Partners Russell Knight and Terry DeSalvo take on Florida divorce, custody, and family law matters themselves, from your first call to the final order. Every call to the firm reaches an attorney, not an intake screener.
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Partners Russell Knight and Terry DeSalvo take on Florida divorce, custody, and family law matters themselves, from your first call to the final order. Every call to the firm reaches an attorney, not an intake screener.
FREE
confidential consultation, same-week appointments
years combined family law experience
Your Partner Through Change
A divorce is often life changing. A good divorce lawyer does two things: tells you straight where you stand, and stays on your case instead of passing it down the line. At the Law Office of Russell D. Knight, partners Russell Knight and Terry DeSalvo do both, and every call to the firm reaches an attorney.
Russell Knight founded the firm and has practiced family law since 2006. Terry DeSalvo Jr., Esq., Senior Partner, has focused exclusively on family law since 2013. You work directly with the attorney handling your case from start to finish.
Call (239) 202-0455 today for a free consultation. Every call connects you with an attorney.
Mr. Terry DeSalvo was a steady, supportive rock through my long and complex divorce involving multiple businesses. During a fearful time, he…
L.N.
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Protecting Your Next Chapter
The firm provides full-service family law representation and handles the connected issues that a divorce or custody dispute brings with it. Most clients arrive with more than one concern, and your attorney will help you address these.
Core practice areas:
Divorce, including contested and high-net-worth cases
Child custody and parenting time
Child support
Alimony
Division of marital assets
Personalized Representation
The decisions made during a divorce follow you for years. How marital assets are divided, whether alimony is paid, and how much and for how long are not automatic outcomes. They are argued, negotiated, and decided based on the facts of your case and the law as it stands.
A few things worth knowing before you make any decisions:
Florida abolished permanent alimony in July 2023. Alimony is now awarded for a defined period, with the amount capped at 35% of the difference in the spouses’ net incomes.
Florida is an equitable distribution state, which means marital property is divided fairly, not automatically in half. The difference between those two standards can be significant.
Alimony is not automatic. A court must find that one spouse has a real financial need and the other has the ability to pay.
You do not have to figure this out alone, and you should not have to guess. In a free consultation, Russell Knight or Terry DeSalvo will walk you through how Florida law applies to your situation, in plain terms, before you commit to anything.
Call (239) 202-0455 to talk it through with an attorney.
Terry was professional, passionate and very knowledgeable. I hired him for child custody representation between wo states and it worked…
J.H.
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One Conversation Could Change Your Next Move
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years combined family law experience
cases handled
Client Rating
attorney-answered calls
Our Approach
Russell Knight and Terry DeSalvo bring complementary strengths, so your case gets attorney-level attention at every stage. Russell Knight built the practice and leads it. Terry DeSalvo brings a litigation record and a strong client-review history.
You are represented by either Russell Knight or Terry DeSalvo directly, rather than handed off to junior staff. Russell Knight has practiced family law since 2006, first building a respected Chicago family law practice before opening the firm’s Naples office. Terry DeSalvo has practiced exclusively in family law since 2013 and serves as Senior Partner.
That focus matters in family court, where local procedure and the tendencies of individual judges shape outcomes. Both partners appear in Collier County courtrooms regularly and know the terrain.
Super Lawyers named Terry DeSalvo a Florida Rising Star in 2021. He concentrates on contested divorce, high-net-worth divorce, alimony, and child custody, the cases where the financial and parenting stakes run highest.
Terry DeSalvo’s clients consistently describe him as strategic, empathetic, and an exceptional communicator, earned across years of contested divorce and custody work. That reputation reflects how the firm approaches every case: patient and understanding with clients, while prepared to litigate firmly when someone’s interests are on the line.
At the Law Office of Russell D. Knight, Russell Knight and Terry DeSalvo handle your Naples family law case from start to finish.
Call (239) 202-0455 to speak with an attorney about your situation.
I left a voicemail and Russell called me back, he quickly answered my question pertaining to custody law. His quick and free legal advice…
B.S.
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Every message reaches an attorney directly, not an intake screener.
