Best Lawyers in America for Family Law: Arbitration and Mediation

This firm is devoted exclusively to the practice of family law. Mr. Cruse and his three support staff handle complex family law cases and child custody disputes. Mr. Cruse is in his 43rd year of the practice of law. His clients are business professionals, business owners, military officers, those with professional practices and the financially independent. Mr. Cruse is a recognized expert in electronic discovery.

Jim has been a lawyer for 39 years representing over 1,900 family law clients. His years of experience in litigating and negotiating family law cases has honed his ability to achieve success in mediation. Jim was a Municipal Court Judge for 22 years. His experience as a judge has provided him with the demeanor and temperament to arbitrate family law cases. Jim has mediated and arbitrated a myriad of issues including decision-making and parenting time, child support, complex property division,...

Charles C. Abut is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Arbitration, Family Law, Family Law Mediation and Mediation. Charles C., who practices law in Hackensack, New Jersey, has been recognized since 2001. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Charles C. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

With a unique background in construction management and finance, Mr. Chioini’s primary practice focuses on representing construction companies, businesses, and families in a wide array of matters ranging from contract review to arbitration and litigation to complex divorce matters. During the serious downturn of the economy in Michigan in 2008, Mr. Chioini was successful in assisting his clients in shoring up and defending their accounts receivables through the implementation of liens a...

Lisa R. Zonder is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Collaborative Law: Family Law, Family Law and Family Law Mediation. Lisa R., who practices law in Calabasas, California, has been recognized since 2019. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Lisa R. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

As a certified Family Law Specialist and the founding partner of Shebby Hirashima LLP, David Shebby brings more than three decades of trial experience to his Los Angeles Family Law practice. In addition to being a Certified Family Law Specialist, David is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, a member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association’s Family Law Executive Committee, and an adjunct professor at Loyola Law School, where he teaches marital property. David recei...

Mia Cahill is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Collaborative Law: Family Law, Family Law and Family Law Mediation. Mia, who practices law in Princeton, New Jersey, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Mia is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

We specialize in the negotiation and trial of complex and less complex contested divorces, uncontested divorces, prenuptial agreements, and all related family matters. Attorney Jaworski, a former president of the Massachusetts Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, has concentrated his practice in the area of Family Law for over forty years. We limit our practice to Essex and Middlesex Counties; because of this we are very familiar with the practice and procedure of each of t...

Christopher W. Schinstock is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law, Family Law Arbitration and Family Law Mediation. Christopher W., who practices law in Alexandria, Virginia, has been recognized since 2010. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Christopher W. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Dolly Hernandez, Partner at Rafool, PLLC, focuses her practice on complex marital and family law cases. Ms. Hernandez represents high-net-worth individuals in matters that include dissolution of marriage, equitable distribution, alimony, child support, parenting and time-share issues, child abduction actions, defense of third parties joined in dissolution of marriage proceedings, paternity, prenuptial agreements, and postnuptial agreements. Prior to joining the firm in March 2020, Ms. Hernand...

Carla M. Calabrese is the founding and managing partner of Calabrese BudnerLLP , a Dallas-based boutique family law firm focused on complex divorce and custody matters. With more than 35 years of experience, she practices in FamilyLaw , Collaborative Law: Family Law, Family Law Mediation, and Family Law Arbitration. Carla is a pioneer of Emotionally Intelligent Divorce®, guiding clients through high-stakes family matters with clarity, strategy, and a focus on long-term outcomes. A Master ...

Lon M. Loveless is a Partner in the family law firm of Orsinger Nelson Downing & Anderson, LLP, and is Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization. Mr. Loveless is AV rated by Martindale-Hubbell and was selected as one of the Best Lawyers in America in the practice area of Family Law for 2015-2021. Mr. Loveless is a Fellow in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. He has been honored by Texas Super Lawyers for the past 12 years, (2009-2020) in the area o...

Jenny Berse is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law and Family Law Mediation. Jenny, who practices law in Westfield, New Jersey, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Jenny is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Jennifer B. Sackett is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law and Family Law Mediation. Jennifer B., who practices law in Portland, Oregon, has been recognized since 2019. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Jennifer B. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

About Cynthia Cynthia L. Ciancio is a founding shareholder of Ciancio Ciancio Brown, P.C. She also heads up the firm’s Family Law Group. Ms. Ciancio’s practice specializes in high asset divorces and complex child custody disputes. She is also a certified mediator conducting both mediations and arbitrations for parties with or without lawyers. With over 20 years of experience exclusively in family law, and another four years prior as a Deputy District Attorney in Adams County, Ms. ...

Emily Baker, a family law attorney and partner at Tucker Family Law, is based in Northern Virginia and mainly serves clients in Fairfax County, Arlington County, the City of Alexandria, Loudoun County, and Washington, D.C. With a focus on separation and divorce , including complex and high-net-worth family law matters , Emily believes in the importance of listening carefully to her clients as they develop their goals. “I value being able to really be there for someone during what’...