Best Lawyers in America for Family Law: Arbitration and Mediation

Bruce Wyche Bannister is a partner of Bannister, Wyatt, & Stalvey, LLC and a member of the South Carolina House of Representatives. Mr. Bannister graduated from Davidson College in 1995 and went on to earn his law degree from the University of South Carolina in 1998. Mr. Bannister focuses on Family Law, Eminent Domain, and Real Estate Law. He has tried cases involving Personal Injury, Premises Liability, Eminent Domain, Education Law, Residential Real Estate, Commercial Real Estate, Gover...

Born and raised as the only Chinese-American on the French Caribbean island of Saint Martin where his family still calls home, Alex had brief stints throughout the Caribbean and South America where he attended schools taught only in French, Spanish, and Papiamento. Alex eventually migrated to the United States and earned his undergraduate degree from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, and his Juris Doctorate in Virginia from George Mason University School of Law, a Tier...

Jason Kohlmeyer | Family Law Attorney | Kohlmeyer Hagen Law Office, Chtd. Jason Kohlmeyer is a Family Law attorney based in Mankato, Minnesota, serving clients through Kohlmeyer Hagen Law Office, Chtd. Raised in Northwest Minnesota, Jason learned the importance of responsibility and persistence at an early age while working summers on his uncle’s bean farm. While still in high school, he joined the Army Reserve and later served as an Army Intelligence Analyst after graduation, developin...

Frederic J. Siegel is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law and Family Law Arbitration. Frederic J., who practices law in Stamford, Connecticut, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Frederic J. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Thomas Burns primarily practices family law, appeals, and litigation. With over 10 years of legal experience, he is a leader in the firm’s family law group and was recently named Best Lawyer for his practice. In addition to a strong legal practice, Tom clerked for the Honorable William A. Thorne of the Utah Court of Appeals for five years prior to entering private practice. He is also a member of the Family Law, Litigation, and Appellate sections of the Utah State Bar.

Kristiana Butler is Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, and a partner at Goranson Bain Ausley in Austin. With over 13 years practicing exclusively in family law, Kristiana has been recognized in Best Lawyers in America for Family Law, Collaborative Law, and Family Law Mediation (2024–2025), named to Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch in Family Law (2020–2023), named a Texas Super Lawyers Rising Star (2017–2023), named by Texas Super Lawyers (20...

Mark Arend, a partner at McKinley Irvin, is an experienced family law attorney recognized for strategic advocacy, practical judgment, and a client-focused approach. He handles divorce, child custody and support, mediation, relocation, and complex divorce cases involving business interests, professionals, and military families. Mark serves/d in leadership and service roles within the worldwide legal community. Mark is a Fellow in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML) and President...

Karen Sweeney Shea is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law and Family Law Mediation. Karen Sweeney, who practices law in Boston, Massachusetts, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Karen Sweeney is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Courtney Hamer Smith is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law and Family Law Mediation. Courtney Hamer, who practices law in Charlotte, North Carolina, has been recognized since 2017. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Courtney Hamer is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Kathryn Deckert is passionate about guiding clients through what are often challenging, emotionally fraught cases. Kathryn focuses her practice on issues related to divorce, child custody and support, domestic violence and pre- and post-nuptial agreements. Kathryn is motivated by a desire to help her clients move beyond difficult times and into more positive phases of their lives. She wants them to feel heard and supported throughout their case and she works assiduously and compassionately to...

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...

I did not always know that I wanted to become an attorney. After graduating from the University of Oklahoma with a degree in psychology, I was still searching for a meaningful career path. I decided to take time to explore my interests and moved to New York for a year. While there, I observed a law school class with a friend, an experience that sparked my interest in the law. That moment led me to prepare for the LSAT and ultimately enroll at Touro Law School. Law school proved to be a transf...

Elizabeth practices exclusively in family law, having served hundreds of clients during her tenure with their divorces, parenting, and child support cases. Elizabeth’s family law practice has focused on asset and business valuation, income valuation, complex divorce, parental responsibilities, child relocation, and child support matters, among others. Elizabeth speaks both Spanish and Italian and uses these skills to assist non-native speakers in navigating through domestic matters. Eli...

Nicole Schmidt is a partner and Certified Family Law Specialist at Bremer Whyte Brown & O’Meara. Nicole Schmidt focuses on divorce and family law matters in Newport Beach and San Diego. Ms. Schmidt has experience in a plethora of issues arising in the general area of family law, including prenuptial and post-nuptial agreements, child custody and visitation, spousal support, child support, divorce, and complex asset and debt division. She specializes in cases involving non-traditiona...

Judge Thomas Zampino (Ret.) served as a Family Court Judge for over two decades. During part of his tenure, he also served as Presiding Judge of the Family Court. Since his appointment to the bench in 1989, he has settled or decided thousands of divorce cases. Judge Zampino (Ret.) has taught Judges and attorneys throughout the State and the Country on behalf of the New Jersey Institute for Continuing Legal Education and the National Council of Juvenile and Family Court Judges where he also se...

Kenneth Shluger is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law and Family Law Mediation. Kenneth, who practices law in Hartford, Connecticut, has been recognized since 2027. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Kenneth is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.