Before ever beginning law school, Karen Yochim's academic and employment endeavors provided the perfect foundation for her eventual career as a Family Law and Estate Planning & Administration Attorney. Karen's undergraduate degree, which combined Economics, with a concentration in psychology, was attained in 1997 from Furman University. Following graduation, Karen worked for several years as a branch manager for one of the nation's largest financial institutions. Wanting a more fulfilling career which focused on serving the needs of the family unit, Karen returned to school and received her J.D., cum laude, from the University of Florida Frederick G. Levin College of Law in 2003. Upon being admitted to the Florida Bar in 2003, Karen accepted a position as an associate attorney with a locally recognized law firm, where she continued to practice for the next 6+ years. In 2009, she left her this firm, to establish a law firm where she was a partner. In 2013, the Law Office of Alba & Dubose, P.A., in recognizing her professional achievements, invited Karen to join their legal team as an 'of counsel' attorney. Since joining our firm, Karen's skilled legal analysis and ability to handle highly complex matters, coupled with her compassionate approach, has led to her establishment as a valuable asset to both our firm, as well as the members of the Gainesville community. Karen's career has focused primarily on the area of Family Law, however, she also represents clients in estate planning and administration, guardianship and incapacity proceedings, as well as probate litigation matters. She is one of a very few attorneys in Gainesville trained in Collaborative Divorce through the Collaborative Divorce Institute. In addition to her own training and experience, Karen has acted as an instructor for Continuing Legal Education seminars instructing other attorneys, paralegals, legal assistants, financial planners and accountants in Estate Planning for the Disabled. When not advocating for her clients, Karen spends time with her family. She enjoys boating, reading, and being outdoors. In addition, Karen remains highly involved in both the local community, as well as the legal community in general. She is a committee member to the St. Michael's Day School Activities Committee, and is the Fundraising Chair for the St. Michael's Day School Board of Directors. She has also served as advocate and board member to Gerald T. Bennett Inn of Court, the largest and fastest growing legal mentoring organization, founded upon "improving skills, professionalism, ethics of the bench and bar through the assessment of cutting edge legal trends, innovations & technology."