team-member

Sylvina Cotto

N/A

Licensed for 28 years

Law Degree

Awards

Primary Practice Area

Child custody

Language

Spanish

About

I am an experienced attorney dedicated to helping my clients succesfully navigate the legal process that most family law matters entail.   I have a Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology and graduated from Arizona State University's Sandra Day O'Connor Law School in December of 1992.I went to work as a law clerk at the Maricopa County Public Defender's Office right after I graduated from law school and began handling cases as soon as I passed the bar exam in the spring of 1993.  As a public defender, I was in court litigating almost every day.  I can't even count how many jury trials I have handled.  By the time I left the public defender's office I was training and supervising new recruits.In 1999 I left government work for private practice. I had enjoyed family law classes in school and found the transition easy and the new area of practice a good fit.  My degree and experience in psychology have also been a tremendous resource. I established my firm in 2002 and have been in old town Scottsdale ever since.  I love how central and accessable our location isThrough my 24 years of practice I have been involved in many Arizona State Bar committes, a Supreme Court committee, as well as other law related organizations, such as Los Abogados.  Currently I am on the board of the Maricopa County Bar family law section and an editor of their newsletter. 

Practices Areas

Child custody

Child support

Divorce and separation

Family

Domestic Violence

Language

Spanish

Contact

Cotto Law Firm PC6991 E. Camelback Rd.Suite C230Scottsdale, AZ, 85251-3948

Office: N/A

Website: N/A

Reviews

Laurie
November 18, 2019

I did eventually get a call back from Ms. Cotto who apologized and stated she had not gotten my message. I had an hour consult with her and she was very helpful. I had provided my documents to two other lawyers as well during consultations and Ms. Cotto was the only one who realized (immediately) that I had been served with an expired order. She even took the time to confirm this with the court. I would absolutely recommend using her services if needed.

Bill & Judy
May 28, 2019

We used this Law Firm to settle a case that had been ongoing for many years. We found Sylvina extremely knowledgeable and detailed oriented. What we liked the best was her information that she constantly kept us informed. The outcome of the case was very successful and a huge burden was lifted by her handling the case. We highly recommend her for any of your legal needs.

Vivian
May 6, 2018

She did an excellent very professional job responding to a post-divorce petition so the case was settled without going to court and all my attorney's fees were covered. Thanks, Sylvina!

Jack
March 17, 2017

After 25 years of marriage my ex-wife, an attorney, began divorce proceedings and proposed that we navigate the process without individual representation. I was not comfortable with that suggestion. On the recommendation of another attorney, I hired Ms. Cotto and am extremely pleased with her advocacy on my behalf. She exhibited compassion while providing straightforward advice relating to the issues that arose in my case. I anticipated an easy, amicable divorce but was grateful for Ms. Cotto's knowledge and expertise when things became more contentious. Sylvina had my best interest in mind at all times. She consistently maintained a professional demeanor with me, my ex-wife, opposing counsel and the Court. Despite a busy schedule that likely included much more complicated cases, Ms. Cotto and her staff (particularly her paralegal, Ms. Reyes) communicated fully and efficiently with me throughout the entire process. If you are considering hiring an attorney for your divorce, a consultation with Ms. Cotto is a superb place to start.

Christie
May 3, 2016

I have used Sylvina in the past and I am about to retain her again. She's very knowledgeable about the court system and what to do to help make the process as smooth as possible. I enjoyed working with her in the past and know going forward I will again.

Anonymous
March 31, 2016

Sylvina is a wonderful and very experienced attorney. She always keeps you informed of everything pertaining to your case. She works very hard to get you what you deserve. I am very glad I had hired her to represent me.

Randy
October 6, 2015

I am a domestic violence victim advocate and have recommended Ms. Cotto to a few clients. The feedback I have received from those clients describe Ms. Cotto as empathetic, professional, thorough and always effective, in and out of court. I will continue to recommend her to those seeking the highest quality family law attorney.

