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Katherine Elizabeth Macdonald

Attorney At Law

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Biography

Katherine (Kit) E. Macdonald has practiced law since 1983 in the following areas of law:

Marital law, family law, and paternity
Estates, probate, wills, and trusts

Katherine Macdonald has practiced law in the following Florida counties:

Alachua, Baker, Bradford, Gilchrist, Levy, Union, Columbia, Marion, Putnam, St. Johns, Clay, Pasco, Volusia, Hernando, and Citrus

Family Law
Her family law cases have included issues of marital dissolution (divorce), child custody and visitation (time-sharing), child support, alimony, parental responsibility, enforcement, paternity, modification, parenting plans, and time sharing. With statutory amendments, child custody and visitation are no longer the terms, and parenting plans and time sharing are the new concepts. She represents men and women equally, and has extensive experience with litigated family law hearings.

Estates, Wills and Trusts
Her probate cases have included issues of admission of wills to probate, estate administration, appointment of personal representatives, homestead, missing heirs, elective share, and final accountings. Katherine Macdonald has lectured at seminars on estate administration topics for the National Business Institute, and has presented programs for local groups about estate planning, wills and trusts.

Professional Memberships
Katherine Macdonald's professional memberships have been as follows:

The Florida Bar: Member since November 22, 1983

Clara Gehan- FAWL (f/k/a 8-FAWL) (Florida Association for Women Lawyers) Gainesville, Florida; President, 1994-1995

Eighth Judicial Circuit Bar Association: Member, Probate and Family Law Section, Gainesville, Florida

James C. Adkins, Jr. Inn of Court Member since 2001

Education, Honors, Awards and Publications
Katherine Macdonald received her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science in June 1965 from the New School for Social Research in New York, NY, her Master of Arts in Political Science (Public Administration) from the University of Florida in December 1980 and her Juris Doctorate with Honors from the University of Florida in May 1983. While at law school, Katherine Macdonald was Executive Editor and Title Standards Editor of the University of Florida Law Review and received Honors in appellate advocacy. She studied family law and wrote about family law at law school. She received the George W. Milam Award, for most outstanding Law Review Comment, in the fall 1981 semester. Her comment, Domestic Relations: Military Pay and Equitable Division in Divorce Courts - Preemption, was published at 34 U.Fla.L.Rev.280 (1982).

Katherine Macdonald attended Hollins College in Roanoke, VA from September 1961 - May 1964. As a Hollins student, she attended the United Nations Semester at Drew University in Madison, NJ in the fall semester, September 1963 - January 1964. Following graduation from The New School for Social Research, she worked at the national office of the United Nations Association of the United States of America (UNA-USA), in New York, NY, June 1965-September 1966. From April - August 1967 Katherine Macdonald served as secretary for most of the European portion of the project which resulted in the publication of Great Houses of the Western World by Nigel Nicolson, author, photographs by Ian Graham (New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1968).

 

Education

  • University of Florida College of Law, Gainesville, Florida
    • J.D. with Honors - 05/1983
  • University of Florida
    • M.A., Master of Arts - 1980
    • Major: Political Science (Public Administration)
  • New School for Social Research, New York, New York
    • B.A. - 06/1965
    • Major: Political Science

Pro-Bono Activities

  • United Way Board of Directors for 3 years in 1970s
  • United Way, Chair, Good Neighbor Division, Fund Drive, 1969
  • United Way, Chair, Professional Division, Fund Drive, 1974
  • Leadership Gainesville II, Leadership Training Seminar Sponsored by Chamber of Commerce, 1975
  • Alachua County Genealogical Society, Inc., Recording Secretary and Member, Board of Directors, 2003 - Present
  • University City Kiwanis Club- Member, 1992 - 1997
  • University City Kiwanis Club- Board of Directors, 1994 - 1995
  • Evergreen Cemetery Advisory Committee (City of Gainesville)- Chair, 1994 - 1995
  • Evergreen Cemetery Association of Gainesville, Inc.- President, 1994 - 1995
  • Evergreen Cemetery Association of Gainesville, Inc.- Recording Secretary every year except one, 1996 - Present
  • University Park Neighborhood Association, Inc. - Board of Directors , 2010 - Present (Recording Secretary)
  • Junior League of Gainesville, Florida, Inc., Member since 1969 (Active 1969-1984: Sustainer 1984 to present),Board of Directors, 4 years, Officer, 2 years, 1970s

Past Positions

  • United Nations Association of the United States of America (UNA USA, Education Department, New York City), 1965 to 1966

Published Works

  • Domestic Relations: Military Pay and Equitable Division in Divorce Courts - Preemption, 34 U. Fla. L. Rev. 280 (1982)

Professional Associations

  • The Florida Bar: Member since November 22, 1983
  • Clara Gehan- FAWL (f/k/a 8-FAWL) (Florida Association for Women Lawyers) Gainesville, Florida; President, 1994-1995
  • Eighth Judicial Circuit Bar Association: Member, Probate and Family Law Sections, Gainesville, Florida
  • James C. Adkins, Jr. Inn of Court Member since 2001

Current Employment Position

  • Attorney

Practice Areas

  • Child Support
  • Custody & Visitation
  • Divorce
  • Probate & Estate Administration
  • Wills
  • Trusts
  • Paternity
  • Marital Law
  • Family Law

Bar Admissions

  • Florida, 1983