I
had seen the billboard throughout Pensacola touting
the phrase, “FATHER’S RIGHTS.” I had also seen
countless commercials of the Father and Son duo. I
thought I knew exactly what to expect, but as I sat
in the Holman’s conference room, waiting to meet them
both for the first time, I must admit that I had many
preconceived notions of walking into this “boys only”
club. However, these assumptions were quickly put to
rest within minutes of meeting Stephen T. and Justin T.
Holman. Not only did I find these two men welcoming
and easy to talk to, but I was surprised to hear them both
open up so much about what makes them such a unique
family firm. While Stephen made a special point to spare
the more personal details, he reflected on his own personal
experience within the family law court system, not only as
an attorney, but as a father. He was quick to note that this
personal experience has given him a unique perspective on
what his clients go through during such a difficult time in
their lives. I was also very impressed to hear Justin explain
that the firm’s ambition to assist fathers is not nearly as
one-sided as the phrase “FATHER’S RIGHTS” may
suggest. As Stephen and Justin cited countless statistics
of how growing up in a single-parent home can effect a
child, I began to realize that these attorneys, that I once
perceived as being strictly “pro-father” advocates, were
simply on a mission to give BOTH parents an equal
opportunity to be an involved parent in their child’s life.
As it turns out, I learned that an unmarried father in
the State of Florida does not have the automatic right to
be a part of his child’s life, unless a court order grants him
that right. As a result, many times, a father is left feeling
helpless and hopeless. This feeling of hopelessness has, too
story by
Heather W. Harp
Business Profile
“FAMILY” LAW
The Holman Law Firm
42 | VIPPensacola.com
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