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Ms. Bowman was born and raised in Farmington Hills, Michigan attending Farmington public schools. She next attended New York University and obtained a bachelor’s degree. Upon returning to Farmington, she took classes at Oakland University, earning a post-bachelor Certificate in Paralegal Studies. After spending several years working in various practice areas, Ms. Bowman ultimately landed with the regional insurance defense firm Kopka Pinkus Dolin in 2005. Over her 18-year career with KPD, she transitioned from trial paralegal to Litigation Manager, and was ultimately the legal operations manager in which she oversaw three Michigan offices and managed 70 direct reports. Ms. Bowman began the next phase of her career in January 2023 where she now serves as the program director of Paralegal Studies at Oakland Community College. She served on the Farmington Planning Commission from 2008-2015 before being elected to the Farmington City Council in 2015. She served as mayor on the Council from 2019-2023. Ms. Bowman lives in Farmington with her husband of 23 years. They share a love of motorcycles, golf and travel. Their son is an explosive ordnance disposal technician in the United States Navy.

Ms. Savaya was born and raised in the suburbs of Detroit. She has always had a passion for helping others. She attended Oakland Community College where she received her degree in Paralegal Studies in 2011. Shortly after, she began working in the legal field. Ms. Savaya has over 10 years of experience and knowledge working in civil litigation, criminal and traffic law, corporate transactional work, and Michigan no-fault litigation. She is hard-working, dedicated, and has a keen sense for organization. Ms. Savaya is committed to providing excellence both in and out of the workplace and loves what she does. She joined the Seva Law Firm in July 2016 with a primary focus on no-fault and bodily injury litigation. Ms. Savaya is the litigation manager at the Seva Law Firm, and in that role, she not only handles a full docket of cases, but also trains and teaches other paralegals how to handle their own dockets. On a given day, she will manage the firm’s calendar and docket, resolve most motions for the entire firm, and communicate with clients and defense attorneys. In addition, she manages all appeals, reviews court transcripts, and prepares all appellate court filings. Ms. Savaya also handles all paralegal assistance for trials. She is also a leader in the MAJ paralegal association and is active in many other paralegal associations. Ms. Savaya has hosted lectures at paralegal seminars. She is on the advisory board for the Macomb Community College Paralegal Program, and she is the vice chair for the Oakland County Bar Association paralegal committee.

Ms. Wernette teaches Ethics and Law Practice Management. Ms. Wernette is a dedicated public servant and educator with 30+ years of experience, including leadership roles in various settings. This includes positions as a middle school English and history teacher, manager for a multi-location healthcare company and paralegal at private law firms and Oakland Schools ISD supporting the legal needs of 28 school districts. Ms. Wernette has a bachelor’s degree in English from Oakland University and an ABA paralegal certificate from Oakland Community College.

Mr. Floyd is a trial lawyer with the firm and is licensed in Tennessee and Kentucky. He is a partner in the Nashville office and focuses his practice on the defense of individuals and companies across Tennessee, Kentucky, and surrounding states. Mr. Floyd has tried numerous jury and bench trials to verdict in state and federal courts, including many as lead counsel. He focuses his practice on the defense of health care providers and hospitals as well as products liability defense, commercial, and domestic litigation. Mr. Floyd’s experience defending health care liability cases involves all aspects from pre-suit investigation to verdict and appeal, and his clients include physicians and providers of all specialties. He has significant experience with cases involving claims of catastrophic injury involving brain damage, permanent disability and disfigurement, surgical negligence, and issues related to consent and battery. Mr. Floyd takes pride in working closely with experts to evaluate these cases early on and formulating a defense based on the evidence and science. He is often called upon to speak to providers and discuss risk management and legal developments in the health care liability field. Common to every successful defense is his experience in evaluating a client’s position and strategizing with the client to achieve a favorable and realistic outcome. Although many cases do not advance to verdict, Mr. Floyd draws from his trial experience when necessary to present a case in a concise and persuasive manner. In addition to health care defense, Mr. Floyd has successfully tried cases to verdict involving contractual disputes and defended companies in cases where their product is alleged to have injured someone. He also works closely with individuals who are experiencing high-conflict domestic issues involving marital estates, businesses, and interstate visitation.

Mr. Graham focuses his law practice exclusively on family law matters, including divorce, custody, alimony, child support, parental relocation and Juvenile Court matters. He was admitted to the Tennessee Bar in 2018 and has practiced exclusively at Taylor, Bean & Hamer since. Mr. Graham brings a fresh perspective to the firm’s family law practice, with his experience in digital and social media so vital in today’s divorce cases. Mr. Graham is dedicated to working one-on-one with the firm’s clients to address the details that arise throughout their litigation. Mr. Graham graduated from the University of Memphis School of Law in 2018, cum laude, and received the prestigious CALI Award and Dean’s Award of Excellence. He attended East Tennessee State University and graduated with a B.A. degree in Political Science and minor in Legal Studies. He is an active member of the Memphis Bar Association Family Law Section and the Tennessee Bar Association.

M. Hamer focuses her divorce practice on high-asset, highconflict cases. Ms. Hamer believes that divorce should be handled with professionalism and discretion, and she works to diffuse destructive, expensive tactics from overly aggressive opposing counsel, always aiming to maintain the clients’ privacy while preserving assets for settlement. She draws from her extensive litigation experience, as well as her work as a trained mediator, to obtain results her clients can not only live with, that allow them to live well. A nationally recognized speaker for family lawyers, Ms. Hamer was recently invited to present to the ABA Family Law Section Spring Conference. She currently practices law in Memphis and Nashville. She is a Rule 31 trained civil and family law mediator, and she has also completed domestic violence mediation training. A leader in the legal community, Ms. Hamer is past chair of the Family Law Committee of the Memphis Bar Association, and she is an active member of the American Bar Association, the Nashville Bar Association, and the Association of Women Attorneys. She has successfully completed the prestigious ABA Family Law Trial Advocacy course at the National Institute of Trial Advocacy, and she was a member of the inaugural class of Tennessee Leadership. Before becoming a family law attorney, she practiced with Bass, Berry & Sims, PLC, in Nashville and Wolff Ardis, P.C., in Memphis, handling complex commercial litigation. Ms. Hamer graduated from New York University School of Law in 1996 and with high honors from the University of Tennessee in 1989, where she was a member of Phi Beta Kappa.

Mr. Lankford is an attorney in the Nashville Office. Mr. Lankford practices primarily in the field of domestic relations, assisting clients with divorce and post-divorce matters, including issues of child custody, child support, alimony, and financial and property disputes.

Mr. Mims, at 33 years old, brings over seven years of dedicated experience to the legal field, with a passion for family law that spans more than three years. His unique blend of legal expertise and a background in technology and mathematics enriches his approach to complex cases, allowing him to find innovative solutions and provide exceptional support to clients. Outside the courtroom, Mr. Mims enjoys immersing himself in the world of video games, indulging in the latest shows and movies, and pursuing self-development. His diverse interests reflect his commitment to continuous growth and his ability to adapt to various challenges in both his personal and professional life. Mr. Mims is a paralegal who thrives on the intersection of law, technology, and a genuine desire to help families navigate the complexities of the legal system.

Ms. Shepard graduated in 2013 from Brighton High School. She worked administrative jobs for several years after before landing at Miles Mason Family Law Group, PLLC in 2017 as a legal assistant. Ms. Shepard instantly fell in love with family law and knew it was what she was meant to do. Ms. Shepard also knew she wanted to be more involved and to learn as much as she could. From there she went to Rogers, Berry, Chesney & Cannon, PLLC, as a legal assistant. Ms. Shepard eventually worked her way up to paralegal with Rogers, Brackin & Davis, PLLC, and has been with the firm since its start in 2021.

