MENOMONEE FALLS, Wis. and NAPLES, Fla. — September 2, 2026 — Sterling Lawyers, a family-law-only firm serving Wisconsin and Illinois, today announced that it has acquired Family First Legal Group, a family law firm with offices in Naples and Cape Coral, Florida. The transaction is Sterling's first acquisition and expands the company into its third state. Terms were not disclosed. 

Family First Legal Group will retain its name, its Southwest Florida offices, and its team. The firm will also become Sterling's hourly-billing brand, offered alongside Sterling Lawyers' fixed-fee model in Wisconsin and Illinois — giving families in every market a choice in how they pay for representation rather than a single mandatory structure. Sterling Lawyers plans to launch its fixed-fee platform in Florida in the coming quarters.

Following the close, the combined company operates 32 offices across Wisconsin, Illinois, and Florida with more than 120 employees and 41 attorneys.

We're excited to welcome Family First Legal Group to Sterling Lawyers, Alex and Katie Peterson built something special — a firm with a real reputation for taking care of Florida families, and a team of attorneys and staff who genuinely care about the people they serve. That foundation is what made this the right partnership.

Our focus now is helping that team grow on top of what Alex and Katie started. Florida is a big state with a real need for family law support families can count on, and we see room to expand well beyond where FFLG operates today. That means more attorneys, more offices, and more families across the state getting top-notch legal help during the hardest moments of their lives.

That's the opportunity here, and I couldn't be more optimistic about what we'll build together.

 -- Jeff Kerlin, President and CEO of Sterling Lawyers

Founded in 2012 by Alexander Peterson, Family First Legal Group serves Collier and Lee Counties in divorce, child custody, child support, alimony, paternity, modifications, relocation, and stepparent adoption. The firm has been named to the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in America, and Peterson has been recognized on Naples Illustrated's Top Lawyers in Southwest Florida list every year since 2018. Peterson continues as lead attorney for Florida and will also work on special projects and integration across the combined company. Katie Peterson, Director of Operations at Family First Legal Group, continues in her role and will help guide the integration.

It is with tremendous pride and absolute certainty that I state that this merger is best for FFLG and Sterling alike, as FFLG is getting the benefit of all the structure, support, and experience of this amazing organization, and Sterling is getting an established and top-notch organization in an exploding market that is ripe for growth. A true blessing for all. 

  -- Alex Peterson, Founder of Family First Legal Group

Sterling Lawyers was founded in 2014 and is headquartered in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin. In April 2026, the firm was named one of Southeast Wisconsin's Top Workplaces by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel — a recognition determined entirely by anonymous employee survey feedback administered by the research firm Energage.

We are thrilled to open our third state. Our leaders have been talking about entering Florida for years. Once we identified the right firm to partner with, the pieces fell into place for everyone. We look forward to expanding the Family First Legal Group brand alongside our Sterling Lawyers fixed-fee services across the state of Florida.

 -- Jeff Hughes, Co-Founder of Sterling Lawyers

Clients of both firms will see no interruption in service. Existing attorney-client relationships, fee agreements, and case teams remain in place.

About Sterling Lawyers: Sterling Lawyers is a family-law-only firm serving clients in Wisconsin and Illinois. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, the firm handles divorce, child custody, child support, and related family law matters on a fixed-fee basis, giving clients a known cost at the outset of their case. Sterling Lawyers was named one of Southeast Wisconsin's Top Workplaces for 2026 by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Learn more at sterlinglawyers.com.

About Family First Legal Group:  Family First Legal Group is a family law firm with offices in Naples and Cape Coral, serving families throughout Collier and Lee Counties. Founded in 2012 by Alexander Peterson, the firm handles divorce, child custody, child support, alimony, paternity, modifications, relocation, and stepparent adoption, and has been named to the Inc. 5000 list of the fastest-growing private companies in America. Learn more at familyfirstlegalgroup.com.

Media Contact
Kristi McCrery
Sterling Lawyers, LLC
(970) 488-9208
[email protected]