Deborah L. Thomson was admitted to the Florida Bar in March, 1997. She received her Bachelors of Arts, Magna Cum Laude, from Nova Southeastern University in 1994, and her Juris Doctorate with Honors (top 3%) from Nova Southeastern University Shepard Broad Law Center in December, 1996. While in law school, she was a member of the Nova Law Review, and her article entitled City of N. Miami v. Kurtz – Is It Curtains for Privacy in Florida? was published in 1996. She also worked as an assistant to her Legal Research and Writing Professor.

Additionally, during college and prior to law school, she worked as an assistant to a bankruptcy attorney, preparing and reviewing many documents for bankruptcies.  After law school, Ms. Thomson worked as a staff attorney for three years at the Fourth District Court of Appeal in West Palm Beach for the Honorable John W. Dell. She concentrated on both civil and criminal appellate work, tackling various issues ranging from divorce and equitable distribution cases, to contract issues, and even a variety of criminal and domestic violence issues.

She was responsible for thoroughly researching every issue presented in an appellate brief, and she drafted many opinions published by the Court. She moved to North Carolina and took some time off to raise her two sons, but returned to Florida where she began her focus on marital and family law. Ms. Thomson concentrates on family law matters at both the trial and appellate level. She has had opinions on her appellate cases published in the Florida Law Weekly.

Ms. Thomson is a passionate and ethical attorney who works diligently for and with each and every client. She empathizes with her clients, understanding the difficulties and emotional phases they endure throughout the legal process, recognizing that every case, and every client, is different. She helps them transition through what is normally a very emotionally draining time in their lives, and she is focused on working to efficiently obtain optimum results for every individual client and his or her children, whether they are able to settle their case out of court or have to litigate in front of a judge.

Ms. Thomson is an active member of the legal community.  She was recently elected to the Executive Council of the Family Law Section of the Hillsborough County Bar Association.  She is also a member of the Family Law Section of the Florida Bar Association, the Appellate Law Section of the Florida Bar Association, the Hillsborough Association of Women Lawyers, the National Association of Professional Women, and she is also has been trained in Collaborative Divorce. In a Collaborative Divorce, both attorneys and spouses sign a contract, agreeing not to litigate in court, but instead to reach an amicable settlement out of court.

Ms. Thomson believes that a Collaborative Divorce (as well as an uncontested divorce) tends to promote family harmony both during and long after the divorce is final.  She is a firm believer that it is in all parties' best interests to resolve a case amicably.

Ms. Thomson volunteers her time with Are You Safe, Inc., a group that helps victims of domestic violence. Also, Ms. Thomson is very involved in numerous charity functions to raise money for cancer research, and she volunteers her time at her children’s schools. She also makes every effort to stay active.  She completed her first full marathon in 2018, and she has completed numerous other athletic challenges, including the St. Anthony’s Triathlon, the St. Petersburg Women’s Half Marathon, the Gasparilla Half Marathon, and the Tough Mudder.

Dena Thompson-Estes was born in West Palm Beach, Florida. She received her undergraduate degree from University of Central Florida in 1997 and her law degree from California Western School of Law in 2001.

Since 2004, Ms. Thompson-Estes has worked exclusively in the area of Marital and Family Law. She is experienced, hard-working, and personable in her representation. Having had divorced parents, she appreciates the difficulties of divorce and is sensitive to parents coping with the child(ren)'s anxiety during this transitional time. She helps her clients navigate through the emotional and financial issues to provide realistic desired results.

Her experience in family law cases includes complex and high net worth matters. She handles matters involving dissolution of marriage, equitable distribution, alimony, child support, timesharing, modification, enforcement, contempt, paternity, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, and marital settlement agreements.   Ms. Thompson-Estes believes strongly in Collaborative Divorce.

She is active in the following organizations: The Florida Bar, American Bar Association, Hillsborough County Bar Association, The Stann W. Givens Family Law American Inn of Court of Tampa, Next Generation Divorce, and International Academy of Collaborative Professionals.

Her clients have included homemakers, working men and women, business owners, doctors, lawyers, corporate executives, and other professionals.

Ms. Thompson-Estes also is a Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Law Mediator and is trained in Parenting Coordination and Interdisciplinary Collaborative Divorce. Her training has honed her negotiation skills to allow her to successfully resolve all types of issues that arise in contentious cases.

Stephanie Braat's legal career has been focused  on marital and family law since she first became a member of the Florida Bar.  She brings a wealth of experience to The Women's Law Group, and she has handled all types of family law matters, from contested divorces and paternity matters to uncontested and cooperative cases.  She takes pride in her ability to assist all of her clients, which have included stay-at-home parents, working men and women, and individuals from all walks of life.

Ms. Braat was born in Vicenza, Italy, as her father was stationed there while serving in the United States Army.  She received her undergraduate degree from University of South Florida in 2008, and her Juris Doctorate from Ave Maria School of Law in 2013.  Ms. Braat is a member of the Florida Bar and the Hillsborough County Bar Association.

In Ms. Braat's spare time, she likes spending time with her family and friends, and she enjoys participating in outdoor activities.  She is a dedicated, hard-working professional who treats her clients with the respect and attention they deserve.  We are fortunate to have her as part of our team here at The Women's Law Group.

Our paralegal, Tiffany Trueblood, is an indispensable part of our team here at The Women's Law Group.  Tiffany is a Florida native, born and raised in Clearwater, Florida. She attended St. Petersburg College and earned her Associate in Science degree in Paralegal Studies. She has been working exclusively as a Family Law Paralegal for the last 11 years, and also has experience in personal injury, bankruptcy, wills & estates, and criminal law.

In her downtime, Tiffany enjoys spending time with her family, traveling, attending concerts, festivals or just relaxing and soaking up the Florida sun.  Her experience, combined with her unwavering compassion toward our clients and their needs, make her a vital member of our team at The Women's Law Group.

Our legal assistant, Laurie Hamlin, has over 15 years of experience.  She has a warm and patient demeanor, and she is a valuable assistant to our attorneys.  She is an important member of our team, always available to assist our clients.