Ms. Davis received her Bachelor of Arts, cum laude, from the University of South Florida and her Juris Doctor with Honors from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Law. Ms. Davis is admitted to practice law in both Florida and Virginia, having been admitted to the Virginia Bar in 1996, and the Florida Bar in 2007. Ms. Davis began her career in 1996 in private practice in Charlottesville, Virginia, where she concentrated primarily in the fields of matrimonial and family law and personal injury. She formed The Women’s Law Group in 2009 with her law partner, Deborah Thomson. She is active in the legal community, and is a member of the Family Law Section of the Florida Bar, The Family Law Section of the Hillsborough County Bar Association, and is an elected member of the Executive Council of the Family Law Section of the Hillsborough County Bar Association. Ms. Davis is the co-chair of the HCBA pro bono committee. She also teaches legal studies class as an adjunct professor at The University of Tampa. Ms. Davis is a member of the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals, an organization dedicated to the promotion of collaborative divorces. She firmly believes that Collaborative Divorces promote family harmony both during and long after the divorce is final. Ms. Davis is a member of the Collaborative Divorce Institute of Tampa Bay. Ms. Davis also volunteers her time at the Bay Area Legal Services Family Forms Clinic. She is dedicated to helping her clients navigate through some of the most difficult times of their lives, and to helping them achieve the best possible outcome for themselves and their children.

Ms. Dienstag has focused her practice on marital and family law since 1989, and has expanded her specialization to include domestic partnership matters. She is a Florida Supreme Court-certified family mediator, and Martindale-Hubbell AV preeminent rated attorney. Ms. Dienstag has been chosen by Florida Trend Magazine as one of the Florida Legal Elite since 2006, and she has been named a Florida Super Lawyer since 2007. She was named Nation’s Top One Percent 2015 by the National Association of Distinguished Counsel. Ms. Dienstag is a frequent lecturer on complex areas of family law. She received her J.D. degree from University of Miami School of Law.

Mr. Nickolaou practices almost exclusively in divorce, marital and family law. Mr. Nickolaou also handles record expungements and sealings. He and his partner, Ophelia Bernal-Mora Nickolaou, joined forces in March 2016 to form the unique and boutique husband and wife family law team at Bernal-Mora & Nickolaou, P.A. Together, they take a practical and team- based approach to all of their cases and clients to deliver the highest quality experience and representation. Mr. Nickolaou was born in Chicago, Illinois, and relocated to Florida as a teenager, where he has lived since. He graduated from the University of Florida, with honors, acquiring a bachelor of arts degree. He then proceeded to law school, where he earned his doctorate of jurisprudence degree from Barry University – Dwayne O. Andreas School of Law in Orlando with high honors in the top five percent of his class.

Ms. Roselló works exclusively in the area of marital and family law. She is admitted to practice law in both Florida and Pennsylvania and has received training and certification in both mediation and collaborative practice. Ms. Roselló received her B.A. in International Relations from Florida International University in 2006, and her J.D. from The Pennsylvania State University, Dickinson School of Law in 2010. Upon graduating law school. She was the Clinical Fellow at the Penn State Law, Family Law Clinic. After completing her fellowship, she accepted a position as a family law associate with the firm Engle & Engle, P.C. Ms. Roselló then served as the judicial law clerk to the Honorable Thomas K. Kistler of the Centre County Court of Common Pleas for nearly two years. In 2014, she moved to Tampa with her family where she began practicing marital and family law in Hillsborough County. In addition to practicing law, she has taught legal writing as an adjunct professor at the University of South Florida and has been a guest lecturer at the University of Tampa in the area of family law. Ms. Roselló is a past-president and board member for the North Tampa Bar Association, a board member of Enterprising Latinas, a non-profit organization dedicated to economic empowerment of low-income Hispanic women in Tampa Bay, a member of the Executive Council of the Hillsborough County Bar Association’s Marital & Family Law Section, and a member of the Executive Council of the Stann W. Givens Family Law Inn of Court.

Mr. Shemkus exclusively practices family law. As a Florida Supreme Court Board Certified Specialist in Marital & Family Law, he is committed to helping clients navigate family law proceedings with confidence and dignity, applying his knowledge in this field to seek the best possible result based on each client’s individual goals, needs, and concerns. Mr. Shemkus received his B.A. degree from Lewis & Clark College and his Juris Doctor degree from the University of Illinois College of Law. He joined Long, Murphy & Shemkus, P.A. in 2016 after working as an associate at a firm in Illinois. Mr. Shemkus’s practice includes all areas of family law and divorce, such as custody, support, domestic violence, and complex property allocation.

Mr. Forester, CPA, Attorney, practices in Beverly Hills, California in the areas Tax and Trust law, Personal Injury, Criminal Law. He also testified as an expert witness in various state and federal courts in California.  Mr. Forester is a Certified Public Accountant, Attorney, and Economist. As a CPA , he provides accounting, financial, and business valuation services. He received his M.A. in Economics and Finance, his Ph.D. Candidacy degree in Economics from UCLA, and his Juris Doctor from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles.  Mr. Forester is an adjunct professor at California State University (CSU) and has teaching credentials in Accounting and Economics. He has taught tax, accounting, business law, statistics, and computer courses to graduate and undergraduate students. Mr. Forester is a Judicial Arbitrator of the Superior Court of the State of California for Los Angeles County as well as a mandatory fee arbitration for the State Bar of California. 

Mr. Givens is an associate at Best Best & Krieger LLP who focuses on telecommunications, land use and real estate. He regularly assists clients in California and across the country with a wide range of regulatory and transactional matters involving broadband and fiber networks, cable and telecom franchising, leases and licenses, wireless communications, and public-private partnerships. Mr. Givens primarily represents public agencies, cooperatives, nonprofits, and small competitive providers on a wide range of issues related to telecommunications infrastructure. While earning his law degree at Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, Mr. Givens served as chief research editor for the Entertainment Law Review.

Ms. Karish is a partner at Best Best & Krieger LLP in Los Angeles who focuses on telecommunications, assisting clients in California and across the U.S. with a wide range of regulatory and transactional matters involving broadband and fiber networks, cable and telecom franchising, wireless communications and public-private partnerships. Ms. Karish’s clients are mainly public agencies, such as local governments, water districts and municipal utilities. Public agencies can serve a variety of roles in relation to telecommunications infrastructure – regulator, owner, service provider, customer, partner – and Ms. Karish’s clients come to her for advice and guidance on issues that arise in all these contexts. She also represents some cooperatives, nonprofits and small competitive providers. Ms. Karish’s telecommunications practice regularly involves regulatory advice and advocacy, negotiations and drafting agreements and litigation. Ms. Karish is licensed to practice law in California and the District of Columbia and is admitted to practice in the US District Courts of Northern California, Central California and Southern California; the US Court of Appeals in the Sixth Circuit, Ninth Circuit, Tenth Circuit and DC Circuit; and the Supreme Court of the United States.

Ms. Madikians is an associate at Nossman LLP in Los Angeles where she represents public and private sector clients through all stages of civil litigation primarily focusing on eminent domain and land use matters. She has advised numerous public agencies on complex property acquisitions for large public works projects shaping California’s infrastructure, including rail projects, roads, highways, stadiums, public utilities, and flood basins. Ms. Madikians’ experience includes working with expert witnesses; drafting pleadings, dispositive motions and written discovery; negotiating and litigating discovery disputes; managing large-scale electronic document reviews and productions; second chairing a trial; and preparing cases for trial. While in law school, Ms. Madikians served as a judicial extern to the Honorable Otis D. Wright II of the U.S. District Court, Central District of California.

