Best Lawyers in America for Family Law Mediation
Select a location from the list below to find the best legal talent for your needs.
State
Paula Bennett represents clients in a wide range of Family Law matters, including divorce and complex property issues, but has a particular commitment to working with parents to resolve issues that impact the welfare of their children. This focus includes parental custody disputes, the termination of parental rights, custody modification, custody relocation and child support matters. Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, Paula is a member of the Texas Acade...
Michael P. Judge is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law and Family Law Mediation. Michael P., who practices law in Boston, Massachusetts, has been recognized since 2022. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Michael P. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Craig E. White is a principal with Sevila, Saunders, Huddleston & White, P.C. in Leesburg, Virginia, where he has practiced law since his admission to the Virginia State Bar in 1988. Mr. White practices in all aspects of family law, including but not limited to divorce, equitable distribution of property, support and custody. He is also certified as a family law mediator by the Supreme Court of Virginia and has been successfully mediating family law cases since 2005. Mr. White is a former...
Drawing on her business background and innate ability to relate to people, Marissa uses her experience to solve diverse and complex family law matters. She helps clients find solutions that preserve their relationships with their children and protect their financial interests. She is adept at understanding the intricate financial and relational issues of divorce and other family law matters. Serving as a neutral mediator, Marissa has had tremendous success in successfully resolving cases for ...
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. Clients and colleagues value Mark for his calm demeanor, responsiveness, and commitment to integrity throughout the legal process. He is known for balancing compassiona...
Abbey Kaplan is a seasoned trial lawyer known for taking on complex cases and crafting creative strategies for tackling the most complicated legal issues in commercial litigation and business tort cases. A Founding Member of Kluger Kaplan, Abbey has extensive experience handling partnership and corporate breakups, real estate development disputes including banking and broker controversies, professional liability disputes, corporate finance issues, contract disputes and intellectual property. ...
Adelaide Riggi Cutalo is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law and Family Law Arbitration. Adelaide, who practices law in Bridgewater, New Jersey, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Adelaide is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
About Banafsheh Banafsheh Lari is an associate attorney with Ciancio Ciancio Brown, P.C. and a member of the Family Law Team. Banafsheh earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and International Affairs with an emphasis on the Middle East from the University of Colorado at Boulder in 2012. She earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Denver Sturm College of Law in 2015. Banafsheh began her legal career as a law clerk in Adams County District Court primarily for the Honorable Jac...
Emma L. Whitley is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Collaborative Law: Family Law, Family Law and Family Law Mediation. Emma L., who practices law in Albuquerque, New Mexico, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Emma L. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Carolyn Witkus is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law and Family Law Mediation. Carolyn, who practices law in Denver, Colorado, has been recognized since 2023. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Carolyn is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Kelly has a longstanding career in the legal profession, spanning over four decades. She is licensed to practice law in five jurisdictions and has advocated for litigants within both state and federal courts. Her experience includes serving as an Administrative Health Law Judge with the Department of Health and working as a Guardian ad Litem (GAL) in Pierce County before becoming Senior Counsel at Envision Family Law. In her role as a GAL, Kelly played a crucial part in many child custody cas...
Sondra Douglas is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law and Family Law Mediation. Sondra, who practices law in Rockville, Maryland, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Sondra is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Mr. Schilawski is a partner in the law firm of Wake Family Law Group in Raleigh, North Carolina. He received his B.A. degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1971, his M.Ed. degree from North Carolina State University in 1976 and his J.D. degree from Campbell University in 1982. He served as Editor-in-Chief of the Campbell Law Review. Mr. Schilawski's principal area of practice is family law. In 1989, he was board certified as a specialist in family law by the North Car...
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.
Thoughtful Counsel for Complex Family Matters Hayley Blair understands that family law is rarely just about legal issues. Clients come to her facing significant financial decisions, concerns about their children, and uncertainty about the future. She helps them navigate those challenges with thoughtful guidance, practical judgment, and a strategy tailored to their long-term goals. Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization, Hayley represents executives, business ...
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.