DC and MD Matrimonial Lawyer Focusing on Custody, Divorce and Prenups
For over 20 years, Regina A. DeMeo has been helping families in MD and DC with custody and divorce issues either through mediation, litigation or advocacy. She is an alumna of Georgetown University and GW University Law School, who is nationally recognized as a top matrimonial attorney. She is frequently quoted in the media for her ideas to promote healthier relationships and featured in the Washington Post, ABA Journal and Bethesda Magazine for her care and commitment to her clients. As a legal commentator, she has appeared on Washington Post Express Facebook Live, ABC tv, Good Morning America, MMCTV, YouTube and Sirius XM, and has been quoted in various magazines, books and journals across the country.
Regina offers appointments in Maryland and DC. Her areas of practice include:
Latest Blog Posts by GenXSmartie
Tips For Becoming An Empty Nester
They say for parents "the days are long, but the years are short," and now the true significance of those pearls of wisdom are sinking in as I prepare for my son to turn 18 and finish high school in just a few months. I was 31 years old when I gave birth to my one and only child, and at the time I was a young associate at a downtown family law firm, married to a man I had known since college, and together we had a lovely house we had just renovated in Chevy Chase. As we brought our little bundle of joy home from Sibley Hospital, I firmly believed we had a solid foundation for a happily ever after story.Over the next 18 months, however, our very different views on core issues about parenting, religion, lifestyle choices, finances, and personal aspirations became insurmountable challenges for us. Ultimately, I made the difficult decision to end our marriage, which then forced me to start practicing what I was preaching to my clients about the need to share custody and minimize the conflict for my own son's sake.Being a single parent for over a decade gave me a preview of what it would be like when my son would eventually leave our home. On the nights and weekends that [...]
What Will Your Post-COVID Life Look Like?
As we increasingly see the return of what life was like in the Before Times (pre-COVID), many of us are carefully choosing those parts of our pre-pandemic lives we wish to restore versus the ones best left behind. One of the silver-linings of the global lockdown this past year is that it forced all of us to modify our daily routines, review our priorities, and appreciate things we once took for granted. In the aftermath, what we have is an incredible opportunity to be more mindful in the way we create our post-pandemic existence, particularly in these areas: Work/Life Balance Among the most common themes being discussed is the desire to maintain more of a work/life balance, which can be more readily accomplished by reducing commute times and maximizing the use of various efficiencies we all discovered as we adapted our work habits this past year. By wasting less time, many are hoping to continue enjoying more time with family and friends, as well as being more committed to their own health and fitness. It is a win-win for everyone as happier people tend to be more productive at work, and less stressed at home. Finances Another benefit to come out of the pandemic is that over this past year, the credit card industry saw families pay down the [...]
Top 5 Take-Aways From The Gates Divorce
Over the past two decades, I have worked on several high-profile cases, including a few billionaire divorces in the DC Area. As a result, the announcement of Bill and Melinda Gates' divorce does not come as a shock at all, but I do believe there are some great take-aways here for everyone. Here are my top five (5) points for all of us to ponder: 1. Money- While it certainly helps make life easier when you have a secure financial base, money can't buy happiness. In fact, the more people earn the more obligations they usually take on, and this adds a level of stress and complication that perhaps 90% of the world will never fully comprehend, but the pressures are undeniably real. Ironically, the more you have the more demands you have on your time and energy, which can then take away from certain simple joys including some alone time enjoying individual hobbies or engaging with friends, family and your significant other.2. Shared Narrative- Even though their children are all 18 or older, they know that this news will have an impact on them, and their short public announcement was a perfect example of all you need to share with the world (1) state the fact that relationship has reached a conclusion (no need to explain why); (2) [...]
Do You Want To Get It Right The Next Time?
Nothing causes you to be more consumed with self doubt about your judgment than a bad break up or divorce. After spending so much time and energy with someone, you are bound to feel immense disappointment that your efforts to sustain a long term relationship failed to yield a successful result. Give yourself some space to cycle through the anger, sadness, shame that result from the end of a relationship until you finally get to apathy, when you can accept that you need to close that chapter in your life in order to start the next one. Before jumping into the next relationship, however, it's important to do a self assessment. What do you really need and want in a partner? Also, what are your true deal-breakers? This can change over time, so don't skip over this exercise because you did it once before. Be selective in choosing your next mate. Pay attention to the way s/he follows through with plans and how special they make you feel. Is it easy to be around them or do you find yourself guarded? Do not ignore red flags while playing 20 questions, where the whole point is to map (1) where that person comes from, (2) where they are presently and (3) where they are heading. The reality is, as we [...]