Ms. Bakes is the founder and managing attorney of Bakes Law, LLC. Her practice involves all aspects of family law, including but not limited to complex divorce and custody issues, modification, adoption and reproductive law. Her firm also specializes in estate planning, specifically, the creation of wills and trusts. Ms. Bakes experience in alternative dispute resolution also enables her to serve as a mediator. Before, during, and after law school, Ms. Bakes has been committed to using the law as an instrument of social change and helping give a voice to individuals outmatched by the judicial system. Ms. Bakes began her legal career in 2007 as a family law intern at Greater Boston Legal Services, a non-profit firm that provides free legal assistance to low-income families. She furthered her knowledge and practice with complex child custody, divorce, and modification cases during her role as a family law intern at Schmidt and Federico, PC. Here, Ms. Bakes honed a number of important advocacy skills and received extensive experience in communicating with clients who are experiencing profound and at times deeply personal challenges, as well as experience in effective written advocacy, negotiation, and creative problem solving. Additionally, throughout her undergraduate and graduate years, Ms. Bakes was an intern at both employment and real estate law firms, where she experienced first-hand alternative dispute resolutions, such as mediation and arbitration. She was admitted to both the Connecticut and Massachusetts state bars after receving her Juris Doctorate degree from New England Law | Boston. She is a member of the American Bar Association, the Connecticut Bar Association, and the Boston Bar Association.

Mr. Broder is a co-founding member and partner with Broder, Orland, Murray & DeMattie, LLC. He is a member of the Fairfield County Bar Association (past president); American Inns of Court (member); and Connecticut Bar Association (House of Delegates, District 2, 2015-2018). Mr. Broder has been recognized by Top Lawyers in Fairfield County (Family Law, by Moffly Media, 2021) and selected for recognition in The Best Lawyers in America®, since 2018. He received the Martindale-Hubbell AV Preeminent rating™, Connecticut Super Lawyers ® as listed in New England Super Lawyers ®, since 2013; NAFLA Top 10 Family Law Attorneys in Connecticut, since 2014; Top Lawyer; Arbitration and Mediation, Family Law and Matrimonial Law in Westport, Greenwich, Stamford, New Canaan/Darien and Fairfield magazines; and Avvo Rating 10 out of 10. He received his J.D. degree from Temple University School of Law, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and his B.A. degree from Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana.

Ms. Graziani holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from Salve Regina University. She attended Brandeis University as a Gordon Fellow, earning a Master’s degree in American Politics. Ms. Graziani earned her Juris Doctorate at Villanova University School of Law. She is a co-chair of the Paralegals Section of the Connecticut Bar Association and a past member of its House of Delegates. Ms. Graziani is the chair of the Paralegals Committee of the Hartford County Bar Association. She is admitted to practice before the courts of the State of Connecticut, the United States District Court, and the United States Supreme Court. Ms. Graziani has been a member of the Greater Hartford legal community for over 20 years, beginning her career as a litigation paralegal in a major New England law firm, specializing in large case management. As an attorney, her practice has focused on the representation of regulated industrial, financial, and commercial establishments, and select citizen plaintiffs in state and federal court, focusing on environmental law. Ms. Graziani has taught and advised paralegals and paralegal students for over two decades. She presents nationally and regionally on topics relevant to paralegals, lawyers, and the education of paralegals. Ms. Graziani’s teaching background includes undergraduate courses in law, politics, and a doctoral course in higher education law.

Ms. Provencher is an associate in the Pullman & Comley’s Family Law Practice, where she focuses on all types of family law matters, particularly contested divorce and custody cases and family law appeals. Ms. Provencher is experienced in assisting in family law and litigation negotiations, including property division, child support, spousal support, and tax analysis. She has experience in preparing pleadings and separation agreements, compiling and reviewing discovery, and preparing for trial. Ms. Provencher is a member of the Connecticut Bar Association (Family Law co-chair of the Young Lawyers Section) and the Hartford County Bar Association. She is a recipient of the The Best Lawyers in America “Ones to Watch” award for 2024.

Ms. Bowen loves collaborating with clients to address complex issues at the most difficult times of life. Her experience ranges from guiding families through difficult personal matters, to defending those facing criminal charges and related civil liability, to leading organizational clients through high-stakes disputes. Ms. Bowen has consulted with individuals attempting to rebuild after divorce and other family challenges. She has represented white-collar criminal defendants accused of various charges, such as tax offenses, trade secret violations, and bribery. She has assisted professional clients whose reputations and licenses were at risk in the wake of government investigations and liability suits. She has worked in teams handling complex commercial litigation for corporate clients. She has also litigated on behalf of governmental entities facing constitutional challenges, employment issues, property tax appeals, and land use disputes. Ms. Bowen spent the early years of her career at the firm before serving as a judicial law clerk for Judge Tena Campbell in the United States District Court for the District of Utah and for Judge Carolyn McHugh on the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. After her clerkships, Ms. Bowen returned to her alma mater this time as a full-time professor teaching courses in criminal law and criminal procedure. Later she returned to practice, first as a civil litigator at the Salt Lake County District Attorney’s Office and now back at the firm. In addition to her work for clients, Ms. Bowen gives extensive time to promoting diversity, equity and inclusion, both in the law and in the larger community. She regularly presents on these topics, mentors students of all ages, and assists with programs that provide resources to those with diverse identities as they navigate individual paths to professional careers.

Ms. Hansen was born and raised in Washington State. On the path to become a high school English teacher, she changed course and unexpectedly found herself graduating with a bachelor’s degree in English and associate degree in Paralegal Studies. She has since worked for more than 17 years handling Social Security Disability claims. She has been a member of the National Association for Legal Assistants (NALA) through which she became a Certified Paralegal and then earned an Advance Certified Paralegal certificate in the area of Social Security Disability. Through the years, she has served on the boards of the Utah Paralegal Association and Utah Association for Justice. She enjoys putting her English degree to good use in articles she writes for the Utah Trial Journal. She spends her days preparing cases for hearings, communicating with clients, and managing the office staff. She is passionate about her clients and wants to make sure that each knows that they matter. She works tirelessly to make sure their cases are properly developed through her desire for continuous learning and then training her staff and expecting nothing but the highest level of effort.

Ms. Helsten is a dynamic professional in the legal field, bringing a wealth of experience and dedication to her role. She began her journey at Wall & Wall Attorneys in May 2020 as a legal assistant, where her commitment and work ethic quickly stood out. In recognition of her exceptional contributions, Ms. Helsten was promoted to the position of paralegal in January 2023. As a paralegal, Ms. Helsten plays a pivotal role within the firm, regularly assisting all seven attorneys with her expertise and dedication. Her exceptional assistance in handling cases, aiding clients, drafting pleadings, and ensuring the smooth flow of operations has earned commendations not only from the attorneys within the firm but also from the court and other law firms. In addition to her role as a paralegal, Ms. Helsten has taken on the responsibility of office manager. Her ability to efficiently manage office operations while excelling in her legal duties showcases her versatility and leadership within the legal profession.

Ms. Hickman Pierson is a law library faculty member at Brigham Young University. She is the head of Reference and Faculty Services for the BYU Law Library and is a professor for the first-year legal research courses at BYU Law. She happily joined the law library faculty at BYU in 2016 shortly after completing a J.D. degree at BYU Law and has since completed her M.L.I.S. from San José State University. Professor Hickman Pierson’s scholarship focuses on legal reference services, legal research instruction, legal education, and law librarianship. She is extensively involved in the law librarianship profession, serving as a chair of many committees through the American Association of Law Libraries (AALL) and her regional AALL chapter WestPac. She is also serving a four-year term as an editorial board member of Legal Writing: The Journal of the Legal Writing Institute.

Mr. Kelson is a shareholder at the office of Christensen & Jensen, PC, where his practice focuses on Civil Litigation and Mediation. He chairs the firm’s Alternative Dispute Resolution practice group. He earned his Juris Doctorate from the J. Reuben Clark Law School, and both a Master of Dispute Resolution and Master of Law in Dispute Resolution from Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution at the Pepperdine Caruso School of Law. He has been a mediator in many hundreds of disputes involving commercial, personal injury, property, and professional liability issues. He is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Utah Council on Conflict Resolution (UCCR), chair of the Board of Trustees for Utah Dispute Resolution (UDR), and a board member on the Utah Judicial Council Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee. For more than two decades, Mr. Kelson has independently researched, documented, and conducted statewide studies regarding threats and violence against the legal profession. He has published numerous articles regarding his research findings. Mr. Kelson has been an adjunct professor at the J. Reuben Clark Law School, teaching the Negotiation course.

