Best Lawyers in America for Collaborative Law: Family Law
State
Heather Shulman focuses her practice on out-of-court dispute resolution for individuals and families throughout New York, New York. At Mason Law & Mediation LLC , she represents clients in Collaborative Law: Family Law matters, Family Law Mediation, and negotiated matrimonial and family law disputes. Her practice includes resolving complex divorce and custody matters through mediation, Collaborative Law, and traditional settlement negotiations, as well as preparing and negotiating prenupt...
Andrea Vacca has practiced family law in New York since 1993 and has spent more than two decades focused exclusively on non-adversarial resolution: collaborative divorce , divorce mediation , and prenuptial agreements . She founded Vacca Family Law Group on the conviction that court is rarely necessary and almost always costly, in money, privacy, and family relationships. Andrea is a past president of the New York Association of Collaborative Professionals , a member of the International Acad...
Patrick C. O’Reilly focuses his practice on matrimonial litigation, handling all aspects of divorce and separation and representing clients in matters related to the modification or enforcement of existing matrimonial judgments and orders. For more than 25 years, Mr. O’Reilly has served as a panelist and speaker on matrimonial and family law topic for numerous seminars, workshops, and symposiums sponsored by the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, New York State Office of Cou...
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...
Jaime S. Dursht is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Collaborative Law: Family Law, Family Law and Family Law Mediation. Jaime S. practices law in Stamford, Connecticut Best Lawyers has recognized Jaime S. Dursht since 2024. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Jaime S. Dursht is held by other lawyers.
Sarah M. Armstrong is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Collaborative Law: Family Law and Family Law. Sarah M. practices law in Albuquerque, New Mexico Best Lawyers has recognized Sarah M. Armstrong since 2026. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Sarah M. Armstrong is held by other lawyers.
Keith Maples has represented individuals and families in family law matters for more than 30 years. Based in Austin, Texas, Keith practices with Noelke Maples St. Leger Bryant LLP, where his work centers on complex divorce and family law cases. His experience includes matters involving significant property divisions, business valuations, tracing of separate property, trusts, and custody and parenting issues, including cases involving children with special needs. In addition to litigation, Kei...
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...
Jodi Colton is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Collaborative Law: Family Law, Family Law and Family Law Mediation. Jodi practices law in Fort Lauderdale, Florida Best Lawyers has recognized Jodi Colton since 2024. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Jodi Colton is held by other lawyers.
Alan Rubenstein is a highly-skilled family lawyer, divorce mediator, and collaborative divorce attorney. He has practiced family and divorce law for more than 30 years. He has served as counsel for approximately 1,200 divorces, involving more than 250 divorce mediations, 150 collaborative/cooperative divorces, and numerous hearings and trials. A trained marriage and family counselor with a Master of Science in counseling psychology with a specialization in marriage and family therapy, Alan ap...
David A. Hoffman is a mediator, arbitrator, attorney, and founding member of Boston Law Collaborative, LLC. David is listed in the book “The Best Lawyers in America” in five categories (Mediation, Arbitration, Collaborative Law – Civil, Collaborative Law - Family, and Family Law Mediation). He was named Boston's "Lawyer of the Year" in Collaborative Law in 2014, in Mediation for 2016, in Arbitration in 2018, and again in Mediation for 2020. He has been named a Massachusetts ...
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...
Jeffrey A. Weissman is a Principal/Shareholder of the law firm of Gladstone, Weissman, Hirschberg & Schneider, P.A. He is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Law School (J.D., 1994). Mr. Weissman is Board Certified in Marital and Family Law and is AV Preeminent Rated by Martindale- Hubbell. He is a Fellow in the International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. He is also a Supreme Court Certified Family Law Mediator and is formally trained in Collaborative Law. Mr. Weissman was rece...
Attorney Amy Wechsler has been practicing law since 1985. She practices exclusively in the area of family law. She is certified by the New Jersey Supreme Court as a matrimonial attorney and is an accredited divorce and family mediator and trained arbitrator. She is also a collaboratively trained practitioner. Ms. Wechsler lectures and presents at the New Jersey State Bar Association as well as the New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education.
Peter L. Gladstone is a Principal of the law firm of Gladstone, Weissman, Hirschberg & Schneider, P.A. He is Board Certified in Marital and Family Law (1999) and a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (2003), having practiced exclusively in this field since 1988. Mr. Gladstone is AV-Rated by Martindale-Hubbell and has been repeatedly selected for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America (2005-2025 editions), Florida Trend Legal Elite magazine, Florida Super Lawyers (“To...
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.
