She hails from St. Petersburg, Florida, where she continued on to earn a Bachelor of Science degree from Florida State University in 1975. She is a 1978 graduate of Cumberland School of Law, Samford University, in Birmingham, Alabama. Mrs. Gathings has been involved in complex litigation, including business tort litigation, toxic, environmental, and pharmaceutical tort litigation, serious personal injury, consumer class actions, products liability, fraud, and international law. She is a member of the Alabama Bar Association, the Florida Bar Association and the Birmingham Bar Association. Mrs. Gathings has been admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, various United States District Courts in Alabama, Florida and Mississippi, as well as both the Alabama and Florida Supreme Courts. Mrs. Gathings has actively been a board member of The American Journal of Trial Advocacy Foundation. In addition, she plays an important role in mentor programs for Cumberland School of Law. She is a mentor for freshman law students, Women in Law and The American Journal of Trial Advocacy. Mrs. Gathings hosts several events throughout the year for law students helping to educate and influence young women law students in Alabama.

Erika Alese Gebhardt is an attorney licensed in Colorado, who offers clients efficient and effective representation and tailors her services to the unique needs of each individual client. Erika’s practice focuses exclusively on family law, where she both litigates and serves as a child-expert. Erika provides services to all counties in the Denver Metro area, as well as some of the front range and mountain regions. Erika’s clients have the added benefit of her litigation experience in the areas of employment law and complex commercial litigation. Her previous experience in these areas provides her with a unique perspective and skill set, which enable her to successfully navigate more complicated issues that may arise in cases involving business interests and trusts. Erika has a wide breadth of experience in family law matters, to include unique parenting time issues, non-traditional families, and high net worth families and individuals. Erika has extensive training and experience with LGBTQ+ issues, domestic violence, and children with sensory issues/autism. Erika works closely with her clients to ensure that their case is handled and resolved in a manner that enables them to transition smoothly beyond the legal system. Erika also works with the firm’s post-decree Estate Planning department, to ensure that the assets clients receive in their dissolution of marriage are protected, even posthumously. Given her passion for child advocacy, Erika has extensive experience working as a Child and Family Investigator, Parenting Coordinator and Decision Maker, Child Legal Representative, Special Master, and is one of the leading child experts in the state of Colorado. Erika strives to minimize the conflict in any case in which she is involved, given the significant harm being placed in the middle of parental conflict causes to children. Whether she is working as a mediator, third party neutral expert, collaborating with other professionals, or advocating for her clients in court, Erika’s strength is her tireless dedication to making sure that each client is heard and their needs and goals considered in the pursuit of the best possible results. It is Erika’s philosophy that resolving family law cases outside of the courtroom offers families the best opportunity to move forward positively; however, she is the vigorous advocate clients need and trust when litigation becomes necessary. Erika graduated from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law, where, due to her academic achievement, she was awarded membership to the Order of St. Ives. Prior to becoming an attorney, Erika began her legal career as a judicial intern for the honorable Judge Nancy Hopf in a courtroom dedicated to a domestic and civil docket. She also interned for Denver District Court Judge Robert McGahey, Jr., of the Second Judicial District, where she was able to gain valuable experience in motions practice and courtroom procedure.

EDUCATION • B.A., Southwest Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas (1990) – Summa Cum Laude • J.D., St. Mary’s University of San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas (1993) CERTIFICATIONS • Board Certified, Family Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization since 2001 PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES • College of the State Bar of Texas – Member since 1997 • San Antonio Family Lawyers Association – Past President • State Bar of Texas – Family Law Section • San Antonio Bar Association – Family Law Section • Texas Academy of Family Law Specialists - Member PUBLICATIONS AND SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS • Trying a Temporary Orders Hearing Effectively, Anatomy of a Trial, April 2003; San Antonio, Texas • Trying a Temporary Orders Hearing Effectively, Extreme Family Law Makeover, June 2004; San Antonio, Texas • When Roger Runs: Service of Citation of Non-Resident, Annual Advanced Family Law Course, State Bar of Texas, August 2005; Dallas, Texas

Experienced family law attorney dedicated to providing the best legal representation.