Ashley M. Bustamante

Wellington, Florida has been my home for my entire life. When I was younger, I took advantage of all the equestrian opportunities Wellington had available and enjoyed regularly competing in horse shows. In my later teenage years, my focus shifted to tennis as I played for my high school team. To this day, I still enjoy both sports.

For my undergraduate studies, I decided to stay close to home and attended Palm Beach Atlantic University and double majored in Political Science and Communications. Since day one as an undergraduate my goal was to attend law school. I was fortunate enough to achieve that goal and attended the University of Florida Levin College of Law.

While attending law school, I edited for the Journal of Law and Public Policy, held an executive position in the Entertainment and Sports Law Society, and served as a teacher’s assistant for Legal Writing, Appellate Advocacy, and Trial Practice. Additionally, I gained appellate experience while serving as a Judicial Intern at the Fourth District Court of Appeal, where I reviewed appellate briefs and wrote bench memoranda. While I had so many great learning experiences in law school my favorite was having the opportunity to study international law abroad in France during a summer. The memories made during that summer will forever stay with me and made me develop a love for travel.

Not only did attending the University of Florida Levin College of Law establish the foundation for my career but it helped me establish the foundation of my family. On the first day of orientation, while one professor was giving a welcoming speech she said “Look around the room, your Husband or Wife may be sitting right next to you.” I had no idea that statement would apply to me. While my Husband was not sitting next to me, he was in the room. We dated throughout law school and enjoyed attending all the football and basketball games. Go Gators! Now, we have a young daughter and two dogs who are even more entertaining than a game in the Swamp.

As soon as I graduated law school, I accepted a position at a marital and family law firm. Then, I gained some experience as an Associate Attorney for a boutique real estate and civil litigation law firm, where I dealt with residential and commercial real estate transactions, trust and estate issues, and guardianship matters. Now, I dedicate my career to marital and family law because it is the field of law where I feel my purpose as an attorney. There is nothing more important than family so when my client is going through a divorce, I ensure that the legal process is as easy and understandable as possible so the client can focus on adjusting to the new family dynamic.