Patrick
September 2, 2015

After our initial meeting, I knew I would have Cotto Law Firm represent me in my divorce. Her attention to detail, organzation and knowledge of the laws and preceedings made the process much easier knowing that someone with her expertise was on top of it. After filing on my own with my ex-wife in hopes to handle ourselves and after 6 months of no movement, I met with Cotto Law Firm and retained their services. Immedialtely they filed paperwork with the judge to prevent our case from being removed from pending case load and filed all required responses on my behalf that I had no idea I was supposed to do and saved us from having to start over and pay filing fees again. Though most of my frustration from the divorce process stemmend from the lack of communication from opposing counsel, inconsistencies in their statements, and questionalble tactics and myself having a lack of knowledge of the court process, Sylvina and Michelle where always available to calm me down, answer questions and keep me up to date, informed and on track every step of the way. Having to finalize all of this with a trial, was not my preferred choice, but I know Sylvina and Michelle did everything they could to settle prior, which included an initial mediation hearing and then pursued settlment by coordinating a late afternoon meeting with opposing counsel (that they arrived late too) that ran well after normal business hours with Sylvina and Michelle leading the negotiations that opposing counsel evntually walked out on. Sylvina is an aggressive, competent, fair and passionalte attorney whom I would reccomend and truely believed always had my best interest at heart. I am extremely pleased with the final results.

Mimi
May 5, 2015

Throughout my divorce, Sylvina and her staff kept me informed of what to expect, the status of what was currently happening, and answered questions promptly. Sylvina gave me excellent and knowledgeable advice, but never pushed me to do anything I was uncomfortable with. I was always impressed with her intuitive nature and classy personality--and she is so "approachable" and easy to talk to--never arrogant. Sylvina and her staff went above and beyond for me to ensure that a fair and equal decision was made and I will be forever grateful for that and highly recommend her to others.

brent
May 4, 2015

In 2014, I hired Ms. Cotto as my divorce attorney. From my first consultation with Ms. Cotto, she was very respectful, considerate, and genuine. Throughout the process, we met regularly to discuss the details of my case. She was always very patient with my questions and provided me with clear examples of what to expect. I felt that her experience with similar cases really helped to put me at ease. In addition, her office staff had genuine sympathy for my situation. Ms. Cotto and her office staff worked with me to collect and review all my financial information, prepare and organize my legal documents, and gather the detailed support materials for each of the stages of the divorce proceedings. Throughout the emotionally challenging (and at times very frustrating) legal process, I always felt that Ms. Cotto was thorough, prepared, and confident. I respect Ms. Cotto as a knowledgeable and honorable attorney. I am glad that she was there to represent me.

Laurie
November 18, 2019

I did eventually get a call back from Ms. Cotto who apologized and stated she had not gotten my message. I had an hour consult with her and she was very helpful. I had provided my documents to two other lawyers as well during consultations and Ms. Cotto was the only one who realized (immediately) that I had been served with an expired order. She even took the time to confirm this with the court. I would absolutely recommend using her services if needed.

Bill & Judy
May 28, 2019

We used this Law Firm to settle a case that had been ongoing for many years. We found Sylvina extremely knowledgeable and detailed oriented. What we liked the best was her information that she constantly kept us informed. The outcome of the case was very successful and a huge burden was lifted by her handling the case. We highly recommend her for any of your legal needs.

Vivian
May 6, 2018

She did an excellent very professional job responding to a post-divorce petition so the case was settled without going to court and all my attorney's fees were covered. Thanks, Sylvina!

Jack
March 17, 2017

After 25 years of marriage my ex-wife, an attorney, began divorce proceedings and proposed that we navigate the process without individual representation. I was not comfortable with that suggestion. On the recommendation of another attorney, I hired Ms. Cotto and am extremely pleased with her advocacy on my behalf. She exhibited compassion while providing straightforward advice relating to the issues that arose in my case. I anticipated an easy, amicable divorce but was grateful for Ms. Cotto's knowledge and expertise when things became more contentious. Sylvina had my best interest in mind at all times. She consistently maintained a professional demeanor with me, my ex-wife, opposing counsel and the Court. Despite a busy schedule that likely included much more complicated cases, Ms. Cotto and her staff (particularly her paralegal, Ms. Reyes) communicated fully and efficiently with me throughout the entire process. If you are considering hiring an attorney for your divorce, a consultation with Ms. Cotto is a superb place to start.

Christie
May 3, 2016

I have used Sylvina in the past and I am about to retain her again. She's very knowledgeable about the court system and what to do to help make the process as smooth as possible. I enjoyed working with her in the past and know going forward I will again.

Anonymous
March 31, 2016

Sylvina is a wonderful and very experienced attorney. She always keeps you informed of everything pertaining to your case. She works very hard to get you what you deserve. I am very glad I had hired her to represent me.

