Best Lawyers in America for Family Law Mediation
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Kara M. Swasey is a director at Bayard. She concentrates her practice in the area of family law, including divorce, custody, child support, adoption, guardianship and protection from abuse. She provides litigation support to Bayard’s bankruptcy, corporate and commercial law practices. Kara also represents landlords in commercial and residential landlord-tenant matters in Justice of the Peace courts throughout the state of Delaware. Kara is a member of the Executive Committee of the Mels...
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...
Whether helping her clients negotiate to draft commercial leases or working collaboratively to resolve complex family law issues, Leslye Fenton brings a uniquely powerful combination of sensitivity and tenacity to her work. As an attorney and trained mediator, Leslye believes in listening carefully to her clients to identify what drives their interests. This key, she says, unlocks the paths toward resolution, successful negotiation and, hopefully, beneficial outcomes. Her practice includes Fa...
The Honorable Lisa F. Chrystal (Ret.) joined Brach Eichler after serving 22 years as a Judge of the New Jersey Superior Court. Judge Chrystal concentrates her practice in the areas of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR), mediation and arbitration, as well as discovery management. A compassionate and attentive listener known for her legal acumen and her responsible and equitable counsel, Judge Chrystal focuses on civil cases and family law matters, prejudgment and post judgement, as well as c...
Marlene A. Pontrelli is a certified specialist in family law. Her practice focuses on all aspects of family law including dissolution and legal separation of marriage, business valuations, division of property, spousal support, post-dissolution modifications, premarital and post-marital agreements, paternity, child custody, parenting time, and child support matters. She is admitted to practice in Arizona and California. She also acts as a private mediator for parties wishing to settle outside...
Curtis P. Bounds is a director at Bayard and is the senior attorney in its Family Law Group. He has practiced law at Bayard since he graduated from the University of Virginia School of Law in 1990. Curtis is experienced in all areas of domestic relations law –adoption, alimony, child support, custody, dependency/neglect, divorce, equitable distribution of property, petitions for protection from abuse, prenuptial agreements, separation agreements, termination of parental rights and visit...
Tia M. Zavaras is the founder and CEO of Evolved Law, a fully remote Colorado law firm providing strategic representation, mediation, divorce coaching, and litigation support in family law, divorce, allocation of parental responsibilities, and animal law matters. With nearly two decades of litigation experience, Tia helps clients navigate complex family law disputes with clarity, preparation, and practical strategy. Her work includes divorce, child custody, post-decree matters, mediation, lit...
Reagan doesn’t miss a thing. She’s sharp, detail-oriented, and formidable. Having grown up in more than a dozen cities across the United States, she has an almost uncanny ability to connect with people and find her footing in new situations–excellent skills for a family law attorney to have. "Because I’ve lived in so many different communities, I understand and appreciate different perspectives,” says Reagan. “Being able to see all sides of any matter allow...
Carolé C. Krogmann is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law and Family Law Mediation. Carolé C., who practices law in McLean, Virginia, has been recognized since 2019. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Carolé C. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
David Sarif is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law, Family Law Arbitration and Family Law Mediation. David, who practices law in Atlanta, Georgia, has been recognized since 2020. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which David is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
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...
Vickie Hardy Jones is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law and Family Law Mediation. Vickie Hardy, who practices law in Memphis, Tennessee, has been recognized since 2022. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Vickie Hardy is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
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...
Mervyn Braude is a divorce lawyer with extensive knowledge of family law and is an advocate for protecting children from abusive and undesirable situations. As a State of Arizona Board Certified Family Law Specialist, Mervyn has the knowledge and experience to help people who are struggling through divorces and custody disputes by keeping his clients apprised of their rights so they can make well informed decisions during this difficult period of their life. Mervyn has expertise in all facets...
Born in Great Neck, NY, Jordon moved west to southern California in 1981. He graduated from Cal State Fullerton in 1994 and from the Whittier School of Law in 2000. Jordon is a Certified Specialist in Family Law, as per the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. During law school, Jordon was a member of the Moot Court Honors Board and also served as its Chief Justice in 2000. He was placed on the Dean's List for achievement in academics as well. Upon his graduation, Jordon rec...
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.