Best Lawyers in North Carolina, United States for Family Law
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Jeffrey R. Russell is a Board Certified Specialist in Family Law and a partner in the Family Law section at Tharrington Smith, LLP. His practice is concentrated in family law and appeals. Jeff earned his undergraduate degree in political science from Furman University and subsequently graduated magna cum laude from the Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law at Campbell University. Before joining the firm in 2013, he clerked for the Honorable John C. Martin, Chief Judge of the North Carolina Cour...
Lynn Wilson McNally is a partner and Board Certified Family Law Specialist by the North Carolina State Bar Board of Legal Specialization and certified Family Financial Settlement Mediator by the North Carolina Dispute Resolution Commission. She represents individuals in matters regarding separation, divorce, child custody, child support, alimony, equitable distribution, domestic violence, termination of parental rights, legitimation and other matters pertaining to family law. Since beginning ...
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...
Jaye Meyer is listed in the Best Lawyers in America® and North Carolina Super Lawyers®. She has been recognized by Business North Carolina magazine as one of the "Legal Elite" in North Carolina. Ms. Meyer is a Board Certified Specialist in Family Law, a Fellow in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, and is certified as a Family Financial Mediator. Ms. Meyer was admitted to the North Carolina Bar in 1990. She received her B.A. cum laude from Wake Forest University and her J.D. ...
Mary Aiken Barrow is a Board Certified Specialist in Family Law. Ms. Barrow earned her undergraduate degree in psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2006 and subsequently received her law degree from the Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law at Campbell University in 2012. During her time at Campbell Law School, Ms. Barrow served as a member and as submissions co-editor of the Law Review. Additionally, she was a family law research assistant for Professor Jean Cary ...
Al is a North Carolina State Bar Board Certified Specialist in Family Law with decades of experience advocating for his clients' best interests. He handles a wide range of family law cases, through all phases, including divorce, child custody and visitation, grandparents' rights, spousal and child support, pre-marital and post-marital agreements, property and debt distribution, termination of parental rights, and mediation. In addition to his trial practice, Al has represented clients before ...
Alice C. Stubbs is a partner in the firm. She joined Tharrington Smith in 2006 after completing eight years as a Wake County District Court judge. First appointed in 1997 by Governor Jim Hunt, she was elected to the judgeship in 1998 and 2002. During her time on the bench, Ms. Stubbs presided in domestic court; was certified as a juvenile judge in 2001; and was designated as a family court judge from 2002 through 2005. Ms. Stubbs is a native of New Bern. She graduated from Phillips Academy in...
Jennifer’s practice centers on the legal and personal complexities involved in family law matters. Her work includes a particular emphasis on complex equitable distribution and contested custody cases. She approaches family law as an area requiring both strong advocacy and careful judgment, recognizing that divorce, custody disputes, and related matters often involve emotionally difficult circumstances for clients and their children. In custody matters especially, she is committed to ca...
Attorney Daniel “Dan” O’Malley joined Raleigh Divorce Law Firm in September 2025. Dan has been practicing family law since 2010 and is a Board-Certified Family Law Specialist. He has also been recognized as Best Lawyers in America for Family Law. Dan joins Raleigh Divorce Law Firm with over a decade of Wake County family law experience. At Raleigh Divorce Law Firm, Dan continues to exclusively practice in all aspects of North Carolina family law including divorce, child cust...
Lauren leads the Family Law practice and is a North Carolina State Bar Board Certified Specialist in Family Law. Her experience encompasses various areas of civil litigation with a primary focus on complex familial issues. Her practice includes premarital and post-marital agreements, complex equitable distribution, custody and child support litigation, and adoption. Lauren routinely represents and counsels clients on financial family-related issues involving business valuations, pension valua...
Recognized in the 2021 Edition of The Best Lawyers in America for his work in Family Law. James W. Lea, III - The Lea/ Schultz Law Firm , P.C. 1612 Military Cutoff Road Suite 300 Wilmington, NC 28403 Tel: 910-239-5990 Fax: 910-239-5992 jwl@thelealawfirm.com www.thelealawfirm.com James W. Lea, III, practices exclusively in the area of Family Law and has done so for the last 40 years of practice. Mr. Lea has served on the North Carolina State Bar’s Family Council, a selected group of fami...
Justin L. Mauney, a partner at Wake Family Law Group, was admitted to the practice of law in North Carolina in 2007 and focuses his practice on all aspects of North Carolina family law litigation and negotiation. Justin received his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the Kenan-Flagler Business School at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2004. In 2007, he received his Juris Doctor, cum laude , from the Norman Adrian Wiggins School of Law at Campbell University...
Andrea Bosquez-Porter is the founding member of Bosquez Porter Family Law, a boutique family law firm that provides exceptional and hands-on service to clients. She is a Board Certified Family Law Specialist, a Certified Family Financial Mediator, and a Parenting Coordinator. Ms. Bosquez-Porter is originally from San Antonio, Texas. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York and a Master of Business Administration degree from Brandeis University in Walth...
Michael S. Harrell is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Commercial Litigation and Family Law. Michael S., who practices law in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, has been recognized since 2019. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Michael S. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
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.