Ms. Porter has been a practicing attorney for 36 years and was Utah Lawyer of the Year in 2018. She is the cofounder and CEO of the Cold Case Coalition, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that assists families and communities with unresolved deaths and disappearances. Karra is also cofounder and CEO of Intermountain Forensics, a state-of-the-art accredited forensic DNA laboratory.  She is the coauthor of COLD CASE HELP: How to Work Your Own Cold Case (2023 Cold Case Coalition).

Ms. Wilgis is a passionate advocate for her clients, representing children and families for over 25 years as an attorney in private practice, as a former Assistant Attorney General, and as a family and children’s Ombudsman for the State of Washington. Ms. Wilgis is committed to helping clients navigate difficult transitions in their lives through compassionate advice and skilled advocacy, both through negotiation and litigation. 

Mr. Suits has been a practicing attorney for 20 years and focuses his practice on representing individuals who have been severely injured in a wide range of accidents. He also serves as a Mediator for the Civil Early Settlement Conference Program for the Santa Clara County Superior Court. Before starting his own firm in 2012, Mr. Suits worked as an Attorney for Robinson and Wood, Inc. and Tharpe and Howell, LLP. He also served as a Law Clerk for the Civil Liability Division of the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office. Mr. Suits obtained his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 1997. He subsequently obtained his law degree from the University of Southern California Law School in 2003. Mr. Suits is a member of the State Bar of California.

Mr. Tollefson serves as a pro-tem judge for Pierce County Superior Court. Previously, he served as a judge for Pierce County Superior Court for more than 27 years. During his time on Superior Court, he was on the Executive Committee, served as presiding judge, and participated on a number of local Superior Court committees. He served on several committees in the Washington State Superior Court Judges Association and as a trustee on the Association’s board of trustees for five years.

Cailee J. Alderman represents clients in all aspects of family and matrimonial law, with a focus on divorce, child custody, child support, adoption, guardianship and special immigrant juvenile status. In 2021, Ms. Alderman joined Kogut & Wilson, LLC, as a partner. She is a long-serving advocate for children and families involved in life’s difficult phases. As such, she understands family law cases require compassion and commitment and is determined to provide solutions that work for each individual case. She completed her certificate in mediation from Northwestern University to better represent clients in complex family conflicts. As a child, Ms. Alderman witnessed first-hand the challenges children face when navigating their parents’ divorce. From that experience, she knows how important it is to keep a child’s best interests top of mind.

Ms. Friedman represents individuals in all aspects of family and matrimonial law proceedings, including complex property division, allocation of parental responsibilities, child support, maintenance, contempt and post-decree modifications. Ms. Friedman negotiates and drafts pre- and post-nuptial agreements; reviews and assesses assets, liabilities, expenses and income for the purpose setting child support, maintenance and property division; and develops case strategies with clients in order to work towards favorable settlement negotiations. She works to ensure her clients are able to resolve their family law matters with the least possible emotional toll and to make them comfortable as they move onto to the next phase of their lives.

Ms. Holtzman focuses her practice in all areas of matrimonial and family law. She has extensive experience in matters such as divorce, child custody, child support, post-decree matters, domestic violence and adoption cases. Ms. Holtzman is a compassionate and zealous advocate who is dedicated to helping clients navigate through what can be one of the most challenging experiences of their lives. Her diligence and client-focused strategy enables her to successfully litigate and settle various issues families face today. As a firm believer in the value of communication, Ms. Holtzman understands the importance of taking the time to listen to each client’s individual concerns and needs and provide sound advice in response, so together they can achieve the best possible results.

Ms. Kogut practices exclusively in the area of family law, including but not limited to, prenuptial agreements, post-nuptial agreements, child support matters, child custody, parenting time/visitation, property division, domestic violence, post-divorce issues such as enforcement and modifications and complex litigation. With a commitment to helping her clients achieve the best possible results in their personal circumstances, Ms. Kogut addresses how each client’s unique family challenges may be resolved and what each path may look like by educating her clients on the different approaches available. She helps them understand the benefits, risks and costs of each approach to best meet their unique needs. Ms. Kogut’s clients prefer to stay out of court, and she believes that the collaborative process is a good alternative to the traditional divorce process. Applying her litigation experience, supported by on-going education, she sees a consistent pattern: a less painful settlement process truly helps clients move forward in a way they chose and not in an arrangement imposed upon them by an impartial judge. As a trained mediator, she believes that mediation can be an effective process for resolving divorce and family law issues in a manner that allows clients to maintain control over the process. Additionally, she handles process consultations, designed for those who are considering divorce via mediation. Ms. Kogut speaks fluent Polish, serving Chicago’s extensive Polish-speaking community in addressing all their family law issues.

Ms. Alvarez graduated from Thomas M. Cooley Law at Western Michigan University with a J.D. degree and an LL.M. degree in Taxation. Her focus of practice consists of estate planning, business planning, guardianships, and probate. Ms. Alvarez manages her own firm, while teaching paralegals and business majors. She teaches Probate and Introduction to Law in the Paralegal Program at Florida Atlantic University.

Ms. Kay assists Florida’s families as a Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Law and Appellate Mediator and a collaborative attorney. She also extends her expertise to solo and small firms throughout Florida with freelance research, writing, and consulting services. Ms. Kay served as the chair of the Family Law Section of The Florida Bar during its 50th anniversary year (2023-2024), as president of the Hillsborough Association for Women Lawyers (2017-2018), president of the Hillsborough County Bar Association Leadership Institute Class of 2013, and the co-chair of the Hillsborough County Bar Association 5k Pro Bono River Run Committee in 2013 and 2014. Ms. Kay is Board Certified in Marital and Family Law by The Florida Bar and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML). She holds a J.D. degree, a master’s degree in Education and a master’s degree in Business Administration.

Ms. Mody is an associate with Birnbaum, Lippman & Gregoire, PLLC. Mrs. Mody practices exclusively in the areas of matrimonial and family law. Prior to joining the firm, she pursued a Master of Laws (LL.M.), achieving a Degree Specialization in International Business and M.B.A. at American University Washington College of Law in Washington, D.C. One of her passions is helping families and children through life’s difficult situations. She has given back to her communities by participating in numerous charitable organizations benefiting children, veterans, the disabled, and animals. She is an Advisory Board member of Horses Healing Hearts, a charitable organization in Delray Beach, Florida that provides equine-assisted therapy in response to the impact of substance abuse and trauma on children and families. Mrs. Mody is an avid Florida Gator fan and enjoys the beach, nature, and poker.

Mr. Grabske specializes in real estate and complex business litigation. His practice is focused on assisting landowners, businesses, and public agencies with eminent domain, inverse condemnation, contract disputes, land use and environmental issues. Mr. Grabske has successfully represented clients in high stakes trials and before the Court of Appeals. Mr. Grabske has also been recognized as a “Rising Star” in Los Angeles magazine’s Southern California Super Lawyer edition.

Mr. Hansen litigates disputes involving real estate law, land use, environmental matters, and commercial transactions. He frequently litigates, writes about, and teaches at conferences on easements and boundary disputes. Mr. Hansen graduated summa cum laude with a bachelor of arts degree in American Studies from Biola University in La Mirada, California. He earned his law degree from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. Among his many interests and community involvements, Mr. Hansen serves as an officer with the Real Property Section of the Sacramento County Bar Association and as a Dispute Resolution Conference pro-tem judge for the El Dorado County Superior Court. 

