Robin Schmahl focuses her practice on family law, divorce, estate planning, and probate. Prior to becoming a lawyer, Robin proudly served in the U.S. Army, worked as a ranch hand training horses, designed and wrote software systems, managed a bed & breakfast, tracked government grants for scientists at Berkeley, and taught puppetry in Borneo. This diverse background exposed her to people from all walks of life and many different industries, but Robin found her true calling as an attorney.
Robin received her undergraduate degree from U.C. Berkeley (cum laude) in 1993 and received her law degree from Emory University School of Law (with honors) in 1996. After graduating from law school, she joined the Atlanta office of one of the world’s largest law firms as a tort defense attorney, representing Fortune 500 clients in high-stakes litigation. Robin says: “I thoroughly enjoyed my 15-year tenure with my Atlanta firm — the intellectual challenge, friendship, mentorship, and culture of integrity gave me a great sense of satisfaction. However, I missed my family in Washington, and wanted the chance to help regular people with their legal problems. What drew me to Allen|Fischer Law was the firm’s reputation for being tough but ethical, as well as the firm’s commitment to client service, professional courtesy, and collegiality. These are all values that are paramount to me.”
“Going through a divorce, disagreements over child custody, or settling the affairs of a loved one who has passed away can be the most difficult chapter in a person’s life, when reason sometimes takes a back seat to overwrought emotions. An attorney who throws gasoline on the fire is not serving his or her clients’ best interests. In my view, an attorney should truly be a “counselor at law”, who is a combination of zealous advocate, sleuth, and the voice of reason when emotions run high. Although I am a no-nonsense litigator, I encourage clients to use settlement and mediation to resolve disputes, whenever feasible. Strategically using alternative dispute resolution can significantly reduce the financial and emotional toll of litigation.”
Robin considers the relationship between herself and the clients she serves as a partnership, in which she honors each person’s unique perspective, goals, and concerns. “There is no one-size-fits-all solution for legal problems, especially in the arena of family law. I witnessed first-hand the utter frustration of a close family member whose divorce dragged on for five years because her attorneys would not return phone calls for weeks at a time, and seemingly wanted to substitute their own values for what she wanted. I welcome open and honest conversations, where we can explore what is most important, so that I have a clear understanding of what my clients’ goals and priorities really are. A partnership-oriented relationship is the foundation of my commitment to client service.”