Meet The McCarthy Law Firm Team
The family law attorneys you will work with at The McCarthy Law Firm provide a broad range of legal services to guide you through the process of divorce or legal separation. You will have the benefit of our full team’s diversity, depth and specialized knowledge at your disposal. This allows us to handle a broad range of issues from the most simple to highly complex assets. Since the founding partner, Kathleen McCarthy, began her Tucson family law practice in 1976, her focus has been on the needs of her clients. Every team member participates in a rigorous, ongoing training program with Kathleen.
We are highly skilled and resourceful, compassionate and specially trained. We are your family law legal team.
Kathleen A. McCarthy
Kathleen earned her Law Degree with Honors from the University of Arizona in 1976. She immediately waded headlong into the risky yet exciting process of opening her own practice which today is called The McCarthy Law Firm.
Early in her career, Kathleen learned legal services are only part of what her clients need. They also desperately needed a process to help them heal from the deeply personal and disruptive emotional turmoil that led them to divorce. Seeing this, she has examined how lawyers can help facilitate this healing by maintaining a laser focus on their client’s needs, showing a willingness to truly listen and inform without judgment, and being responsive to these needs. The unexpected outcome? The lawyer experiences healing, too. Witnessing the healing process in action spurred Kathleen to create a series of stress relief seminars for lawyers.
Kathleen A. McCarthy
Typical for Kathleen, when she sees a need, she works to answer it. People suffer so much because they think they are stuck. Education can dramatically change that. Armed with that insight, Kathleen has been passionate about providing the public with ready access to legal knowledge. She has also worked tirelessly to raise the quality of available legal services. For more than three decades, she has been a constant presence at continuing education seminars for lawyers, judges, accountants and the public. Kathleen is well known for her rather humorous and crisp ideas on a broad range of subjects.
Publications, Presentations & Seminars
Kathleen has prepared numerous legal articles for lawyers and the public, a Spousal Maintenance Handbook for judges and has presented at nearly two hundred events. Her publications include numerous Family Law articles in the Tucson Desert Leaf. Kathleen has given freely of her time to mentor other lawyers with the overall goal of enhancing the quality of community legal services. In furtherance of this, she recently developed a 17 part “Survivor’s Guide to the Practice of Family Law,” a tutorial series that she developed and presented through the Volunteer Lawyers Program (VLP). This program was free to family lawyers who donated volunteer hours to VLP.
Civic Passions
With all of the accolades from professional work, Kathleen is most proud of her work with Kino Learning Center (K-12). In 1990, the doors of this locally famous and beloved school were ready to close. She collaborated with the school families and board members to restructure the assets and debts resulting in the school staying open for the next 27 years (and it is still open today!). That experience was a lightning rod for Kathleen. She learned that just a few voices (especially those with some legal knowledge) can change the trajectory of an otherwise foregone conclusion.
Professional Highlights
- Fellow, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers 1996 to present
- Board Certified, Family Law Specialist
- Member, Arizona Board of Family Law Specialization Commission, 1999-present
- Board-elect Chair, 2020, Arizona Board of Family Law Specialization Commission
- American Bar Association
- Family Law Quarterly Updates Editor
- Former Co-Chair, Pima County Bar Association
- Pima County Bar Association Commission on Unified Family Courts, 1999-2001
- Arizona Executive Family Law Counsel, 1998-2001
- President, Arizona Executive Law Council, 1994-1995
- President, Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, 1993-1994
Accolades
- Southwest Super Lawyers
- Best Lawyers of America
- Arizona Women Lawyers Association’s Alice Truman Leadership Award
- State Bar of Arizona Continuing Education Award, for outstanding contributions to the State Bar’s Continuing Legal Education (CLE) Program
- Arizona State Continuing Legal Education Committee