Mr. Hensley is an accomplished trial lawyer. With close to 40 years of experience helping his clients resolve disputes – through trials, arbitrations, mediations, and appeals – he’s argued cases before the U.S. Supreme Court as well as all Southern California State and Federal courts. In addition, he’s often asked to assist clients across the country and as a result has made a number of pro hac vice appearances before various Federal and State courts throughout the United States. Throughout his career, Mr. Hensley has been involved in lawsuits related to a wide range of corporate disputes, from real estate, securities, and corporate governance issues, to trade secrets, employment matters, unfair competition, and California financing laws. He has significant experience defending class action lawsuits. Finally, Mr. Hensley has an active real estate and appellate practice covering both transactional and litigation matters: he’s helped clients structure and defend mechanics liens, purchase agreements, commercial leases, homeowner’s disputes, commercial common area maintenance disputes, subordination agreements, financing arrangements, and more.

Mr. Offord graduated from the University of California at Santa Barbara in 2005. Thereafter, he remained in Santa Barbara to work at a general litigation firm before attending law school at Santa Clara University and earning his J.D. degree in 2009. As a student at Santa Clara, he was named top of his class (receiving the CALI or the Witkin Award) in four of his courses, in addition to graduating on the Dean’s List. Mr. Offord joined the firm in 2009 after clerking for a law practice that primarily focused on real estate litigation and transactions. His experience includes law and motion practice and all stages of civil trials, including serving as lead counsel in many bench and jury trials. He has participated in State and Federal trials. He is heavily involved in the local real estate community, with an active role in several local real estate associations. He has also obtained his Real Estate Broker’s License from the California Department of Real Estate. He is regularly asked to be a speaker for local real estate organizations and brokerages, including SILVAR, Santa Clara County Association of Realtors®, and San Mateo County Association of Realtors®. He has also guest lectured at Menlo College for the Real Estate Law and Introduction to Law courses. In addition, Mr. Offord has been a speaker for both the Santa Clara County and San Mateo County Bar Associations. At Brewer Offord & Pedersen LLP, Mr. Offord works on matters representing real estate professionals and homeowners involved in neighbor and property disputes, as well as on commercial leasing matters and homeowner association issues. 

Ms. Taylor is a native of Laurel Hill, North Carolina.  Among all the lawyers in Mebane, NC, she received her Bachelor of Arts degree, magna cum laude, in Political Science from North Carolina Central University in 1996 and her Juris Doctorate degree from North Carolina Central University School of Law in 1999. After interning with the Durham County Public Defender, Mrs. Taylor launched her successful legal career as an associate for a general practice firm in Durham, North Carolina. It was there she established her passion for workers’ compensation law and social security disability law and would later go on to found her own firm, The Law Office of Saprina Brown Taylor. The Law Office of Saprina Brown Taylor prides itself in providing excellent personal service and expert legal advice.  Mrs. Taylor has successfully argued cases before the United States Federal District Court, North Carolina State Courts, the North Carolina Industrial Commission and the Office of Disability Adjudication and Review.

Mrs. Taylor served as a member of the Durham County Bar Association Board of Directors, Past President of the George H. White Bar Association and secretary of the West End Community Center Board of Directors.

Mr. Gelb is a board-certified specialist in family law who has over a decade of experience representing individuals in matters involving custody, support, and property division. He also regularly prepares premarital and postmarital agreements. Mr. Gelb grew up in Raleigh and graduated, cum laude, from North Carolina State. He received his law degree from the Wake Forest University School of Law. After graduating from Wake Forest, he began his legal career in Washington, DC, before returning to Raleigh in 2014. Mr. Gelb is licensed to practice in North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, and the District of Columbia. He is also licensed to practice before the United States Supreme Court. Mr. Gelb has been listed among The Best Lawyers in America for family law (2018-2019) and Super Lawyers for family law (2014, 2018-2019).

Ms. Williams is currently practicing employment and labor law, state and local government law, civil litigation, and higher education law at a firm in Charlotte, NC. As an attorney, Tyler has continued giving back by acting as an Adjunct Professor at Charleston School of Law for a 2019 Maymester course on Public Policy, where her students had the opportunity to present their solutions on public policy issues to United States Representative Joe Cunningham. Tyler has also coached a 2019 Charleston School of Law Trial Advocacy team to historic accomplishments, by making the semi-finals as the second seeded team against sixteen other teams at the 2019 American Association for Justice Student Trial Competition. In 2020, Tyler was named a Top 40 under 40 lawyer by the National Bar Association after a rigorous vetting and nomination process. Tyler is licensed to practice in South Carolina State Court, North Carolina State Court, United States District Court of South Carolina, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit. In addition to practicing law, Tyler is also the Founder and CEO of LegalEEE, a legal mentoring program designed to prepare pre-law students, law students, and new attorneys for a promising career in law. Before attending Charleston School of Law, Tyler attended the University of Maryland (UMD) where she majored in Criminology and Criminal Justice and minored in Leadership Studies. After graduating from the University of Maryland in 2015, Tyler decided to come to Charleston, South Carolina to attend law school.

Amy McGuigan is a trial and appellate law firm specializing in high-stakes criminal, civil, and regulatory defense and internal investigations. Prior to joining Swanson & McNamara, Ms. McGuigan worked for the Federal Public Defender in the Northern District of California for 15 years where she assisted in several trials including four complex death penalty cases, one of which resulted in an acquittal. She is a certified eDiscovery specialist holding multiple ACEDS eDiscovery Certifications, as well as certifications in CMFF Cellebrite Mobile Forensic Fundamentals, digital forensics, and has over 21 hours of digital forensic training in FTK. Ms. McGuigan is the acting president of San Francisco Paralegal Association, Chair of the SF Bar Paralegal Section, and the Director of the SF Chapter of Women in eDiscovery. When she isn’t working, she enjoys spending time crafting and hanging out with her four dogs. She will be presenting at the NALA Boston conference in July, on Ethical Considerations in Criminal Law Cases, Text and Smartphone Evidence for Paralegals: How to Identify, Preserve, Collect, and Produce and Assisting at Trial.

Mr. Suits has been a practicing attorney for 20 years and focuses his practice on representing individuals who have been severely injured in a wide range of accidents. He also serves as a Mediator for the Civil Early Settlement Conference Program for the Santa Clara County Superior Court. Before starting his own firm in 2012, Mr. Suits worked as an Attorney for Robinson and Wood, Inc. and Tharpe and Howell, LLP. He also served as a Law Clerk for the Civil Liability Division of the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office. Mr. Suits obtained his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of California, Santa Barbara in 1997. He subsequently obtained his law degree from the University of Southern California Law School in 2003. Mr. Suits is a member of the State Bar of California.

Ms. Palmer earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Alabama then attended law school at Florida Coastal School of Law in Jacksonville, Florida. She previously worked as in-house counsel for a real estate investment company and was the managing attorney of a law firm in Midtown Atlanta. Ms. Palmer is a partner at Oxendine Law, LLC, practicing in all areas of domestic litigation, divorce, child custody, paternity and legitimation, and modification actions. She is a member of the State Bar of Georgia Family Law Section and the Gwinnett County Bar Association Family Law Section.

Mr. Simon was named as a Rising Star by Super Lawyers in the area of family law, He has exclusively practiced family law for the entirety of his legal career. Mr. Simon is a member of the Family Law Section of the Atlanta Bar Association and the Family Law Section and Young Lawyers Division of the State Bar of Georgia. Mr. Simon has been published in the Daily Report, the legal organ of Fulton County, Georgia, and in the American Journal of Trial Advocacy. He has also spoken at continuing legal education conferences on topics germane to family law cases.

