Best Lawyers in America for Family Law
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State
Samuel J. Ferrara is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law. Samuel J., who practices law in New York, New York, has been recognized since 2015. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Samuel J. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Stephanie M. Sauer is an award-winning attorney, a GLG Partner, and Chair of the firm’s Divorce , Family Law , and Adoption Group. She also formerly served as the firm’s Pro Bono Chair. Stephanie is dedicated to serving as an advocate for her clients, supporting them with honest feedback, and helping determine the best path forward. Stephanie’s background is a mix of public service, working for Legal Aid, and private practice. For over a decade, Stephanie has worked exclusiv...
Mrs. Scherer is a senior partner in the firm and heads the family law practice at Silverman Thompson. She concentrates representation in divorce, child custody, parenting agreements, alimony, marital property division, marital settlement agreements, child support, visitation, paternity, step-parent adoption, jurisdictional disputes (including international child custody disputes), and interstate child custody and child support matters. Mrs. Scherer regularly appears in state courts throughout...
Diane Carlton is Special Counsel at Griffiths Law. She has over 40 years of experience dedicated to helping clients and their families move through the difficult process of divorce. She is a skilled trial lawyer as a result of her previous experience as a Colorado deputy public defender, municipal judge and her extensive trial experience in divorce cases. Diane is compassionate and works closely with clients to reach a constructive and productive resolution of their case. Diane focuses on ach...
Lawrence S. Katz earned his Bachelor of Business Administration degree in government, with a minor in psychology, from the University of Miami. He continued his legal education at the University of Miami School of Law, graduating early in January 1968, and later attended the LLM program in International Law. He began his legal career with Hoffman & St. Jean, P.A., where he worked as a law clerk and associate handling matters primarily involving criminal law and family law. During this tim...
Katie D. Cintolo is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law. Katie D., who practices law in Lexington, Massachusetts, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Katie D. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Matthew S. Buttacavoli was born in Jersey City, New Jersey. Matthew graduated magna cum laude from the University of California, Irvine (B.A., 1995) and cum laude from the University of San Diego School of Law (J.D., 1999), where he served as Executive Editor of the San Diego Law Review and received the General George W. Hickman, Jr. Award for excellence in Constitutional Law. Matthew was admitted to the California Bar in 1999, and was admitted to the United States Supreme Court Bar in 2003. ...
Francesca Blackard is a dedicated family law attorney and partner at McClure Law Group, where she has exclusively practiced family law since earning her Juris Doctor from New York Law School in 2012. Francesca’s journey to becoming a well-respected family law attorney began even before law school, where she spent five years working as a paralegal and law clerk at family law firms in Chicago, New York, and Dallas. Her unique career path has honed a skill set deeply rooted in family law, ...
Jana Aune Deach is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law. Jana Aune, who practices law in Minneapolis, Minnesota, has been recognized since 2014. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Jana Aune is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Jennifer Payseno is a partner at McKinley Irvin with more than 30 years of experience practicing family law. She represents clients in a wide range of matters, including divorce, child custody, child support, relocation, and complex, high-asset cases involving closely held businesses and substantial financial assets. Known for her thoughtful and strategic approach, Jennifer combines meticulous preparation with strong courtroom advocacy and practical problem-solving. Her practice is grounded i...
Allison Schreiber Lee is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law. Allison Schreiber, who practices law in Clayton, Missouri, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Allison Schreiber is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Since 2006, I have served as an advisor and legal counsel to individuals and families across a wide geographic region, including communities from Dallas to St. Louis. My practice focuses on Family Law matters, including divorce and child custody disputes that directly affect family relationships, financial stability, and long-term planning. I also represent clients in complex guardianship cases, particularly those involving multi-state or international considerations. Practicing law has been ...
Margaret has over twenty-five years of experience concentrating on high-asset and complex divorce cases. Margaret’s clients include business owners, public figures, elected officials, executives of publicly traded companies, successful inventors, tech entrepreneurs, attorneys, doctors, dentists, retirees, those with generational wealth, and many others. Her cases regularly involve issues relating to the valuation and division of complex assets such as business interests, private equity,...
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.