Johanne Shoffstall
Johanne Shoffstall, an attorney of long-standing licensed to practice law in Florida, who works not only as an advocate but also as a Divorce Coach, Guardian Ad Litem, Parenting Coordinator and Mediator.
Family Law Lawyer in Sarasota, Florida
A-V Rated Family Law Attorney with Enhanced Skillset in Sarasota
Johanne Shoffstall hails from Canada and is fluent in French and English. She graduated from Stetson Law School Cum Laude in 1993. Later, she went back to Stetson and obtained an LLM – also known as a Masters of Laws – in Advocacy in 2015.
She had her own law office in the Tampa Bay area for many years, in which she handled diverse family law matters, including domestic violence, paternity, mediation, asset division, child support, contempt and enforcement, and the award of fees.
After years in the courtroom, Johanne stepped away from litigation to build her own practice — serving as a parenting coordinator, a mediator, and a guardian ad litem. That work put her in a unique seat: not arguing for one side, but looking hard at what a family actually needed and telling a judge the truth about it.
That’s how she and Leslie met. Johanne was appointed guardian ad litem in one of Leslie’s cases. The two stayed in touch over the years, and when Loftus Law needed another experienced attorney to carry the load, Leslie knew exactly who to call. Johanne joined the firm in 2022 and works alongside Leslie, Kim Lyle, and Courtney Zak.
Johanne has spent a good portion of her career teaching other lawyers. She has presented and delivered keynotes on subjects ranging from the unlicensed practice of law to marital settlement agreements to domestic violence. She is a member of the Sarasota County Bar Association and serves on the Twelfth Judicial Circuit’s Family Court Professional Coalition.
In 2023, Johanne was named to the Lawyer of Distinction listing. That same year, Martindale-Hubbell awarded her its AV rating — the highest it gives, reserved for attorneys their peers consider preeminent in legal ability and held to the highest ethical standards.
What clients tend to notice first is the detail. Johanne reads everything, catches what others miss, and comes prepared. If your case can be resolved by agreement, she’ll build that agreement and spare you the expense and the wear of a trial. If it can’t, she will stand up in court and fight for you without hesitation.
She’ll tell you she got into family law because it’s one of the few areas where a lawyer can help someone assert their rights at the exact moment they need it most.