Randy
October 6, 2015

I am a domestic violence victim advocate and have recommended Ms. Cotto to a few clients. The feedback I have received from those clients describe Ms. Cotto as empathetic, professional, thorough and always effective, in and out of court. I will continue to recommend her to those seeking the highest quality family law attorney.

Patrick
September 2, 2015

After our initial meeting, I knew I would have Cotto Law Firm represent me in my divorce. Her attention to detail, organzation and knowledge of the laws and preceedings made the process much easier knowing that someone with her expertise was on top of it. After filing on my own with my ex-wife in hopes to handle ourselves and after 6 months of no movement, I met with Cotto Law Firm and retained their services. Immedialtely they filed paperwork with the judge to prevent our case from being removed from pending case load and filed all required responses on my behalf that I had no idea I was supposed to do and saved us from having to start over and pay filing fees again. Though most of my frustration from the divorce process stemmend from the lack of communication from opposing counsel, inconsistencies in their statements, and questionalble tactics and myself having a lack of knowledge of the court process, Sylvina and Michelle where always available to calm me down, answer questions and keep me up to date, informed and on track every step of the way. Having to finalize all of this with a trial, was not my preferred choice, but I know Sylvina and Michelle did everything they could to settle prior, which included an initial mediation hearing and then pursued settlment by coordinating a late afternoon meeting with opposing counsel (that they arrived late too) that ran well after normal business hours with Sylvina and Michelle leading the negotiations that opposing counsel evntually walked out on. Sylvina is an aggressive, competent, fair and passionalte attorney whom I would reccomend and truely believed always had my best interest at heart. I am extremely pleased with the final results.

Mimi
May 5, 2015

Throughout my divorce, Sylvina and her staff kept me informed of what to expect, the status of what was currently happening, and answered questions promptly. Sylvina gave me excellent and knowledgeable advice, but never pushed me to do anything I was uncomfortable with. I was always impressed with her intuitive nature and classy personality--and she is so "approachable" and easy to talk to--never arrogant. Sylvina and her staff went above and beyond for me to ensure that a fair and equal decision was made and I will be forever grateful for that and highly recommend her to others.

brent
May 4, 2015

In 2014, I hired Ms. Cotto as my divorce attorney. From my first consultation with Ms. Cotto, she was very respectful, considerate, and genuine. Throughout the process, we met regularly to discuss the details of my case. She was always very patient with my questions and provided me with clear examples of what to expect. I felt that her experience with similar cases really helped to put me at ease. In addition, her office staff had genuine sympathy for my situation. Ms. Cotto and her office staff worked with me to collect and review all my financial information, prepare and organize my legal documents, and gather the detailed support materials for each of the stages of the divorce proceedings. Throughout the emotionally challenging (and at times very frustrating) legal process, I always felt that Ms. Cotto was thorough, prepared, and confident. I respect Ms. Cotto as a knowledgeable and honorable attorney. I am glad that she was there to represent me.

Laurie
November 18, 2019

I did eventually get a call back from Ms. Cotto who apologized and stated she had not gotten my message. I had an hour consult with her and she was very helpful. I had provided my documents to two other lawyers as well during consultations and Ms. Cotto was the only one who realized (immediately) that I had been served with an expired order. She even took the time to confirm this with the court. I would absolutely recommend using her services if needed.

Bill & Judy
May 28, 2019

We used this Law Firm to settle a case that had been ongoing for many years. We found Sylvina extremely knowledgeable and detailed oriented. What we liked the best was her information that she constantly kept us informed. The outcome of the case was very successful and a huge burden was lifted by her handling the case. We highly recommend her for any of your legal needs.

Vivian
May 6, 2018

She did an excellent very professional job responding to a post-divorce petition so the case was settled without going to court and all my attorney's fees were covered. Thanks, Sylvina!

Jack
March 17, 2017

After 25 years of marriage my ex-wife, an attorney, began divorce proceedings and proposed that we navigate the process without individual representation. I was not comfortable with that suggestion. On the recommendation of another attorney, I hired Ms. Cotto and am extremely pleased with her advocacy on my behalf. She exhibited compassion while providing straightforward advice relating to the issues that arose in my case. I anticipated an easy, amicable divorce but was grateful for Ms. Cotto's knowledge and expertise when things became more contentious. Sylvina had my best interest in mind at all times. She consistently maintained a professional demeanor with me, my ex-wife, opposing counsel and the Court. Despite a busy schedule that likely included much more complicated cases, Ms. Cotto and her staff (particularly her paralegal, Ms. Reyes) communicated fully and efficiently with me throughout the entire process. If you are considering hiring an attorney for your divorce, a consultation with Ms. Cotto is a superb place to start.