Ms. Steele is a graduate of Florida State University where she received a B.A. degree in Communications and a B.A. degree in Psychology. She graduated from the Paul M. Hebert Law Center at Louisiana State University earning her J.D. degree and a Graduate Diploma in Comparative Law, being trained in both the civil and common law. Following graduation, Ms. Steele moved to Atlanta and worked for a general practice litigation firm, where she specialized in family law practice and eventually grew into an all-family practice. She now works at the boutique (and all female!) family law firm of Kaye, Lembeck, Hitt & French Family Law. Ms. Steele has served as an Emerging Leader for the American Bar Association and is privileged to continue her service to the American Bar Association.

Mr Wynn is an associate attorney with Slappey & Sadd, LLC. His practice focuses exclusively on catastrophic personal injury and wrongful death cases. He has successfully represented hundreds of personal injury victims in cases involving trucking and automobile wrecks, premises liability claims, medical malpractice, and intentional torts. Mr. Wynn has also successfully handled numerous appeals before both the Georgia Court of Appeals and the Supreme Court of Georgia.After graduating from the Mercer University Walter F. George School of Law in 2007, Mr. Wynn was admitted to the State Bar of Georgia that same year. During law school, he received the Frank C. Jones Scholarship, a CALI Excellence for the Future Award in Evidence, and a Certificate in Advanced Legal Writing and Research from Mercer Law’s top-ranked legal writing program. Prior to law school, he graduated magna cum laude from the University of Georgia with a BA in Political Science from UGA’s School of Public and International Affairs. Mr. Wynn strongly believes that attorneys are called to serve others and the community at large. He co-founded Step Up, Atlanta!, a non-profit organization that has organized fundraisers and volunteers service opportunities benefiting charities such as the US Marine Corps Toys for Tots Foundation, the Special Olympics of Georgia, and the Atlanta Community Food Bank. He has also served as Chairman of the Board of Governors of the Beta Xi Chapter (UGA) of the Phi Kappa Tau Fraternity. Mr. Wynn is currently a member of the Board of Directors of the Crime Victims Advocacy Council, an organization dedicated to assisting crime victims and their families through education, counseling, and legislative initiatives.

Ms. Buckley is the prior president of the San Francisco Bar Association Paralegal Section and continues to sit on the board. She taught family law for two semesters at San Francisco State in their paralegal program. Since obtaining her paralegal certificate from Cañada College in 2011, Ms. Buckley has worked exclusively in family law. Prior to becoming a paralegal, she taught English at middle and high schools across the country. During her free time, Ms. Buckley enjoys reading Victorian novels, trashy true crime, and taking her Golden Retriever, Jolene, on swim dates. She has presented multiple CLEs over the years, mostly focusing on discovery.

Amy McGuigan is a trial and appellate law firm specializing in high-stakes criminal, civil, and regulatory defense and internal investigations. Prior to joining Swanson & McNamara, Ms. McGuigan worked for the Federal Public Defender in the Northern District of California for 15 years where she assisted in several trials including four complex death penalty cases, one of which resulted in an acquittal. She is a certified eDiscovery specialist holding multiple ACEDS eDiscovery Certifications, as well as certifications in CMFF Cellebrite Mobile Forensic Fundamentals, digital forensics, and has over 21 hours of digital forensic training in FTK. Ms. McGuigan is the acting president of San Francisco Paralegal Association, Chair of the SF Bar Paralegal Section, and the Director of the SF Chapter of Women in eDiscovery. When she isn’t working, she enjoys spending time crafting and hanging out with her four dogs. She will be presenting at the NALA Boston conference in July, on Ethical Considerations in Criminal Law Cases, Text and Smartphone Evidence for Paralegals: How to Identify, Preserve, Collect, and Produce and Assisting at Trial.

Ms. Skaggs serves as the President of San Francisco Legal Professionals Association (SFLPA) and has served the SFLPA Board consecutively for the last 10 years. She also serves on the Continuing Education Committee as the Webinar Co-Chair for Legal Professionals, Inc. (LPI) where she arranges and moderates continuing legal educational webinars with a dynamic team. Ms. Skaggs is working on the Summer Court Series where courtroom clerks in both federal and state courts all over California present for one hour two to three times per month. When serving as the SFLPA Education Chair, she organized a three-day Legal Professionals Workshop at San Francisco State University, which allowed all levels of legal secretaries and paralegals to earn a certificate showing that they completed the class. Ms. Skaggs has presented on a panel with an attorney about the California Rules v. the Local Rules of the Court in the presentation, “Cracking the Code,” as well as on a panel of attorneys and a paralegal at the Bar Association of San Francisco Paralegal Section called “50 Days to Trial.” She is a Bay Area native and earned her bachelor’s degree with a major in English and a minor in Political Science from the California State University, East Bay, where she returned several years later to obtain her Paralegal Certificate. Ms. Skaggs is committed to continuing education and enjoys being a part of any organization with the commitment to supporting that cause. She recently studied for, and successfully passed, the intense 8-hour exam to become a California Certified Legal Secretary (CCLS) in 2019 and is honored to add those four initials at the end of her name. Ms. Skaggs looks forward to continuing her passion through learning, teaching, or mentoring others while contributing to their personal growth and success.

Muna Abdallah, is an associate in the Columbus office of Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP.  She is a member of the litigation practice group and the electronic discovery sub-group. Her practice focuses on general complex commercial litigation, land-use litigation and electronic discovery matters.

Muna received her J.D. from the Vanderbilt University Law School. She received her B.S.B.A in finance and economics from The Ohio State University Fisher College of Business.

Amanda Paar Conroy joined Kent State University’s paralegal program in 2013.  She teaches Introduction to Paralegal Studies and Professional Ethics, Advanced Legal Research and Writing, and many legal specialty electives.

Prior to her career in higher education, she spent eight years as a civil trial attorney at Plakas Mannos in Canton, Ohio.  Her primary area of practice was labor and employment law where she litigated and conducted extensive research for cases involving short-term and long-term employment benefits, employment discrimination, best practices for employee discipline and hiring and firing decisions, and whistleblower actions.  Paar Conroy also has experience in the areas of business litigation, consumer law, probate, wrongful death, and personal injury.

In addition to her work at Kent, Paar Conroy is a magistrate at the Stark County Court of Common Pleas.

Douglas R. Matthews, Partner, Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease

Douglas R. Matthews is a partner in the Columbus office of Vorys, Sater, Seymour and Pease LLP and a commercial litigator in the litigation group. His practice focuses on electronic discovery matters, and he is the head of the firm’s electronic discovery practice group.  Doug has represented numerous businesses with regard to the management and discovery of electronically stored information. He has represented both corporate and public entities in a variety of litigation matters, including multiple putative class actions and complex antirust matters.  Doug regularly speaks nationally and locally on electronic discovery issues.

Doug received his J.D. summa cum laude from The Ohio State University Michael E. Moritz College of Law. He received his B.A. from the University of Virginia. He clerked for The Honorable Joseph P. Kinneary, United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio and for The Honorable Alan Norris, United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.

Professor Peterson, joined Kent State University’s Paralegal Studies program as an Associate Professor in the Fall of 2016. She teaches multiple legal specialty electives. Prior to her career in higher education, Professor Peterson served as a trial attorney, litigating cases as a private practitioner, State of Ohio Assistant Attorney General and Associate Counsel/Managing Attorney for The Cincinnati Insurance Company. She has handled cases from their inception and investigation, through discovery, motion practice, trial and appeal. Professor Peterson, received a unanimous 7-0 ruling in the Ohio Supreme Court in the real estate malpractice case Cincinnati Ins. Co. v. Anders, 99 Ohio St.3d 156 (2003). Her areas of legal interest include insurance defense, litigation, bodily injury, dental malpractice, large loss subrogation and alternative dispute resolution. Professor Peterson’s over 24 years of litigation and management experience as well as her 7 years of teaching experience, provide her students with a practical and balanced outlook of the legal profession. At Kent State University Professor Peterson instructs Legal Research & Writing, Civil Procedure, Corporations, Torts, Family Law, Bankruptcy, Labor & Employment Law, Copyright Law, Wills, Trusts & Estates, Real Estate Law, Law Office Technology, First Year Experience and supervises Paralegal Internships. Professor Peterson is currently licensed in State of Ohio and Federal Court.

