BIO

In 1973, Dorothy R. Fait received a J.D. from the University of Maryland. That same year, she was confirmed to the Maryland (MD) Bar. Fait quickly gained respect for her legal skills, laying the groundwork for her 1977 admittance to the U.S. Supreme Court. In 1970, Dorothy started working with the U.S. Court of Appeals, Fourth Circuit.

Throughout her career, Dorothy has served Montgomery and Frederick Counties, as well as the MD State Bar Association, acting as a chair for various committees across her practice area. Some of Dorothy’s legal appointments include:

• Working as a chair for the MD State Bar Association’s Family Law Section
• Receiving membership in a variety of bar associations, including the American Bar, D.C. Bar, and Women’s Bar of Maryland and Montgomery County
• Acting as President of the Montgomery County Commission for Women
• Assisting the state of Maryland as a participant in the state’s family law task force
• Being awarded a lifetime position on the Montgomery County Inns of Court
• Assisting the Montgomery County Inns of Court as the Program Co-Chair
• Serving on the Maryland State Ethics Commission for five years as a commissioner, helping combat corruption in the state
• Chairing the Montgomery Spouse Abuse Task Force
• Operating as the current treasurer for the Montgomery County Family Justice Center
• Participating in the Montgomery County Domestic Violence Coordinating Council

Dorothy’s long list of respectable achievements and legal appointments within the communities she serves have made her a standout figure in Montgomery’s legal landscape. As a result of her tireless work in Maryland and D.C. family law cases, Dorothy has found herself the recipient of numerous prestigious legal awards:

• In both 2004 and 2007, the Daily Record named her one of Maryland’s 100 Top Women, eventually inducting her into their Circle of Excellence in 2011 and awarding her a Leadership in Law Award in 2013.
• Her devotion to bettering the communities she inhabits resulted in the Greater Jewish Coalition Against Domestic Abuse recognizing her with a Woman of Valor award in 2003.
• From 2006-2016, Dorothy was also named to the Maryland and D.C. Super Lawyers lists, further denoting her commitment to legal excellence.
• In 2015 Washingtonian Magazine named Attorney Fait one of their top lawyers, and in 2015 she received a Founder’s Award from the Family Justice Center of Montgomery County.

Dorothy has spent her life working with vulnerable individuals in family law cases, helping them navigate complex and often emotionally draining cases. As a result of her devotion to serving her communities, Dorothy has been involved in a number of notable cases. Some of her reported cases include:

• Dorsey v. Dorsey, 302 Md. 312, 487 A.2d 1181 (1985), a case that helped define the law of gift in marriage between spouses
• Wilson v. Wilson, 87 Md. App. 547, 590 A.2d 579 (1991), which covered how much impact decrees issued out of state should hold on domestic cases in Maryland
• Caldwell v. Caldwell, 103 Md. App. 452, 653 A.2d 994 (1995), which concerned what factors should play a role in determining indefinite alimony
• Geramifar v. Geramifar, 113 Md. App. 495, 688 A.2d 475 (1997), a case about equitable adoption law
• Sczudlo v. Berry, 129 Md. App. 529, 743 A.2d 268 (1999), which covered the role of income in child support cases where individuals fall outside the income limits for child support guidelines
• Collins v. Collins, 144 Md. App. 395, 798 A.2d 1155 (2002), concerning the divisibility of military pensions in a divorce
• Richards v. Richards, 166 Md. App. 263, 888 A.2d 364 (2005), another case revolving around division in a divorce, including the topics of equitable distribution and monetary awards
• Mills v. Mills, 178 Md. App. 728, 943 A.2d 677 (2008), a case that considered whether the courts have revisory power in qualified domestic relations orders
• Boemio v. Boemio., 414 Md. 118 (2010), concerning when a court should consider the use of non-statutory alimony guidelines to settle a divorce

Dorothy focuses on complex family law cases and has been involved in several cases where she has helped set a legal precedent for family law issues in Maryland and D.C.

Dorothy currently serves Fait & DiLima, LLP, putting her wealth of legal experience to the test helping clients navigate their cases. Dorothy’s work has already made her a pillar of the legal community in Montgomery and beyond, and she’s just getting started.

AWARDS

Best Lawyers 2024 – Dorothy Fait

Best Lawyers 2023 – Dorothy Fait

Best Lawyers 2024 – Dorothy Fait

Best Layers 2022 – Fait & Dilima, LLP

Best Law Firms US News 2023

Best Law Firms 2024