Christie
May 3, 2016

I have used Sylvina in the past and I am about to retain her again. She's very knowledgeable about the court system and what to do to help make the process as smooth as possible. I enjoyed working with her in the past and know going forward I will again.

Anonymous
March 31, 2016

Sylvina is a wonderful and very experienced attorney. She always keeps you informed of everything pertaining to your case. She works very hard to get you what you deserve. I am very glad I had hired her to represent me.

Randy
October 6, 2015

I am a domestic violence victim advocate and have recommended Ms. Cotto to a few clients. The feedback I have received from those clients describe Ms. Cotto as empathetic, professional, thorough and always effective, in and out of court. I will continue to recommend her to those seeking the highest quality family law attorney.

Patrick
September 2, 2015

After our initial meeting, I knew I would have Cotto Law Firm represent me in my divorce. Her attention to detail, organzation and knowledge of the laws and preceedings made the process much easier knowing that someone with her expertise was on top of it. After filing on my own with my ex-wife in hopes to handle ourselves and after 6 months of no movement, I met with Cotto Law Firm and retained their services. Immedialtely they filed paperwork with the judge to prevent our case from being removed from pending case load and filed all required responses on my behalf that I had no idea I was supposed to do and saved us from having to start over and pay filing fees again. Though most of my frustration from the divorce process stemmend from the lack of communication from opposing counsel, inconsistencies in their statements, and questionalble tactics and myself having a lack of knowledge of the court process, Sylvina and Michelle where always available to calm me down, answer questions and keep me up to date, informed and on track every step of the way. Having to finalize all of this with a trial, was not my preferred choice, but I know Sylvina and Michelle did everything they could to settle prior, which included an initial mediation hearing and then pursued settlment by coordinating a late afternoon meeting with opposing counsel (that they arrived late too) that ran well after normal business hours with Sylvina and Michelle leading the negotiations that opposing counsel evntually walked out on. Sylvina is an aggressive, competent, fair and passionalte attorney whom I would reccomend and truely believed always had my best interest at heart. I am extremely pleased with the final results.

Mimi
May 5, 2015

Throughout my divorce, Sylvina and her staff kept me informed of what to expect, the status of what was currently happening, and answered questions promptly. Sylvina gave me excellent and knowledgeable advice, but never pushed me to do anything I was uncomfortable with. I was always impressed with her intuitive nature and classy personality--and she is so "approachable" and easy to talk to--never arrogant. Sylvina and her staff went above and beyond for me to ensure that a fair and equal decision was made and I will be forever grateful for that and highly recommend her to others.

brent
May 4, 2015

In 2014, I hired Ms. Cotto as my divorce attorney. From my first consultation with Ms. Cotto, she was very respectful, considerate, and genuine. Throughout the process, we met regularly to discuss the details of my case. She was always very patient with my questions and provided me with clear examples of what to expect. I felt that her experience with similar cases really helped to put me at ease. In addition, her office staff had genuine sympathy for my situation. Ms. Cotto and her office staff worked with me to collect and review all my financial information, prepare and organize my legal documents, and gather the detailed support materials for each of the stages of the divorce proceedings. Throughout the emotionally challenging (and at times very frustrating) legal process, I always felt that Ms. Cotto was thorough, prepared, and confident. I respect Ms. Cotto as a knowledgeable and honorable attorney. I am glad that she was there to represent me.

Laurie
November 18, 2019

I did eventually get a call back from Ms. Cotto who apologized and stated she had not gotten my message. I had an hour consult with her and she was very helpful. I had provided my documents to two other lawyers as well during consultations and Ms. Cotto was the only one who realized (immediately) that I had been served with an expired order. She even took the time to confirm this with the court. I would absolutely recommend using her services if needed.

Bill & Judy
May 28, 2019

We used this Law Firm to settle a case that had been ongoing for many years. We found Sylvina extremely knowledgeable and detailed oriented. What we liked the best was her information that she constantly kept us informed. The outcome of the case was very successful and a huge burden was lifted by her handling the case. We highly recommend her for any of your legal needs.