Chad Berry’s practice primarily consists of business and commercial litigation and bankruptcy litigation. He has more than 25 years of broad trial experience prosecuting and defending claims on behalf of businesses and individuals. Over the years, Mr. Berry has represented businesses, banks, lending institutions, leasing companies, commercial landlords, aerospace companies, churches, residential and commercial contractors, publishing companies, production companies, and service companies. His practice areas include: Business and Commercial Litigation; Banking (Collections, Foreclosures, Litigation); Creditor’s Rights (Litigation, Extraordinary Remedies, and Post-Judgment Collections); Bankruptcy (Collections and Litigation); Contract/Lease Litigation; Construction Litigation; Commercial Landlord and Tenant Litigation; Business Torts (Fraud, Deceit, Conversion, and Embezzlement); and Churches, Ministries and Religious Institutions. Mr. Berry is admitted to the State Bar of Texas; United States District Courts and Bankruptcy Courts for the Northern, Western, Eastern and Southern Districts of Texas; United States Court of Federal Claims; United States District Court and Bankruptcy Court for the District of Colorado; and Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. He earned his B.A. degree from Abilene Christian University and his J.D. degree from Western Michigan University – Cooley Law School.

David Findley is a problem solver with deep experience across a range of family law and probate matters. Whether it’s a divorce, custody dispute, or property division, he works with clients to identify achievable goals to work toward. Once that’s been accomplished, he lays out a plan to give them the best possible chance of making it happen. He attended Texas A&M University, where he studied Political Science, graduating magna cum laude. He received his law degree from Baylor University School of Law. He is a member of the Family Law sections of both the State Bar of Texas and the Dallas Bar Association.

Ms. Grove is an experienced and Board Certified Paralegal with a demonstrated history of working in the legal and medical industries. She is skilled in medical record summarization, drafting pleadings and discovery, e-filing, demand preparation, negotiation, subrogation and reductions.

Ms. McQuilliams has been a litigation defense paralegal/medical consultant for 29 yrs, specializing in medical malpractice, pharmaceutical, medical device, toxic tort and product liability. She has attended and managed 30-40 trials in Texas and Oklahoma. In addition to her paralegal background, she has been a Licensed Paramedic for 23 yrs. Ms. McQuilliams experience as a paramedic, including many years in the ER, allows her to assist attorneys and claim professionals with medical record review/analysis, witness/expert interviews, liability/damage determinations and medical research.

Caroline Near’s areas of practice include: Divorce; Child Custody; Child Support; Property Division; Enforcements; Family Violence; Appellate; Marital Agreements; Grandparents’ Rights; and Mediation & Arbitration. She is admitted to the State Bar of Texas (Family Law Section, Member); Dallas Bar Association (Family Law Section, Member); and Annette Stewart American Inn of Court (Associate). She received her B.A. degree from The University of Texas at Austin and her J.D. degree from SMU Dedman School of Law.

Ms. Wise completed her undergraduate studies at the University of Texas at Austin with honors, majoring in Psychology, and she earned her J.D. degree from South Texas College of Law in Houston. She was admitted to practice in Texas on February 8, 2001, and has been Board Certified in Family Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization since 2011. Ms. Wise is a member of the State Bar of Texas, its Family Law Section, its Texas Technology Section, and then the College of the State Bar of Texas, the Houston Bar Association and its Family Law Section, the Fort Bend County Bar Association, and Gulf Coast Family Law Specialists.

Elizabeth A. Ashton is an experienced attorney with expertise in divorce and family law.  Prior to practicing family law, she was an Assistant Attorney General at the Office of the New Mexico Attorney General where she honed her skills in communicating arguments effectively to obtain positive outcomes for her clients. She understands that cases involving families are unique—clients and families are struggling with extremely stressful and emotional situations while trying to understand and work through the legal system. Elizabeth earned her BBA in Management from the University of Oklahoma, her Juris Doctor from Thomas Jefferson School of Law, and is a member of the NM State Bar Family Law Section.

Laura Horton is an experienced trial attorney with a background in accounting and finance. She practices exclusively in divorce and family law throughout the entire state of New Mexico. Laura is accomplished in resolving cases through a wide-range of available methods, whether it’s an uncontested, amicable matter, negotiation with other attorneys, formal mediation, or litigating matters before the court when necessary.  Ms. Horton handles divorce, child custody, property and retirement division, spousal support, domestic violence, and kinship guardianship cases.  She sits on the boards of the Domestic Violence Resource Center and the New Mexico Women’s Bar Association.  

Ms. Padilla’s legal practice focuses on issues involving family relationships, including adoption, divorce, and child custody. Ms. Padilla received her J.D. degree from The University of New Mexico School of Law. Previously she served as an associate attorney at Atencio Law Office, an attorney with Wolf & Fox, PC, and an attorney with New Mexico Legal Group, P.C.

Ms. Palomares has worked with RMC since 2016. She graduated from the University of New Mexico School of Law in 2015. She briefly worked as an Assistant District Attorney in the Second Judicial District, prosecuting domestic violence and DUI cases. Ms. Palomares has extensive experience in litigation in domestic relations, criminal, and children’s court matters. She is committed to ensuring that clients receive the expert guidance they deserve. She manages a diverse caseload, handling everything from litigation and motions practice to negotiation in domestic relations, guardianship proceedings, conservatorship proceedings, and guardian ad litem work. Ms. Palomares is fluent in Spanish and, in her spare time, she performs and records New Mexico Spanish music and performs with Mariachi Calor.

Ms. Saavedra devotes her practice to helping clients through the various issues of Family Law, including complex and high asset divorces, custody, parentage, child support, prenuptial agreements, adoptions, kinship guardianships and Guardian ad Litem representation of minor children. Sheryl obtained her law degree from the University of New Mexico School of Law in 1994. She has concentrated over 27 years of law practice primarily in the area of Family Law. Sheryl joined Peak Legal Group, LLC in 2019 after beginning her Albuquerque law practice with a local Albuquerque law family law firm in 2017. Formerly, Sheryl owned and operated a successful private family law practice in Roswell, NM for over 10 years. In addition to spending a considerable part of her early years in practice representing parents in the State of New Mexico Children Youth and Families Department’s abuse and neglect system, Sheryl also served as the Chaves County Guardian ad Litem representing over 100 children in foster care for several years.

Mr. Horowitz specializes in family law and domestic relations matters, including divorce, paternity, child custody, legal decision making, parenting time, child support, mediation and arbitration. He is also a respected mediator in family law disputes and serves as a judge pro tem for the Maricopa County Superior Court. Mr. Horowitz is a certified family law specialist (Arizona Board of Legal Specialization) and a Super Lawyers honoree. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, serves on the Academy’s board of governors, and chairs its Mediation Committee. He is the current chair of the State Bar of Arizona’s Board of Legal Specialization Family Law Advisory Commission and an officer of the State Bar’s Family Law Executive Council. Mr. Horowitz teaches Family Law and Legal Studies at Phoenix College, and he has been an adjunct faculty member at the Phoenix School of Law and Arizona Summit Law School.

Mr. Kelley’s practice is primarily focused on divorce and custody litigation, including complex financial issues and business valuation. He also has a background in employee benefits and ERISA representation and litigation. After a six-year enlistment in the U.S. Army as an airborne infantryman and non-commissioned officer, Mr. Kelley completed his undergraduate degree at Arizona State University in 2014. He received his J.D. degree from the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at ASU in 2017.

