Sheldon E. Finman

Attorney Sheldon E. Finman is the founder of the Fort Myers law firm of Sheldon E. Finman, PA. Since 1979, Mr. Finman has focused his practice on helping his clients from Fort Myers, Cape Coral, Naples and surrounding Lee and Collier counties overcome their family law challenges as amicably as possible while ensuring the protection of their best interests.Mr. Finman began his legal career in 1971 after earning his law degree from University of Florida Levin College of Law and his admission to The Florida Bar. Over the course of his career, he has watched the divorce process change from a process based on litigation to a process based on negotiation, and many of the changes are the result of his hard work over the past 40-plus years.In 1983, Mr. Finman began exploring alternative dispute resolution methods he could use to help his clients negotiate divorce-related agreements. That year, thanks to his efforts, he became the first Florida Supreme Court-certified mediator in Lee County, Florida. In 1985, The Florida Bar recognized him as a board-certified marital and family law attorney.In 1990, he worked with retired Florida Judge Hugh E. Starnes to create a process for cooperative divorces. The process the two developed was a precursor to today's collaborative divorce, which is a method Mr. Finman has utilized in his practice since 2000.Attorney Finman's dedication to the preservation of families affected by divorce has led to much recognition from the legal community. He has received an AV-Preeminent* peer-review rating from Martindale-Hubbell, and he received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association of Family Law Professionals in recognition of his place in history as the "Father of Cooperative Law."*AV-Preeminent and BV-Distinguished are certification marks of Reed Elsevier Properties Inc., used in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies. Martindale-Hubbell is the facilitator of a peer review rating process. Ratings reflect the confidential opinions of members of the Bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell ratings fall into two categories – legal ability and general ethical standards.