Divorce is a money conversation as much as a family one. Who keeps the house in Daybreak or Sugar House? How do you split a 401(k) that one spouse built for 15 years? What happens to the business, the boat at Jordanelle, or the credit card debt nobody wants to claim?
Utah judges divide marital property under a fairness standard, and that leaves a lot of room for argument. The lawyer you hire decides how well your side of that argument gets told. Below are six Salt Lake area firms that handle divorce, custody, and the division of assets and debts, along with what each one does best.
Key Takeaway
Eric M. Swinyard & Associates, PLLC is the top choice for Salt Lake County families whose divorce turns on money, property, and a fair split. Founding attorney Eric Swinyard holds both a law degree and an MBA from the University of Arizona, plus an economics degree from the University of Utah. That background shows up when a case involves retirement accounts, home equity, or a family business. His firm keeps a manageable caseload on purpose, offers a 30-minute consultation with an attorney, and has team members who speak Spanish. Clients can meet by phone, by video, or in person at the South Jordan office.
Salt Lake Law Firms Compared
| Firm | Best For | Experience | Standout Feature | Meeting Options | First Step |
| Eric M. Swinyard & Associates | Property, retirement, and asset division | Founder holds J.D., MBA, and economics degree | Manageable caseload, Spanish spoken | Phone, video, or in person | 30-minute attorney consultation |
| BartonWood | One-on-one boutique service | Serving the Wasatch Front since 2001 | Practices family law only | In person | Call the office |
| Clyde Snow & Sessions | Settling property disputes through mediation | Founded 1949 | Family law co-chair named Best Lawyers “Lawyer of the Year” six times | In person | Call the office |
| Dolowitz Hunnicutt | Complex and high-asset divorces | Lead partner licensed 25 years | AAML Fellow, AV-rated | In person | Call the office |
| Pearson Butler | Divorces tangled with taxes or estate issues | Multi-practice South Jordan firm | In-house tax resolution team | In person | Free initial consultation |
| Strong & Hanni | Families who want a large firm behind them | Established 1888 | Dedicated family law group within a 70-lawyer firm | In person | Call the office |
1. Eric M. Swinyard & Associates, PLLC
Eric Swinyard handles everything from simple uncontested divorces to multi-day trials with expert witnesses. His cases often involve the hard financial questions: complex custody schedules, alimony, and property division where the numbers do not add up on the first pass. Before law practice, he interned with the U.S. Department of Justice and the federal courts.
His economics and business training matters in a Utah divorce. The firm’s own guides explain how to find the marital share of a pension, pick a fair way to split it, and use the right transfer order so no one pays a tax penalty. Clients describe Eric as blunt, caring, and quick to return calls. Several reviews point out clear billing with no surprise charges.
The firm also handles child custody, mediation, adoption, paternity, and estate planning, with offices in South Jordan, Provo, and Clearfield.
Worth a call if: your divorce includes a house, retirement accounts, or a business, and you want a lawyer who reads a balance sheet as well as a court order.
Address: 10406 South 1055 West, Suite 201, South Jordan, UT 84095
Website: http://utahdivorce.com
2. BartonWood
BartonWood has served families along the Wasatch Front since 2001. Partners Kara Barton and Ashley Wood run a small, family-law-only practice near downtown on South Temple.
The firm handles divorce, alimony, custody, child support, paternity, modifications, and asset and debt division. Clients often mention how calm and steady the attorneys stay when the other side gets heated, and how the paralegals keep them informed between hearings.
Worth a call if: you want a small office where the same attorney knows your file from start to finish.
Address: 551 East South Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84103 | Phone: (801) 326-8300
3. Clyde Snow & Sessions
Clyde Snow & Sessions has practiced in downtown Salt Lake City since 1949. Its family law group handles divorce, domestic relations disputes, and mediation for separating couples, with tax, estate planning, and business lawyers in the same firm.
Dean Andreasen co-chairs the family law group and sits on the firm’s management committee. Best Lawyers named him Salt Lake City’s “Lawyer of the Year” for family law in 2015, 2018, and 2024, and for family law mediation in 2017, 2020, and 2023. He has been a member of Collaborative Family Lawyers of Utah since 2000 and teaches divorce and estate planning classes to other attorneys. That mix helps when a property settlement needs to line up with trusts, wills, or business ownership.