Vivian
May 6, 2018

She did an excellent very professional job responding to a post-divorce petition so the case was settled without going to court and all my attorney's fees were covered. Thanks, Sylvina!

Jack
March 17, 2017

After 25 years of marriage my ex-wife, an attorney, began divorce proceedings and proposed that we navigate the process without individual representation. I was not comfortable with that suggestion. On the recommendation of another attorney, I hired Ms. Cotto and am extremely pleased with her advocacy on my behalf. She exhibited compassion while providing straightforward advice relating to the issues that arose in my case. I anticipated an easy, amicable divorce but was grateful for Ms. Cotto's knowledge and expertise when things became more contentious. Sylvina had my best interest in mind at all times. She consistently maintained a professional demeanor with me, my ex-wife, opposing counsel and the Court. Despite a busy schedule that likely included much more complicated cases, Ms. Cotto and her staff (particularly her paralegal, Ms. Reyes) communicated fully and efficiently with me throughout the entire process. If you are considering hiring an attorney for your divorce, a consultation with Ms. Cotto is a superb place to start.

Christie
May 3, 2016

I have used Sylvina in the past and I am about to retain her again. She's very knowledgeable about the court system and what to do to help make the process as smooth as possible. I enjoyed working with her in the past and know going forward I will again.

Anonymous
March 31, 2016

Sylvina is a wonderful and very experienced attorney. She always keeps you informed of everything pertaining to your case. She works very hard to get you what you deserve. I am very glad I had hired her to represent me.

Randy
October 6, 2015

I am a domestic violence victim advocate and have recommended Ms. Cotto to a few clients. The feedback I have received from those clients describe Ms. Cotto as empathetic, professional, thorough and always effective, in and out of court. I will continue to recommend her to those seeking the highest quality family law attorney.

Patrick
September 2, 2015

After our initial meeting, I knew I would have Cotto Law Firm represent me in my divorce. Her attention to detail, organzation and knowledge of the laws and preceedings made the process much easier knowing that someone with her expertise was on top of it. After filing on my own with my ex-wife in hopes to handle ourselves and after 6 months of no movement, I met with Cotto Law Firm and retained their services. Immedialtely they filed paperwork with the judge to prevent our case from being removed from pending case load and filed all required responses on my behalf that I had no idea I was supposed to do and saved us from having to start over and pay filing fees again. Though most of my frustration from the divorce process stemmend from the lack of communication from opposing counsel, inconsistencies in their statements, and questionalble tactics and myself having a lack of knowledge of the court process, Sylvina and Michelle where always available to calm me down, answer questions and keep me up to date, informed and on track every step of the way. Having to finalize all of this with a trial, was not my preferred choice, but I know Sylvina and Michelle did everything they could to settle prior, which included an initial mediation hearing and then pursued settlment by coordinating a late afternoon meeting with opposing counsel (that they arrived late too) that ran well after normal business hours with Sylvina and Michelle leading the negotiations that opposing counsel evntually walked out on. Sylvina is an aggressive, competent, fair and passionalte attorney whom I would reccomend and truely believed always had my best interest at heart. I am extremely pleased with the final results.

Mimi
May 5, 2015

Throughout my divorce, Sylvina and her staff kept me informed of what to expect, the status of what was currently happening, and answered questions promptly. Sylvina gave me excellent and knowledgeable advice, but never pushed me to do anything I was uncomfortable with. I was always impressed with her intuitive nature and classy personality--and she is so "approachable" and easy to talk to--never arrogant. Sylvina and her staff went above and beyond for me to ensure that a fair and equal decision was made and I will be forever grateful for that and highly recommend her to others.

brent
May 4, 2015

In 2014, I hired Ms. Cotto as my divorce attorney. From my first consultation with Ms. Cotto, she was very respectful, considerate, and genuine. Throughout the process, we met regularly to discuss the details of my case. She was always very patient with my questions and provided me with clear examples of what to expect. I felt that her experience with similar cases really helped to put me at ease. In addition, her office staff had genuine sympathy for my situation. Ms. Cotto and her office staff worked with me to collect and review all my financial information, prepare and organize my legal documents, and gather the detailed support materials for each of the stages of the divorce proceedings. Throughout the emotionally challenging (and at times very frustrating) legal process, I always felt that Ms. Cotto was thorough, prepared, and confident. I respect Ms. Cotto as a knowledgeable and honorable attorney. I am glad that she was there to represent me.