Mr. Sandler focuses his practice on family law mediation and prenuptial agreements. Mr. Sandler is a certified specialist in family law by the State Bar of Arizona and was recently selected again by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America 2022 in the field of family law. He has also been selected numerous times for awards from the American Institute of Family Law, including the “Top 40 Under 40,” and the “Ten Best Client Satisfaction Award,” and he has been awarded the designation of “Rising Star” from Super Lawyers for each year since 2016. In July of 2019, Mr. Sandler was voted Phoenix Magazine Readers’ Pick for Best Divorce Lawyer. Mr. Sandler was the 2018 chair for the Maricopa County Bar Association Family Law Section, and he facilitated the Family Law Newsletter and continuing legal education seminars to educate attorneys on family law issues.

Mr. Sapelli focuses his practice primarily on domestic relations. He offers experience representing clients in all family law-related matters. These include divorce, with or without children, and all issues that may arise in both types of cases. Mr. Sapelli effectively and compassionately advances his clients’ interests in matters involving legal decision-making, parenting time, child support, division of property and debts, spousal maintenance, and other issues. Mr. Sapelli also has experience in complex divorce matters including complex custody and property issues. Aside from divorce matters, his practice also focuses on paternity issues and third-party rights issues, such as grandparents’ rights, step-parents’ rights, and other non-parental rights for children. Giancarlo attended The S.J. Quinney College of Law at the University of Utah. In law school, Mr. Sapelli was the assistant to the editor of the Utah Journal of Family Law. He earned a Bachelor’s in Political Science, with a History minor from the University of Arizona. Mr. Sapelli also has a Master’s in Educational Leadership from Northern Arizona University, where he graduated with distinction. After an eight-year term of teaching junior high school, Mr. Sapelli’s love for family and children inspired him to work in family law. That same passion continues to inspire him today.

Ms. Stillman’s practice is limited to family law litigation, mediation and appellate matters. She became a certified specialist in family law in July 2021. Admitted to the State Bar of Arizona in 2013, Ms. Stillman graduated from Arizona State University with a B.A. degree in Elementary and Special Education in 1995 and the University of Wyoming Law School in 2001. Ms. Stillman serves on the Maricopa County Bar Association Family Law Board, is a court appointed advisor, regularly provides pro bono legal services through the CLS Volunteer Lawyers Program, and serves as a judge pro tem. She has been recognized at the Arizona State Bar Convention as a recipient of the Top Pro Bono Attorneys in Arizona award.

Ms. Alvarez graduated from Thomas M. Cooley Law at Western Michigan University with a J.D. degree and an LL.M. degree in Taxation. Her focus of practice consists of estate planning, business planning, guardianships, and probate. Ms. Alvarez manages her own firm, while teaching paralegals and business majors. She teaches Probate and Introduction to Law in the Paralegal Program at Florida Atlantic University.

Nancy L. Jordahl is a litigation paralegal at Weinberg Wheeler Hudgins Gunn & Dial. Ms. Jordahl is CLE Chair and immediate past-President of the Central Florida Paralegal Association (CFPA), and Secretary/Treasurer for the Paralegal Section of the Orange County Bar Association (OCBA). She is a member of the Florida Registered Paralegal (FRP) Enrichment Committee. She authored two chapters of the 2019 NALA Certified Paralegal Exam Fundamentals book (Torts and Clarity of Expression).

Laura M. Reich is a partner in Harper Meyer’s Litigation and Arbitration Group, as well as its Art and Entertainment Law Group and its international law practice. Ms. Reich also serves as an adjunct professor at Florida International University School of Law and instructs paralegals at Florida Atlantic University. She is the current Editor-in-Chief of International Law Quarterly, a publication of the International Law Section of The Florida Bar.

Mr. Arnott is originally from Australia but has lived in St. Paul, MN since 1991. He has taught in the Legal Studies department at Hamline University since 2008, having previously taught family law and legal writing at William Mitchell College of Law and served as the legal instructor at the Minneapolis Business College. Professor Arnott is a past chair of the Minnesota State Bar Association Family Law Section and of the Ramsey County Bar Association Youth & the Law Committee. Before entering legal practice, He was a diplomat in the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs, serving in Canberra and Nairobi. In his spare time, Professor Arnott umpires Australian Rules football and referees soccer.

Ms. Bean is a family, juvenile, and adoption law paralegal with Heimerl and Lammers in Minneapolis, Minnesota with over 20 years of experience in the legal profession. In addition to dealing with any day-to-day tasks, she assists with any “fires” that arise for those in need and always puts her organizational skills to use for the clients and her team. Her attention to detail, genuine compassion for clients, and expertise in the legal field are just a few of the qualities that clients routinely compliment her on. Ms. Bean enjoys interacting with clients and assisting them through all steps of the legal process. She takes pleasure in being there for clients in their time of need by discussing procedures in plain language and ensuring the clients know what they should expect as their process unfolds. Ms. Bean is involved in all aspects of a case from beginning to end, which allows clients to feel comfortable with her and the knowledge she provides them. She is a member of the Minnesota Paralegal Association and has previously presented for the Family Law Institute, American Academy of Adoption Attorneys, Gift of Adoption Fund and Minnesota School of Business.

Ms. Johnsen is a family law attorney and her practice includes areas of marriage dissolution, custody and parenting time matters, child support, paternity, spousal maintenance, international family law, child in need of protection and services, termination of parental rights proceedings, and appeals. Her background in child protection and juvenile justice gives her a distinctive perspective in working with families going through a variety of family transitions such as dissolution, custody disputes and child protection proceedings. Ms. Johnsen graduated from the Mitchell Hamline School of Law where she was a recipient of the Student Award of Merit. She is admitted to practice in the state of Minnesota and Federal District Court, District of Minnesota.

Mark J. Karon is an attorney and director of the University of Minnesota Student Legal Service. Prior to the University, he was an associate attorney with Robins, Kaplan, Miller and Ciresi, practicing in personal injury and mass tort litigation. He has experience in trial and legal counseling in consumer affairs, domestic relations, criminal defense, civil litigation and administrative law. He is also responsible for co-curricular and law-related educational programs at the University of Minnesota. Mr. Karon is also an adjunct professor of litigation practice and private practice practicum at Hamline University School of Law. In addition, he has been an instructor in torts, personal injury and product liability law, legal research and writing, case investigation and trial preparation at Hamline University in the legal studies program. Mr. Karon has also served as a professor at Inver Hills College and the Minnesota Paralegal Institute. He currently serves as international president of the National Legal Aid and Defenders Association Student Legal Services. He received his B.S. degree with high distinction from the University of Minnesota and his J.D. degree from California Western School of Law in San Diego. Mr. Karon is a member of the Hennepin and Ramsey County Bar Associations, the Minnesota State Bar Association, the State Bar of California, the American Bar Association (member, Litigation and Family Law Section), the Minnesota Association of Justice, the American Association of Justice, Minnesota Society for Criminal Justice and the National Legal Aid and Defenders Association. Mr. Karon is a frequent speaker at continuing legal education programs across the country.

Ms. Riebel is an attorney with Heimerl & Lammers practicing in the family law group. She has a strong commitment to client trust and satisfaction, protecting children, and resolving conflict in a way that minimizes stress and anxiety for everyone involved. Ms. Riebel attended Lehigh University in Pennsylvania, where she graduated in three years with honors and a bachelor’s degree in Political Science with minors in Psychology and Environmental Studies. While at Lehigh University, Georgie worked as a representative for a Non-Profit Governmental Organization (NGO) at the United Nations in New York. Georgie also began interning at various family law practices in Pennsylvania, where she discovered her passion for helping families through difficult and complex situations. She then attended the University of St. Thomas School of Law on a Presidential Scholarship and as a Stinson Leonard Street Diversity Scholar in 2017. She had opportunity to be the Divorce Camp intern and the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts intern and volunteered as a WATCH Court Monitor, a program for combating human-sex trafficking, and as a Street Law Volunteer advising low-income and charter students about their legal rights.