Davis, R. Leonard

Ms. Preston's family has lived in Hardee County for six generations. She graduated from Hardee High School in 1986, and attended Sweet Briar College in Virginia, graduating cum laude with highest honors in 1990. In 1993, Ms. Preston graduated from Stetson University College of Law in Saint Petersburg, Florida. While there, she worked in a family law clinic at Gulfeoast Legal Services and a criminal defense clinic at the Pinellas County Public Defenders Office.

After law school, Ms. Preston worked as an Assistant State Attorney in the Fifth Judicial Circuit, handling cases in Citrus, Marion, and Hernando Counties. In July of 1998, she returned to Polk County to work for the Tenth Circuit State Attorney's Office. As a prosecutor, she handled Misdemeanor, Traffic, Juvenile, Felony, and Criminal Contempt for Circuit Civil Domestic Violence cases. She also held positions as Chief of the Domestic Violence Unit in Polk County, and later the Chief of the Hardee County State Attorney's Office.

In January 2006, Ms. Preston opened her law office to provide legal services in the areas of family and criminal law. She is currently a member of the Hardee (President) and Highlands County Bar Associations, Florida Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers (FACDL) Highlands Chapter, Willson American Inn of Court, and Florida Bar Sections for Family, Criminal, and Solo and Small Office Management. She has also served as Chairperson for the Florida Bar's Continuing Legal Education Committee. Ms. Preston is admitted to the United States Supreme Court.

Ms. Preston provides representation is sensitive to the needs of the client. She strives to offer individualized attention as she and the client work toward achieving the client's legal goals. Ms. Preston handles matters in an amicable manner and attempts to negotiate legal matters with consideration for the client's need for closure. She believes compassion, understanding, and personal attention toward her clients is of vital importance in serving the best interests of her clients.

Ms. Preston is also a Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Mediator. When in that role, she strives to work in a neutral and unbiased way to help the parties negotiate a satisfactory resolution by seeking to find practical solutions and encouraging healthy and productive communication between the parties.

Since Junior High School, Ms. Preston is committed to community service. She is presently an active member of the First Baptist Church of Wauchula, the Hardee County Rotary Club, Main Street Wauchula, Volunteer Guardian Ad Litem, South Florida Community College Foundation Board, and the Hardee County Chamber of Commerce (former Board Member). She is also President of the Wauchula Woman's Club and Chairperson of the City of Wauchula Historic Preservation Board.