Tracey Coates handles a variety of domestic relations matters, including pre-marital agreements, divorce and separation, child custody, child support modification, enforcement of court orders and agreements, adoption, and guardianships. Her clients include all types of individuals and couples, in a wide range of family structures. Tracey works hard to engage in background conversations with her clients to understand family dynamics and build rapport and trust. She goes into every case with a caring, but realistic approach with her clients. She is often touted for being accessible to her clients, understanding how important it is to respond to clients when emotions are heightened.

Tracey is a member of several bar associations, including the American Bar Association, D.C. Bar Association, Maryland Bar Association and Montgomery County Bar Association.

In 2013, she was selected to participate in the inaugural Leadership Academy program for the Montgomery County Bar Association, a program she now co-chairs. The Leadership Development Academy was created to develop young lawyers into bar leaders and to encourage them to be more involved not only in the legal community, but in the Montgomery County community, by providing services and programs that will enrich the community.

In addition to her bar memberships, Tracey has a mediation training certificate for completing 40 hours of coursework. Outside of her billable work, Tracey volunteers and is a member of the Board of Directors for the D.C. Volunteer Lawyers Project (DCVLP), an organization whose mission is to provide high-quality, free legal services to low-income D.C. residents in family law cases. She provides pro bono legal representation, doing custody, divorce and guardian ad litem work for survivors of domestic violence and children in high-conflict custody cases.

PRACTICE AREAS: Divorce, Custody, Child Support, domestic relations matters, including pre-marital agreements, divorce and separation, child custody, child support modification, enforcement of court orders and agreements, adoption, and guardianships.

BAR ADMISSIONS: Maryland and District of Columbia

EDUCATION: J.D., Hamline University School of Law - Member, National Moot Court Team - Law Clerk Grant Recipient, Maryland Legal Aid Bureau - President, Black Law Students Association B.A., Smith College Mediation Training - Certificate of Completion of 40-Hour Basic Mediation Training (2009) - Certificate of Completion of Custody Mediation Training (2015)

ACCOLADES & AWARDS: Best Lawyers in America - Best Lawyers (2006-2024)
Maryland Daily Record's Power Player in Family Law (2022)
Maryland Super Lawyers (2023-2024) “Top Divorce Lawyers,” - Washingtonian magazine (2019-2022) “Top Attorneys,” Bethesda Magazine (2019) - Family/Divorce “Top Lawyers” - Washingtonian magazine (2018) Maryland Super Lawyers “Rising Stars” (2013-2016) Washington D.C. Super Lawyers “Rising Stars” (2013-2016)

PUBLICATIONS: “Law Firm Origination Policies: Climbing the Mountain to Equity,” Law Practice Today, June 15, 2020 “Revisiting the Parental Rights of Same-Sex Parents in Maryland Following the Downfall of DOMA,” MSBA Bar Bulletin, November 2013

CIVIC & COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: Bar Association of Montgomery County, MD - Executive Committee Member Attorney Grievance Commission of Maryland - Peer Review Committee, Maryland State Bar Association - Judicial Appointments Committee D.C. Volunteer Lawyers Project - Board of Directors, Volunteer Bar Association of Montgomery County - Member, Family Law Section - Member, Leadership Development Academy American Bar Association - Member, Family Law and Young Lawyers Sections Women’s Bar Association of D.C. - Member Women Empowered Against Violence (WEAVE) - Past Volunteer Thurgood Marshall Academy Public Charter High School - Past Mentor The House of Ruth - Past Volunteer Virginia Juvenile Court System - Past Court Appointed Special Advocate Hamline University School of Law - Past Alumni Board Member Smith College Club of Washington, D.C. - Past Secretary, Executive Board

SPEECHES & PRESENTATIONS: 

"15 Minutes of Fame that will Change Your Life," DC Bar 360, October 4, 2023

National Hispanic Bar Association, Panel Presentation - Modern Marketing Techniques, September 2023 

National Bar Association, Panel Presentation, August 2023

“Insight on Child Custody Around The Holidays,” WHUR 96.3, December 2017

“Family Law, Child Support, Child Custody, and Grandparent Rights,”

MEDIA COMMENTARY

"Divorce Roommates," Good Day DC, Fox 5, March 24, 2023
"Puppy Wars," Good Day DC, Fox 5, March 1, 2023
"Prenuptial Agreements," Good Day DC, Fox 5, February 1, 2023
"Divorce January," Good Day DC, Fox 5, January 5, 2023
"Celebrity Cheating Accusations," Good Day DC, Fox 5, October 7, 2022
"Signs your spouse could be cheating," September 27, 2022
"Avoiding Divorce Drama," Good Day DC, Fox 5, February 15, 2022
"Pets & Prenups," Good Day DC, Fox 5, February 7, 2022
"Dealing with your Ex during the Holidays," Good Morning Washington, November 30, 2021
“Lessons We Can Learn from High-Profile Divorces,” Good Day DC, WTTG, January 4, 2021
“Study Finds Divorce Rates Spiking Amid Covid-19,” Good Morning Washington, WJLA, September 28, 2020
“Cardi B Amends Divorce Documents,” Good Day DC, Fox 5, September 17, 2020
“What exactly is the emancipation of a minor?” Great Day Washington, WUSA, September 9, 2020
“Divorce Rates Skyrocketing,” Good Day DC, Fox 5, September 3, 2020
“Pandemic wreaks havoc on divorce, custody and family law cases,” The Maryland Daily Record, June 2020
“Lawmakers, experts weigh changes to Maryland’s child custody court process,” The Maryland Daily Record, August 26, 2020
“Divorce in the Time of COVID,” Good Day DC, Fox 5, July 13, 2020
“Divorce & The Holidays,” Just Like Us with Madelyne Woods, Majic 102.3 | 92.7, December 16, 2018

Tracey J. Coates

Managing Partner