Best Lawyers in America for Collaborative Law: Family Law
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State
In his over 30 years of practice, Alan Freed has established himself as one of Missouri's pre-eminent practitioners of mediation and collaborative divorce , and as a leading appellate attorney. Mr. Freed was elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers in 2009 and is listed in Missouri/Kansas Super Lawyers. Best Lawyers named him Attorney of the Year for Collaborative Law: Family Law in St. Louis in 2013 and for Family Law Mediation for 2015. A mediator since 1985, Mr. Free...
Since 1993, Teresa Cole has been a practicing family law attorney handling complex divorce cases, custody determinations, and all other domestic law matters. Based on her experience and proven track record, she has been appointed as a Neutral Case Evaluator for Fairfax County, Virginia. In this role, she provides case evaluations and non-binding arbitration services for other divorce attorneys. In addition, Ms. Cole was appointed to the Divorce and Family Law Attorney Resource Panel as an adv...
Margaret has over twenty-five years of experience concentrating on high-asset and complex divorce cases. Margaret’s clients include business owners, public figures, elected officials, executives of publicly traded companies, successful inventors, tech entrepreneurs, attorneys, doctors, dentists, retirees, those with generational wealth, and many others. Her cases regularly involve issues relating to the valuation and division of complex assets such as business interests, private equity,...
Sarah T. Schaffer, CFLS is a family law attorney and mediator, holding the prestigious Certified Family Law Specialist designation from the State Bar of California. Schaffer Family Law Group, APC is a full-service Mediation, Divorce, and Family Law firm dedicated to delivering practical & effective results to high net-worth clients. Ms. Schaffer builds her practice on a thorough knowledge of the law, excellent research skills, superior presentation to the court, and most of all calm, comp...
Many years selected by her peers for inclusion in Best Lawyers In Connecticut, Connecticut Superlawyers, Best Law Firm, Best Lawyers in the New York area, Best Lawyers in New England. Awarded Connecticut Magazine "Top 25 Women Attorneys" as recognized for excellence by peers in the legal community for professional achievement and high ethical standards.. Attorney Mariani is board certified as a Family Law Trial Advocate by the National Board of Trial Advocacy, an American Bar Association accr...
Abby Ewing has built a family law practice representing people from all walks of life, from single mothers to CEOs and entrepreneurs during some of the most difficult times in their lives. She’s shown a unique ability to understand and relate to those she represents at the most fundamental level, both inside and outside of the courtroom. Ms. Ewing has experience in complex property division cases, as well as pre- and postmarital agreements and child support and custody matters, includin...
Erica R. Kemmerley is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Collaborative Law: Family Law, Family Law, Family Law Arbitration and Family Law Mediation. Erica R., who practices law in Denver, Colorado, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Erica R. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Kathryn J. Murphy is a Board Certified family law partner at Goranson Bain Ausley in Plano and one of the most highly credentialed family law attorneys in Texas. She has been named the Best Lawyers in America© Family Law “Lawyer of the Year” in Dallas three times — in 2015, 2017, and 2019 — a distinction awarded to only one lawyer per practice area in each community. Kathryn has also been recognized continuously in The Best Lawyers in America© in the field of...
Sylvia Goldschmidt is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law and Collaborative Law: Family Law. Sylvia, who practices law in White Plains, New York, has been recognized since 1999. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Sylvia is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Jill Spielberg is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Collaborative Law: Family Law and Family Law. Jill, who practices law in White Plains, New York, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Jill is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Denise L. Schneider , Principal/Shareholder, is Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Marital and Family Law and a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. Ms. Schneider earned her J.D. (magna cum laude) as well as her Bachelor of Science from Nova Southeastern University. Prior to joining the firm in 2007, Ms. Schneider worked in several Fort Lauderdale area boutique marital and family law practices. Following her admittance to The Florida Bar in 2002, Ms. Schneider has strictl...
Jacqueline A. Whisnant, born in Burbank, California in 1960, has been an Orange County resident since 1985. She and her husband, Bruce Whisnant, have two children. Ms. Whisnant graduated from California State University, Northridge (B.A., 1984) and Loyola Law School of Los Angeles (J.D., 1987). While in law school, she was a member of the Philip C. Jessup International Moot Court Honors Program and held the position of judicial extern for the Honorable Allan E. Broussard of the California Sta...
Paul Smollar has been practicing family law for more than forty years, and has become a leader in Collaborative Practice in the Washington Metropolitan Area. Recognized as the only trained mediator in the District of Columbia by the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Mr. Smollar nevertheless is an accomplished litigator when matters do not settle. Mr. Smollar practices in both the District of Columbia and Virginia and is an active member of the Fairfax County Bar, the Virginia Trial Law...
Diane Carlton is Special Counsel at Griffiths Law. She has over 40 years of experience dedicated to helping clients and their families move through the difficult process of divorce. She is a skilled trial lawyer as a result of her previous experience as a Colorado deputy public defender, municipal judge and her extensive trial experience in divorce cases. Diane is compassionate and works closely with clients to reach a constructive and productive resolution of their case. Diane focuses on ach...
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.