Here When
You Need Experience Support Resolution Strength Strategy

Divorce, custody, and the questions that come with them are hard enough. HMW Law attorneys practice North Carolina family law exclusively, giving Charlotte families clear answers, honest strategy, and a steady hand from the first conversation forward.

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Charlotte Family Law & Divorce Attorneys

Law practiced the
way you'd want it

for your own family

We built this firm on a simple belief: the people walking through our door are not case files, they are parents, partners, and neighbors facing one of the hardest chapters of their lives. You deserve an advocate who listens first and fights well.

As a women-owned practice, we bring a steadying presence and genuine warmth to family law, pairing real courtroom strength with the kind of counsel that treats your future like it’s ours to protect.

How We Help

Practice areas

Focused entirely on family law, so every matter gets the depth
of experience it deserves.
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Child Support & Child Custody

We build parenting plans that hold up, and we establish, modify, and enforce child support under the North Carolina Guidelines, keeping your child's needs first.

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Property Division

North Carolina divides marital assets through equitable distribution. We fight for your fair share of property, accounts, and retirement.

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Alimony

Postseparation support and alimony are separate claims in North Carolina. We pursue or defend both, and build the financial case the court needs to see.

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Parenting Coordinator Services

A certified parenting coordinator serving Mecklenburg County, resolving high-conflict custody disputes between hearings so the same issues stop returning to court.

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Collaborative Law

Collaborative divorce settles your case outside the courtroom. Both spouses and both attorneys commit in writing to reaching an agreement rather than going to trial.

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Mediation Counsel

Custody and equitable distribution mediation is required in North Carolina. We prepare your position and protect your interests at the table.

our team

meet our attorneys

Tara A. Harrawood, Charlotte family law attorney at Harrawood Marquez & Walle

Tara A. Harrawood

Practicing since 2012 and recognized by Super Lawyers, Tara empowers clients with knowledge and fights relentlessly for their families.

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Andria Marquez, Charlotte divorce attorney at Harrawood Marquez & Walle

Andria Marquez

Andria has practiced family law exclusively since 2016, guiding clients through complex equitable distribution, custody, and collaborative divorce.
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Danielle Walle, Charlotte family law attorney and certified parenting coordinator

Danielle Walle

A certified Parenting Coordinator, Danielle handles high-conflict custody cases and complex financial matters with compassion and courtroom-tested skill.
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Charlotte Family Law Attorneys

When your family is in transition, the decisions you make now shape the years ahead. HMW Law represents clients across the greater Charlotte area and surrounding counties in divorce, equitable distribution, alimony, child custody, child support, and marital agreements. Our attorneys practice North Carolina family law exclusively, and that focus shows in every case we take.

Every family is different, so we start by listening. Whether your matter can be resolved through negotiation or needs to be decided in a Mecklenburg County courtroom, our Charlotte family law attorneys build a strategy around your goals and keep you informed at every step, so you always know where your case stands and what comes next.

Charlotte Divorce Attorneys

Divorce in North Carolina follows its own rules. Spouses must live separately for one year before filing for absolute divorce, and issues like property division, alimony, and child custody are often resolved during that separation period. Understanding how the timeline works, and what to protect along the way, can change the outcome of your case. Our Charlotte divorce attorneys guide clients through every stage, from the initial separation to the final divorce judgment. We handle negotiated settlements, the collaborative process, and contested litigation, and we give you an honest assessment of which path fits your situation, your family, and your budget before you begin the process.

Charlotte Child Support Attorneys

North Carolina calculates child support using the North Carolina Child Support Guidelines, which weigh both parents’ incomes, health insurance costs, childcare expenses, and the custody schedule. The formula looks simple, but the inputs are where cases are won and lost. Self-employment income, bonuses, and deviation requests can significantly change the final number.

Our Charlotte child support attorneys help parents establish fair support orders, modify them when circumstances change, and enforce them when payments stop. Whether you expect to pay or receive support, we make sure the order reflects your children’s real needs and both parents’ actual financial picture, not just the numbers on a worksheet.

Uncontested Divorce in Charlotte

If you and your spouse agree on the major issues, an uncontested divorce is often the fastest and most affordable way to end your marriage in North Carolina. Once the one-year separation requirement is met, an uncontested absolute divorce is typically finalized within 45 to 90 days, often without either spouse ever appearing in court.

