026, after 22 years inside the Florida courthouse system, I closed the litigation side of my practice. Not as a step down. As a deliberate choice.
The cases that resolved well were almost always the ones where someone got smart, expert advice early — before positions hardened, before the billing clock turned every conversation into a strategic calculation.
I built this firm for that work. Independent reads. Behind-the-scenes strategy. Resolution before the courthouse.
— Aliette Hernandez Carolan
“If your current lawyer is the right lawyer, you’ll know in 30 days. If not, you’ll know that too — in writing.”
Honest about fit
Who this is for. Who it isn’t.
I disqualify myself from clients I cannot help. Read this honestly before booking.
| Who this is for | Who this isn’t for |
|---|---|
A fit if: You already have a Florida family law attorney — or are self-represented — and want an independent expert read on the strategy. | Not a fit if: You need an attorney to appear in court on your behalf — I will not. |
A fit if: Your matter sits within the State of Florida and is active or escalating. | Not a fit if: You hope I will eventually take over your case — I do not accept transfers of matters I have reviewed. |
A fit if: You want an expert advisor on a flat-fee retainer you can cancel at any time, behind the scenes, without changing counsel of record. | Not a fit if: You need emergency relief — TROs, injunctions, or ex parte motions. |
A fit if: You are negotiating your own Florida divorce and want strategic shadow support. | Not a fit if: You prefer hourly billing or a traditional open-ended retainer. |
A fit if: You prefer flat-fee, premium advisory over an open hourly clock. | Not a fit if: You are outside Florida with no Florida-based counsel of record. |
Each row pairs a fit criterion on the left with a non-fit criterion on the right; the two sides are independent and do not need to be read together.
Outcomes
Second Opinion outcomes.
Anonymized engagement summaries. The Florida Bar restricts what attorneys may publish about prior results — these reflect individual matters and do not predict the outcome of any future case.
Miami-Dade · Custody · Band B
Identified three procedural issues counsel had not raised. Client used the written report at mediation; matter resolved within 60 days.
Palm Beach · High-asset divorce · Band C
Pressure-tested an incoming settlement offer. Client renegotiated equitable distribution before signing.
Broward · Post-judgment modification · Band B
Independent strategic read on relocation posture. Client proceeded to mediation with a written second-opinion report in hand.
A structurally independent practice
The four sentences that define this firm.
- 1. I will evaluate and give you a second opinion.
- 2. I do not accept case transfers of cases in which I provided second-opinion services.
- 3. You can hire me as a consultant behind the scenes.
- 4. We can resolve your case prior to opening a court case.
These four sentences are the product. Every other family law attorney has a financial reason not to write them down.
An affiliated service
Don’t need advisory work? Try TheQuickDivorce.
I founded TheQuickDivorce as a streamlined option for uncontested Florida divorces that don’t require strategic advisory work — clear pricing, efficient process, no courtroom.
About
I made the decision in April 2026.
After 22 years inside the courtroom system, I closed the litigation side of my practice and built something I think actually helps people: clear answers, careful strategy, and resolution before the courthouse.
Read more about how I got here →
In their words
What clients say.
“Aliette gave me a clear, written read on my case in under a month. No upsell, no pressure to switch lawyers — just an honest assessment of the strategy I was already paying for. It changed how I approached mediation.”
Carmen R.
Second Opinion client · Miami-Dade
“I cannot recommend Aliette enough. She helped me through my divorce a few years ago with such professionalism, kindness, and compassion. We were able to amicably mediate the process without ever going to court, which made a difficult time much easier to manage. Beyond her legal expertise, she is incredibly personable and heartfelt — never the cold, detached type of attorney you might expect. She truly cared about my situation and guided me with both skill and empathy. I recommend her to anyone who is looking for an attorney who not only gets results but also genuinely supports her clients.”
Cecie Mestre
Google Review · Divorce client
“Hiring Carolan Family Law Firm, P.A. is the best decision I've ever been able to make. Aliette is an example in professionalism. You can trust her and all the staff who work with her knowing that they will do the best for you in your divorce case. I have no doubt in recommending this firm to anyone who needs to hire a lawyer for their divorce case. It is a very efficient firm and they work very quickly — my case was solved in a short time. Thank you so much, Aliette, for everything you did in my case.”
Helene Kappler
Google Review · Divorce client
Reviews are reproduced from public Google Reviews with the reviewer’s posted name. The Florida Bar restricts what attorneys may publish about prior results — testimonials shown reflect individual experiences and do not guarantee or predict the outcome of any future matter.
Before you book
Questions people ask first.
Quick answers before you book a Florida family law second opinion.
The information on this site is for general educational purposes only and is not legal advice. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Carolan Family Law Firm, PA is an advisory practice — I do not appear in court, do not file motions, and do not handle emergency relief such as TROs, injunctions, or ex parte motions. For matters requiring courtroom representation, retain a Florida litigator of record.
If your situation is urgent
Need a courtroom, an emergency motion, or someone to appear today?
I don’t take that work — but I won’t leave you without a path. If you need emergency relief, a TRO, or trial counsel, contact me and I’ll refer you to a Florida litigator I trust. If you already have a lawyer and the case feels off-track, a Second Opinion is the fastest way to get an independent read.
Begin
Ready for an independent read on your Florida case?
Begin with a $750 Strategy Audit. Within 5 business days, you receive a written letter assigning your matter to a complexity band — and a flat fee for the full engagement.
How the four bands work
Pricing reflects depth of review.
After the strategy audit, I assign your matter to one band based on case complexity and document volume.
Band A
Foundation
$3,500
Early-stage cases. Organized record. Low document volume. Limited conflict. Strategic question is about positioning before things escalate.
Band B
Active Case
$7,500
Active mid-case matters. Moderate document volume. Some conflict. Strategic question is about settlement posture, mediation prep, or next-phase tactics.
Band C
High-Conflict
$12,500
Complex or high-conflict cases. Higher-value disputes. More moving pieces. A major decision point or a sense that the strategy isn't working.
Band D
War Room
$19,500
350+ docket entries. Messy or contested record. Complex assets, multiple motion practice, high stakes. An expert attorney's full re-read.
Most clients land in Band B ($7,500). Band assignment is made by the attorney, not the client — and the $750 intake credits toward whichever band you're assigned.
Turnaround at a glance
Standard 30 days · Expedited 10 days (+$2,000) · Rush 5 days (+$3,500)
Expedited and Rush add-ons are charged at countersignature and are non-refundable once work begins.