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About Us

Practicing Marital and Family Law Since 1985

We advise and represent clients for prenuptial agreements, divorces, paternity cases, domestic violence injunctions, contempt, alimony, child support, modifications, jurisdictional matters, mediation, collaborative proceedings and appeals. Compassion, Understanding and Empathy Working with an attorney can be intimidating, or even downright scary. Ed Sobel and his team offer a different experience, combining compassion, understanding, and empathy. Together, they provide family law experience and helping hands you need to protect yourself and your children.

Edward B. Sobel
Board Certified Family Law Specialist

Attorney Edward B. Sobel in Bradenton brings substantial credentials and experience to every case. As a board certified family and marital specialist since 1991, he is well-qualified to handle even the toughest and most emotionally charged family law and divorce matters.

Julia L. Hamel
Legal Assistant/Office Manager

Julia is originally from Akron, Ohio, but has been a Florida resident since 1972. She still has 2 brothers in Ohio and enjoys visiting them during Christmas vacation.
She began her legal journey in personal injury and was in that field for 6 years. She started working for Ed Sobel in 2001 after she realized family law was her passion. Julia is responsible for office management, billing, calendar management, and production of legal pleadings and correspondence. She handles clients’ issues with care and compassion.
She shares her home with two dogs, Rocky and Peanut, and three cats, Junebugs, Abby, and Missy. Needless to say, she has her hands full….
In her spare time, she loves to go out East to her boyfriend’s cattle ranch. She enjoys the quiet and peaceful time she spends out there, and loves watching the stars in the clear sky.

Celeste R. Barrett
Paralegal

Celeste grew up, and raised her own family, in Central New York. She began her legal career in 2006, when she joined her husband’s family law firm. She was the Paralegal, Legal Assistant and Office Manager for the firm for over 14 years.

Prior to that, Celeste received a degree in accounting, and spent several years working in accounting and auditing. This gives her a unique perspective and window into the financial aspects of our family law cases.

Celeste joined Ed in January 2021 and assists Ed in a variety of tasks. She is responsible for the production of discovery documents (such as financial affidavit, responses to requests for production, and answers to interrogatories) and parenting plans. She calculates child support guidelines, and assists Ed with the preparation of hearings, trials, and mediations.

Celeste has 2 adult children. Her son, David, continues to reside in Central New York and is a musician and entrepreneur. Her daughter, Taylor, resides with her while attending Stetson University College of Law. Taylor’s 2 beautiful Pit Bulls (Celeste’s Grand pups) also reside with them, along with a Maine Coon cat. When she is not chasing, or playing with, the energetic pups, Celeste enjoys time outdoors and at the beach.