Best Lawyers in America for Family Law Arbitration
State
Topeka-based family law attorney Ardith Smith-Woertz has been handling cases involving divorce, parentage, child support, child custody, residency, and parenting time for more than three decades. She is a Certified Mediator through the Kansas Office of Judicial Administration and regularly acts as a mediator/conciliator for parties involved in domestic disputes. She also serves on the Kansas Judicial Council’s Family Law Advisory Committee—studying family law issues, writing propo...
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. He...
David A. Lamb is a founding Shareholder and CTO of Sherr Puttmann Akins Lamb PC. Prior to opening Sherr Puttmann Akins Lamb PC, David practiced at a major family law firm from 2008 to 2010, and was a prosecutor at the Denver District Attorney’s Office from 2001 to 2008. He also worked, previously, at Wheeler Trigg O’Donnell handling complex corporate and financial matters earlier in his career. David loves the practice of family law. He has focused most of his career on helping fa...
Susannah A. Stinson has successfully handled and favorably resolved hundreds of family law disputes for a wide array of clients. Her decades of experience range from difficult divorces involving high net worth/complex property issues and emotionally-charged child custody matters, to paternity suits, modifications, protective orders, and pre- and post-nuptial agreements, to the many types of enforcement matters inherent in family law matters. In addition to being Board Certified by the Texas B...
Kevin Rubin has built a formidable reputation for representing clients with honesty, integrity, and efficiency. He has dedicated his law career exclusively to family law and is passionate about providing clients with highly personalized service. Kevin graduated from Emory University School of Law in 2008 and is licensed to practice law in Georgia with admissions to the Georgia Supreme Court, Georgia Court of Appeals, and all Georgia State Trial Courts. Kevin received a Master’s of Scien...
Attorney Heather Forshey is the founder of Raleigh Divorce Law Firm in Raleigh, North Carolina, where she has practiced exclusively in North Carolina family law since 2006. She established the firm in 2010 and represents clients in matters involving divorce, child custody, child support, spousal support, equitable distribution, domestic violence, family law appeals, Family Law Arbitration, and Family Law Mediation. Her practice includes custody modifications and complex equitable distribution...
Sheraz Barkat is a Washington, D.C. attorney with Barkat Law Firm whose practice focuses on helping individuals and families address complex legal and personal matters with practical guidance and clear communication. He works with clients facing emotionally challenging situations and strives to develop thoughtful solutions tailored to their goals and long-term interests. Mr. Barkat represents clients in a wide range of matters involving Family Law , Collaborative Law: Family Law, Family Law M...
Carolyn Grimes is a partner in the firm, practicing in all areas of family law including divorce, spousal support, child custody, child support, equitable distribution, retirement issues, and prenuptial agreements, among other areas. She practices in all of the Circuit and Juvenile and Domestic Relations Courts in Northern Virginia and has argued before the Court of Appeals. She has lectured on family law topics ranging from custody to retirement issues, including military, federal, civilian ...
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...
“When I meet with someone for the first time, they are on edge and their life is unraveling. It’s never going to be the same. My role is to calmly help them understand and successfully navigate the process, and to move forward with their lives.” The law can seem cold and impersonal, but in every family law case, hearts are involved. I form trusted relationships with my clients—spouses, parents, and grandparents—to ensure you feel important and respected. I active...
Jennifer G. Gadow (“Jenny”) is a partner at Stillman Smith Gadow where her practice focuses exclusively on complex family law litigation, mediation, and Parenting Coordinator work. Ms. Gadow has been a Certified Specialist in Family Law since 2002. She has been a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML) since 2014. There are only 1500 AAML Fellows across the United States and they are generally recognized by judges and attorneys as preeminent family law practit...
Kimberly A. Madigan is a Certified Family Law Specialist and a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. She is a founding partner of Madigan & Lewis, LLP, a woman-owned and operated law firm serving families of all circumstances in the Silicon Valley. Ms. Madigan has been practicing law for over 20 years. As a Fellow of the Academy, Ms. Madigan is among a distinguished group of family law attorneys in the United States. She litigates some of the most complex family law matte...
Anne E. Grover is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Family Law, Family Law Arbitration and Family Law Mediation. Anne E. practices law in Rockville, Maryland Best Lawyers has recognized Anne E. Grover since 2019. 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 Anne E. Grover is held by other lawyers.
Mr. Weaver is the chair of the Firm’s Family Law Group. He is one of the Firm’s Partners and Managing Directors. Mr. Weaver has over twenty two years of Litigation experience and concentrates his practice entirely to Family Law. He is involved in all aspects of Family Law and specializes in areas of custody disputes and matters of high assets. Mr. Weaver is also actively involved as a family mediator and arbitrator. His experience includes handling complex litigation such as adopt...
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.