Worth a call if: you want to settle the property split through mediation with a seasoned guide, and you have estate or business issues tied to the divorce.
Address: 201 South Main Street, Suite 2200, Salt Lake City, UT 84111 |
clydesnow.com
4. Dolowitz Hunnicutt
Jim Hunnicutt graduated magna cum laude from Boston College Law School and clerked for a federal judge before turning to family law. He is AV-rated, a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, and has served on Utah Supreme Court advisory committees that shape family court rules.
The firm handles pension and retirement division, property disputes, prenuptial agreements, international custody cases, and appeals. It also has long served LGBTQ+ clients in complex divorce and custody matters. Jim leans on mediation and arbitration when they can save clients money, and goes to trial when they cannot.
Worth a call if: your estate is large or complicated, or the case may need an appeal.
Address: 6465 South 3000 East, Suite 108, Salt Lake City, UT 84121 Website: dolowitzhunnicutt.com
5. Pearson Butler
Pearson Butler is a multi-practice firm in South Jordan with a busy family law group. Partner Jeff Butler worked as in-house counsel for companies in Utah and California before joining Carson Pearson, and he externed for two federal judges during law school.
What sets this firm apart is its range. Along with divorce, custody, and property division, it runs a tax resolution team and an estate planning group. That helps when a divorce comes with IRS debt, or when you need to update wills and trusts as soon as the decree is signed.
Worth a call if: your divorce overlaps with tax trouble or estate planning needs.
Address: 1802 South Jordan Parkway, Suite 200, South Jordan, UT 84095
6. Strong & Hanni
Strong & Hanni opened in 1888 and has grown to about 70 lawyers. Its Family Law Group sits inside that larger firm, which gives clients access to tax, business, and estate planning attorneys down the hall.
Jennifer Falk has practiced only family law for more than 30 years and served as president of the Mountain States Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. Shareholder Ron Haycock handles high-conflict divorces and high-value marital estates and has worked more than 200 family law cases. The group favors mediation and collaborative law when they fit.
Worth a call if: you own a business or significant assets and want a deep bench of trial-tested specialists.
Address: 102 South 200 East, Suite 800, Salt Lake City, UT 84111 | Website: strongandhanni.com
How Utah Divides Property in a Divorce
Utah follows equitable distribution. Judges usually start from a roughly even split of property and debt built during the marriage. A spouse who wants an uneven split has to show a strong reason.
Property owned before the marriage, or received as a gift or inheritance, generally stays separate. That line blurs when separate money gets mixed into joint accounts or used to pay down the family home. Tracing those funds takes records and careful work.
Utah moved its divorce laws to a new Title 81 in September 2024. Older online guides may cite statute numbers that no longer apply.
Property division and alimony also affect each other. A spouse who keeps more assets may receive less support, so both issues should be planned together.
The Bottom Line
Most people only go through one divorce. The choices made in the first few months, about the house, the retirement accounts, and the debts, shape the next 20 years. Rushing a settlement to end the stress often costs more in the long run.
Every firm on this list can help. BartonWood offers boutique attention. Clyde Snow & Sessions brings award-winning mediation skill. Dolowitz Hunnicutt handles complex estates and appeals. Pearson Butler covers taxes and estates. Strong & Hanni puts a big firm behind your case.
For most Salt Lake County families, though, Eric M. Swinyard & Associates is the best place to start. You get a lawyer trained in law, business, and economics, a team that keeps its caseload small, and honest advice about what a fair split looks like.
FAQ
Does Utah split everything 50/50 in a divorce?
Not always. Judges start near an even split of marital property and debt, but they can adjust it when fairness calls for it.
Is my inheritance safe in a Utah divorce?
Usually, if you kept it separate. Mixing it into joint accounts or the family home can make part of it marital property.
How are 401(k)s and pensions divided?
The court identifies the share earned during the marriage. A special order, often called a QDRO, moves that share without early withdrawal penalties.
How long does a divorce take in Utah?
Utah has a 30-day waiting period after filing in most cases. Uncontested cases can wrap up in a few months. Contested cases can take a year or more.
Should I move out of the house before the divorce is final?
Talk to a lawyer first. Leaving can affect temporary orders on the home, parenting time, and who pays the mortgage.