Holly Edwards
Attorney at Law
From her very first legal internship, Holly knew that she wanted to help families affected by divorce. Since receiving her Juris Doctor in 2004, she has practiced extensively in all areas of law affecting families. While Holly prefer to see cases settle, she is fully prepared to litigate if settlement is not possible. Holly has successfully completed the National Institute for Trial Advocacy program. In addition, she has extensive domestic violence advocacy training.
Holly Edwards
In addition to serving in the private sector in California, Holly also had the privilege of addressing the needs of the underserved in Los Angeles and Orange County. From 2013-2017, she was Directing Attorney for the Legal Aid Society of Orange County, Santa Ana Office. In that role, she supervised several legal units, and personally represented clients in family law, housing/eviction defense, consumer law, guardianship, government benefits and military veteran disputes. Although she enjoyed her time in California, in 2017, she was beyond delighted to be able to return to her hometown of Tucson, Arizona, where she continues to practice family law ever since.
Holly's strong suit is putting people at ease by first recognizing the tremendous stresses that divorce and parenting disputes place on the individual and that every individual has unique needs. She joins that with thorough case preparation and effective (and timely) communication so that the client can emerge from this process with their dignity intact and energy reinvigorated. There are lots of problems, but even more solutions! Holly's job is to help the client find those solutions.
Holly, a proud spouse of a military combat veteran who served in the U.S. Marine Corps for over twenty-one years, has a keen interest in military service issues facing both service members and their spouses/partners. This includes a thorough understanding of military service benefits including division of military retirement, survivor benefits, disability pay, and Tricare/healthcare benefits. She is also very familiar with the unique challenges confronting military members with respect to parenting issues arising out of deployment and other required relocations.
When she's not busy helping clients, Holly enjoys the outdoors with her husband and two children, as well as traveling and running.

Natalie Evans Parkman
Attorney At Law
Natalie first moved to Tucson in 2004 to attend the University of Arizona. Although born and raised in the Phoenix area, she fell in love with the Old Pueblo during her undergraduate experience. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in English in 2008 (Summa Cum Laude / Phi Beta Kappa), and her Juris Doctor Degree at the University of Arizona in 2011.
Natalie Evans Parkman
Family Law Strengths & Education
After graduation, Natalie served as a law clerk at the Pima County Juvenile Court, and went on to represent children in juvenile dependency, permanent guardianship, and adoption cases at the Pima County Office of Children’s Counsel. In 2013, she transitioned to the Arizona Attorney General’s Office where she served as a litigation attorney in juvenile and domestic relations matters for six and a half years. She initially worked in the Protective Services Section, managing a high volume trial caseload in child dependency matters. She then moved to the Child Support Services Section where she focused on Title IV-D paternity, establishment, modification, and enforcement of child support actions.
With a background in cases involving trauma, inter-family conflict, and disruption of the parent-child relationship, Natalie has cultivated a practice that balances creative problem solving with compassion and diligence. She believes in the mediation and settlement process to resolve matters if at all possible, but her trial background makes her an excellent advocate in the courtroom as well.
Natalie is a former member of the Morris K. Udall Inn of Court, and a member of the Tucson Mother Attorneys Mentoring Association (MAMAs) group. She also participated in Pima County Court Night for several years offering free legal information and resources to the public.
Outside of the office, Natalie spends most of her free time with her family. She also loves to sing, plays a multitude of instruments, and has shared her talents in a number of local music gigs over the years. To stay active, Natalie enjoys Tucson’s vibrant cycling community.

Arianne Kerr
Attorney at Law
Ari has worn many hats working with families in crisis since the beginning of her career. Prior to becoming a lawyer, she was a social worker for children, taught middle school, worked as a youth career development specialist for at-risk youth, served as a judicial law clerk at Pima County Juvenile Court, and was a legislative legal intern with the Arizona Legislature. In 2014, her passion for helping families led her to obtain a law degree. Her entire legal career has focused exclusively on family law issues.
Arianne Kerr
Although she enjoys the entire scope of family law practice, Ari's primary focus is on custody and parenting time issues especially those suffering with domestic violence issues. She also has a special interest in the unique challenges facing parents who may have a disability.
Ari is proud to have earned several awards for helping Arizona citizens access legal justice, including Top 50 Pro Bono Attorneys by the State Bar of Arizona, Stand Out Award by Step Up to Justice, and Pro Bono Attorney of the Month by Southern Arizona Legal Aid.
Outside of work, she is a mother to two young girls. She enjoys spending time with her family, cooking, and gardening.

