Lerch, Early & Brewer, Chtd.

Erik Arena is a family law and divorce attorney who tactfully and assertively represents people in separation and divorce matters, including division of property, alimony, custody, and child support in Maryland and the District of Columbia.

An Eagle Scout, Erik takes the oath to “help other people at all times” seriously, relentlessly pursuing what he believes is right. Erik guides people through the separation and divorce process with dignity and empathy (especially for their children), and is tenacious in representing their interests. While he realizes that the end of a marriage can be demoralizing, he reminds his clients that self-pity is tempting but ultimately counter-productive. He encourages them to take ownership of their situations and to be active in improving their own circumstances. He champions them in negotiation, mediation, or litigation to resolve their disputes efficiently so they can move forward to the next stage of life.

Erik is particularly experienced in representing high net worth people in property and alimony disputes, including those involving “chasing dollars”—finding money that’s been moved, uncovering concealed assets, or analyzing records and building models to accurately identify income from all sources. Erik is drawn to the hard cases, those nobody else wants or that are long-shot challenges. These often include spousal support, asset distribution, child support, or high-conflict custody and visitation disputes.