David Bulitt
"I represent my clients the way I'd want someone to represent me. I find out what they want, address their worries and concerns, tell them their options, and advise them of the risks. If I'm unable to resolve the problems out of court, I am ready to stand up and fight for them."
Contact
Rockville, MD
P: 240-399-7888
F: 240-553-1738
David Bulitt
Principal
Family law specialist David Bulitt has been praised as the lawyer who “epitomizes stability and old fashioned common sense” by Bethesda Magazine and is routinely listed among Washington DC’s top family law attorneys. In 2023, David was honored by the Maryland Daily Record as a “Leader in the Law” for his work in the area of Alternate Dispute Resolution.
David is a shareholder in the firm and served as JGL’s Assistant Managing Director for almost 20 years. His practice focuses on all areas of family law, including cases that involve complex financial and property matters and property distribution, divorce, and child custody disputes. Much of his work is now spent mediating family and divorce cases. A father of four daughters, David has extensive experience working with families that have children with special needs.
The first member of his family to get a professional degree, Bulitt spends his spare time writing and working on his books. His latest, Secrets of Strong Couples, follows the award winning and best selling The Five Core Conversations for Couples, both co-written with his wife, Julie, a family therapist. David also has published two novels, Card Game and Because I Had To. He spends his spare time with his daughters, grandchildren and Frank, his golden retriever and constant companion.
Education
- University of Baltimore School of Law, J.D., 1986
- University of Maryland, B.A., 1983
Bar Admissions
- Maryland, 1986
- District of Columbia
Court Admissions
- U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland
- U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia
- U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit
- U.S. Court of Federal Claims
- U.S. Supreme Court, 2001
Outside the Office
As might be expected for a published author, David reads a lot, mostly fiction. "Classics and lighter stuff." He enjoys long walks in the woods with his dogs, volunteers as the announcer for Sherwood High School’s girls’ sports teams, is a youth basketball coach and gets on his motorcycle whenever possible. "Being on the bike is peaceful…keeps you focused, but free, all at the same time.”
Experience
Recent assignments
- "While I'm willing to litigate if that's in the best interest of my client, it's important to acknowledge the risks of going to trial and getting in front of a judge." According to David, this was the message to a client of his, a woman facing divorce and frustrated by her high-earning spouse's refusal to agree to pay her adequate alimony after a 20-plus year marriage. "Although the couple had agreed on splitting their assets, it was hard to gauge a fair alimony award. There's no formula in Maryland, and my client was well-educated and had potential to earn, even though she was then a stay-at-home mother of two children." With the help of a mediator and the involvement of financial planners and a forensic accountant, David helped the parties agree to settle on the question of alimony.
- David's client in this case was the mother of two young children, one of which had special needs, and the conflict was over custody. "She had a style of parenting that was very different than her ex-husband's," as David describes the root of the problem. "Both parents worked full time outside the home, and the kids felt the emotional impact of living in two households where the parents seemed so entrenched in their ways." Things appeared to be destined to go to trial, when the younger child started acting out. "Judges will do their best, but it takes a lot of time and opportunities for a judge to discern adjudicate, leading to more difficulties and anxiety for the parents and kids. This case was not built for a judge." David was able to convince his client that negotiation, mediation and settlement was the right way to go, and so they engaged a former judge who understands the issues. In addition the husband was represented by an experienced, family law lawyer. After several mediation sessions, the ex-spouses reached an amicable arrangement that put the interests of the kids first.
Professional Affiliations
- Montgomery County Inns of Court
- American Bar Association
- Prince George's County Bar Association
- Montgomery County Bar Association
- District of Columbia Bar Association
- Maryland State Bar Association
Speeches & Articles
- David Bulitt co-presents We Don’t Have Time – We Make Time for the MSBA on-demand learning initiative.
- David Bulitt co-authors “The Less You Do the Less You Do” for the Baltimore Sun’s Guest Commentary section, 2022.
- "Divorce and the special-needs child", The Daily Record, Maryland; Family Law Update, December, 2014
- “Alternative Dispute Resolution and Keeping the Client's Life Private,” Laws.com, 2013
- Mediation Techniques, Montgomery County Bar Association CLE panelist, 2013
- "The Jolie-Pitt Breakup: Hollywood Power Gives Way to High Profile Divorce," Inside Counsel, 2016
- "Commentary: Obergefell’s far-reaching impact on family law issues involving same-sex couples," The Daily Record, 2016
- "Keep track of child-related costs without talking to your ex? There’s an app for that," The Daily Record, 2016
Awards & Honors
- Best Family Attorney, 2023 Best of Potomac Awards, Potomac Lifestyle
- Top Attorney 2023, Bethesda Magazine - MoCo360
- Best Lawyers in America, 2009-2024
- Daily Record and MSBA 2023 Leaders in Law recipient in Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Martindale-Hubbell – AV Preeminent
- Maryland and DC Super Lawyers, 2006-2024
- Washingtonian magazine, One of D.C. Area’s Best Divorce Lawyers, 2000–present