Scott Simonson
Attorney at Law
Scott has been with The McCarthy Law Firm since 2016. Before joining The McCarthy Law Firm, he worked as a commercial litigator, handling business and real estate matters. He’s been voted one of the top pro bono attorneys in Arizona, 2014 and Southern Arizona Legal Aid co-volunteer lawyer of the year, 2018.
Scott Simonson
Family Law Strengths & Education
Scott earned his Juris Doctor Degree from the University of Arizona. He has a master’s degree in Journalism from the University of California, Berkeley and a bachelor’s degree (summa cum laude/Phi Beta Kappa) from the University of Oregon.
Before joining The McCarthy Law Firm, Scott worked seven years for an Am Law 200 firm as a commercial litigator. His practice included business governance and corporate control disputes, residential and commercial lending issues, complex discovery, and real estate litigation.

Edina Strum
Attorney at Law
Tucson native Edina Strum has been with The McCarthy Law Firm since 2009 and is a Certified Family Law Specialist. She’s known since childhood that she would be an attorney, and her care and concern for children and families led her to specialize in Family Law.

Edina Strum
Family Law Strengths & Education
Edina’s goal in her legal practice is to help families move through the re-arranging of their family dynamics with as much grace and dignity as possible, with a focus on the best outcomes for the children.
Edina practices traditional family law, but is well versed in the Collaborative Divorce Method. She is also trained in mediation. She seeks the least hostile path to resolution for her clients.
Edina is a long time member of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC), which is a collaborative group of psychologists, therapists, lawyers and judges dedicated to finding solutions for families in conflict.
A University of Arizona Wildcat through and through, Edina' law degree, graduate degree in Journalism and undergraduate degree in Political Science and Philosophy (Magna Cum Laude) were all attained there.
She also has fond memories of the year she studied in Russia. International travel and exploring other cultures has always been a passion.
Edina has volunteered her time with the Volunteer Lawyers Program, served on the WorldCare Board for several years, and was a proud member of Tucson Sunrise Rotary from 2003-2009. She has also developed and presented (with various colleagues) multiple Continuing Legal Education seminars for the Arizona State Bar, Arizona Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AzAFCC), and the Pima County Bar.
Outside of the firm, Edina can be found practicing yoga, hiking, playing with her Australian Shepherd, Bailey, and getting away to play in the snow and cooler temperatures when the opportunity arises.

Kaytlyn Yrun-Duffy
Attorney at Law
A born and raised Tucsonan, Kayt has been with The McCarthy Law Firm since 2011, her law clerk days. Her emphasis is business valuation and other complex financial matters related to family law cases. You’ll always see a smile on Kayt’s face. Her outgoing aspect and warmth are part of her ability to de-escalate conflict. She has a passion and real skill for helping people reach a reasonable resolution with minimal antagonism.
Kaytlyn Yrun-Duffy
Family Law Strengths & Education
Kayt loves solving financial puzzles. She has a particular strength for distilling complex information and likes to use spreadsheets to help make things crystal clear for a judge’s or mediator’s consideration.
She earned her Juris Doctor Degree from the University of Arizona, as well as graduating Magna Cum Laude as an undergraduate in Sociology. Kayt also spent a year studying in Vina Del Mar, Chile. She is a member of the Morris K. Udall Inn of Court and sits on the Board of Child and Family Resources.
When she is not in the office Kayt loves all things in nature and the outdoors, including hiking, backpacking, rock climbing, and cycling.