Even a simple divorce has paperwork that must be done right. Our attorneys prepare and file every document, confirm your separation agreement protects you on property and support, and move your case through the Mecklenburg County courts efficiently, so you can close this chapter and move forward with confidence.

In Their Words

Clients Who Found
Their Footing

"I strongly recommend Tara Harrawood as an attorney with outstanding professionalism integrity and the ability to obtain the best results. She and her staff provided me with an outcome far beyond my expectations. It was a pleasure dealing with her. Look no further if you want an attorney to represent you with your best interest at heart."
- Nicole
"Danielle was phenomenal during the time she worked on my custody case. In a case that was very high conflict I felt that she really had my back and did everything she possibly could to resolve the matter. I always felt that she understood the complexity of my case and always steered things in the right direction. I would highly recommend her to anyone who is seeking a very competent and knowledgeable attorney, as well as somebody who truly cares about your and your case."
- Kayla
"After meeting with Danielle, it was clear that she knew and understood that I lead an extraordinary busy life ,and that I wanted my matter to be resolved quickly and painlessly. She has always exceeded my expectations by delivering results swiftly and explaining the process thoroughly so that I can better understand. I wouldn’t recommend anyone else for representation, Danielle genuinely cares, and that’s hard to find these days."
- Rob

FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

A family law attorney handles the legal matters closest to home, including divorce, child custody, child support, alimony, property division, separation agreements, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements. Beyond preparing and filing documents, your attorney negotiates on your behalf, protects your rights during separation, and advocates for you in court when disputes cannot be settled. At HMW Law, North Carolina family law is all we practice, and that focus shapes the strategy behind every case we take.

The cost of a divorce depends primarily on how much you and your spouse agree on. An uncontested divorce with a signed separation agreement is the most affordable path, while contested cases involving custody, alimony, or property division cost more because they take longer to resolve. During your consultation, we explain exactly how our fees work for your situation, so you can make an informed decision before spending anything.

North Carolina courts decide custody based on the best interests of the child, weighing factors like each parent’s living situation, caregiving history, work schedule, and the child’s individual needs. Custody includes both physical custody (where the child lives) and legal custody (decision-making authority), and many families reach an agreement through negotiation or mediation without ever going to trial. We’ll help you pursue the approach that best protects your relationship with your children.

North Carolina calculates child support using the North Carolina Child Support Guidelines, which consider both parents’ gross incomes, the number of overnights the child spends with each parent, health insurance premiums, and work-related childcare costs. Courts can deviate from the guideline amount when a child’s needs justify it. An attorney helps make sure income is counted accurately, especially with self-employment, bonuses, or shared custody schedules.

North Carolina is one of only a handful of states that still recognizes alienation of affection, a civil claim against a third party whose conduct destroyed the love and affection in your marriage. These lawsuits are filed against the outside person, not your spouse, and successful claims have produced significant damage awards. Because so few states allow this claim, working with a North Carolina attorney who handles these cases is essential.

A parenting coordinator is a trained neutral the court can appoint in high-conflict custody cases to help parents carry out their custody order. Instead of returning to court every time a dispute comes up over exchanges, holidays, or activities, parents bring the issue to the coordinator, who has authority to decide day-to-day matters within the scope the judge sets. A coordinator cannot change legal or physical custody, and the court determines how the cost is divided. We can tell you whether requesting one makes sense in your situation.
Collaborative law is a way to resolve a divorce without going to court. Each spouse hires their own specially trained attorney, and both sides sign an agreement to reach a settlement through a series of joint meetings. That agreement carries one important commitment: if either spouse decides to litigate, both attorneys must withdraw from the case, which keeps everyone invested in finding an agreement. Teams often bring in a neutral financial professional or child specialist when it helps. We can walk you through whether this approach fits your circumstances.
Mediation is a negotiation guided by a neutral third party who helps both sides work toward an agreement. The mediator does not take a side or decide anything; the goal is to find solutions both parties can accept. In Mecklenburg County, custody mediation through the court’s program is required before most contested custody hearings, and financial matters such as property division are typically routed to a mediated settlement conference. Whatever you agree to becomes binding once it is put in writing and signed, so we’ll make sure you go in prepared.
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