Russell Knight has practiced law since 2006 and leads the firm he founded. He graduated from the University of Illinois College of Law in 2006 and began his career at a Chicago family law firm before opening the Law Office of Russell D. Knight, which became an established Chicagoland family law practice. He later earned his Florida license and opened the firm’s Naples office, where he now spends most of his time.
Russell Knight is licensed in both Illinois and Florida and concentrates his practice on divorce, child support, and child custody. He stays current through ongoing research and writing on family law in both states.
Terry DeSalvo Jr., Esq. serves as Senior Partner and has focused exclusively on family law since being admitted to The Florida Bar in 2013. Originally from Youngstown, Ohio, he moved to Southwest Florida in 2003. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from Florida Gulf Coast University in 2007, then earned his Juris Doctor from Florida Coastal School of Law, graduating Cum Laude.
During law school, he served as a judicial intern for the Honorable James R. Adams in Lee County and, as a Certified Legal Intern with the State Attorney’s Office for the 20th Judicial Circuit, tried and won his first case in his final year. He is a member of The Florida Bar and the Florida Bar Family Law Section, the Collier County Bar Association, and the Montana State Bar.
His focus is contested divorce, high-net-worth divorce, alimony, and child custody, and his approach blends patience with a willingness to litigate when a client’s interests require it.
Seth LaPidus concentrates his practice on divorce and family law. He graduated from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana in 2013 with a degree in Integrative Biology, then earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Illinois College of Law in 2016. He is licensed in both Illinois and Florida.
Seth has completed the National Family Law Trial Institute’s Kolodny Trial Skills Course, an intensive eight-day program focused on family law trial advocacy. That training reflects his readiness to take a case to trial when the circumstances call for it.
His focus is divorce and family law, and he brings that trial-tested preparation to every matter he handles.
AREAS WE SERVE
The Law Office of Russell D. Knight serves clients across Naples and the surrounding Collier County communities, including Marco Island, Bonita Springs, and Estero. The firm’s Naples office is located at 1415 Panther Lane, #218, Naples, Florida 34109.
Because both attorneys are licensed throughout Florida, the firm can assist clients well beyond the immediate Naples area when family law matters require it.
Needed a prenuptial agreement done quickly and he delivered. Very happy with his prompt replies, staff, and transparent and honest billing…
R.S.
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WHAT TO KNOW
An uncontested divorce in Florida can conclude in a matter of weeks once the paperwork and waiting period are satisfied. A contested case can take several months or longer. The timeline depends on how many issues you and your spouse disagree on and how quickly those are resolved.
No. Florida follows equitable distribution, which means marital assets and debts are divided fairly based on the circumstances, not split exactly in half. Factors such as each spouse’s contributions and economic situation come into play.
It depends on the length of the marriage, each spouse’s income and earning capacity, and the standard of living established during the marriage. Florida law recognizes several types of alimony, and the firm can explain which may apply to your case.
You work directly with the firm’s partners, Russell Knight and Terry DeSalvo. During your free consultation, you will speak with an attorney about your situation and who is best suited to handle it.
FROM THE BLOG
In Florida the court must begin with the premise that the distribution should be equal, unless there is a justification for an unequal distribution based on all relevant factors, including, inter alia, “(i) The intentional
In a Florida divorce, an asset can remain one spouse’s nonmarital property, while some of its increase in value is divided between both spouses. The outcome depends on why the asset appreciated, whether marital funds
A business may be marital property without every part of the business’s value being a marital asset. If a closely held business is closely identified with only one spouse, that distinction may substantially impact its
PROTECTING PARENTS & CHILDREN
Your first conversation with the Law Office of Russell D. Knight is free, and every call connects you with an attorney, not an intake screener. Russell Knight and Terry DeSalvo will listen to your situation, explain your options under Florida law, and tell you honestly where you stand.
Take the first step in protecting yourself, your finances, and your family. The sooner you understand your rights, the better positioned you are for what comes next.
Call (239) 202-0455 now for your free consultation with a Naples family law attorney.
Highly recommend! Terry DeSalvo Jr., Esq. is a highly skilled, professional divorce attorney. He has expansive understanding and…
P.
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