Top Rated Family Law Attorney in Alpharetta, GA

Honors/Awards:

• Top 10 Attorney Award, National Academy of Family Law Attorneys, 2017
• Excellence in the Practice of Law- Top One Percent, Premier Lawyers of America, Lifetime Achievement Award, 2019
• Nation’s Top One Percent Honor, National Association of Distinguished Counsel, 2018
• Phi Beta Kappa
• Golden Key National Honor Society
• Georgia Rising Stars, 2012
• 10 Best in Client Satisfaction, American Institute of Family Law Attorneys, 2014
• Top 100 Lawyers Award, The National Advocates, 2015
• 10 Best in Client Satisfaction, American Institute of Family Law Attorneys, 2016
• Georgia Trend Legal Elite, 2016
• Nation’s Top One Percent Honor, National Association of Distinguished Counsel, 2017
• Top 10 Attorney Award, National Academy of Family Law Attorneys, 2018
• The Order of Barristers, University of Georgia School of Law, Athens, Georgia
• Recipient, Cody E. Welborn Scholarship
• Bachelor of Arts in International Studies/Russian, with highest distinction, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• Georgia Rising Stars, 2011
• 10 Best in Client Satisfaction, American Institute of Family Law Attorneys, 2015
• Top 100 Family Lawyer- State of Georgia, The American Society of Legal Advocates, 2015
• Global Directory of Who's Who Top Attorney 2016
• Top One Percent, National League of Renowned Attorneys, 2016
• Top 10 Attorney Award, National Academy of Family Law Attorneys, 2016
• Delta Phi Epsilon
• Top 100 Lawyers Award, The National Advocates, 2014
• Top 10 Attorney Award, National Academy of Family Law Attorneys, 2014
• Top 10 Attorney Award, National Academy of Family Law Attorneys, 2015
• Nation’s Top One Percent Honor, National Association of Distinguished Counsel, 2015
• Top 100 Family Lawyer- State of Georgia, The American Society of Legal Advocates, 2016
• 10 Best Female Attorneys, American Institute of Family Law Attorneys, 2016-2017
• Nation’s Top One Percent Honor, National Association of Distinguished Counsel, 2016

Special Licenses/Certifications:

• Family Law Mediator, State of Georgia, 2010
• Trained Mediator, State of Georgia, 2010
• P.O.S.T. Certified Expert in Domestic Violence (Training and Evidence collection)
• Trained in Collaborative Practice by the Collaborative Law Institute of Georgia, 2006

Bar/Professional Activity:

• Member, State Bar of Georgia, Family Law Section
• Judge, Cobb County High School Mock Trial Competition
• Barrister, The Lamar American Inn of Court
• Georgia, 1997
• Judge, The National Mock Trial Association, Atlanta Regional Mock Trial Competition, February 2014
• Georgia Court of Appeals, 1998
• Executive Committee Member, The National Advocates: Top 100, 2015
• Member, Atlanta Bar Association, Family Law Section, 2003 - present
• National Association of Professional Women
• Joseph Henry Lumpkin American Inn of Court
• Judge, The National Mock Trial Competition, 2012
• Judge, National High School Mock Trial Competition
• U.S. District Court Middle District of Georgia, 2002
• Member, North Fulton Bar Association
• Member, Collaborative Law Institute of Georgia, 2006-present
• Member, International Association of Collaborative Professionals, 2009-present
• Judge, J. Melvin England Mock Trial Competition, 1998-2001
• Judge, 2013 Regional Mock Trial Competition sponsored by the University of Georgia School of Law
• U.S. District Court Northern District of Georgia, 2001
• Trained Guardian ad Litem for Children in Contested Custody Cases, 2006 - Present
• Supreme Court of Georgia, 2005

Pro bono/Community Service:

• Foster/Rescue Volunteer/Fundraiser Volunteer- Angels Among Us Pet Rescue, 2013- present
• Volunteer/Sponsor/Event Organizer- Atlanta Free to Breathe 1k/5k Race to raise awareness and funds for lung cancer research, 2009- present

Scholarly Lectures/Writings:

• Speaker, "Strategies for Effective Use of Discovery," Divorce Law From A-Z Seminar, National Business Institute, December 2013
• Speaker/Trainer, Statewide Training of 911 Operators and First Responders in Evidence Gathering in Domestic Violence cases, Georgia Public Safety Training Safety Center, 1997- 2000
• Speaker/Trainer, Police Officers, Sheriff's Deputies and Investigators in Evidence Gathering and Documentation in Domestic Violence Cases, Rockdale County District Attorney's Office, 1997-2000
• Speaker, "The Essentials of Adoption Law" at the National Business Institute's Adoption Law: Start to Finish Seminar, March, 2015
• Speaker, "Advanced Issues in Divorce", National Business Institute, 2009
• Guest Lecturer, "Collaborative Divorce," Georgia State University College of Law, Spring 2012
• Speaker, "Drafting Common Marital Agreements and Understanding Protective Orders and Domestic Torts", Oddities and Challenges of Family Law Seminar, National Business Institute, April 2014
• Speaker, "Post-Divorce Considerations" at the National Business Institute's Advanced Issues in Divorce Seminar, July 2012
• Guest Lecturer, "The Role of the Child Specialist in Collaborative Law", Georgia State University School of Law, March 14, 2013
• Instructor, Domestic Mediation Training, Resolve to Solve, October 2012

Representative Clients:

• State of Georgia vs. Dean, 235 Ga. App. 847 (1998)
• Friday v. Friday, 294 Ga. 687 (2014)
• Davison v. State, 241 Ga. App. 685 (1999)
• Mallen vs. Mallen, 280 Ga. 43 (2005)

Other Outstanding Achievements:

• After only one year of practice, as an Assistant District Attorney, I represented the People of the State of Georgia and a victim of repeat instances of domestic violence.  Because of the multiple family violence instances between this victim and her spouse, I asked the grand jury to indict the case as a felony "family violence battery".  At the time, the law provided that a "upon second or subsequent conviction of a family violence battery against the same or another victim," the defendant may be charged with a felony.  In the instant case, the defendant's prior conviction for battery was a family violence battery under the current definition of the statute, but it had not been called a "family violence battery" because that description did not exist in the law at the time of the previous conviction. Defendant moved to dismiss the felony indictment on this basis, and the trial court ruled the previous batteries, although clearly family violence and involving the same parties, would not serve to elevate the then current case to a felony because the previous cases had not been called "family violence battery".  The trial court's view constituted strict construction of the language of the statute at that time.  I felt this construction created a potential loophole in the law for family violence recidivists, violated the true intent of the legislature, and constituted a failiure to properly protect domestic violence victims from repeat offenders.  The case was dismissed by the trial court.  As the State of Georgia, I appealed to the Georgia Court of Appeals.  I asked the court to make law on this issue because it was the right this to do.  The Court of Appeals agreed.  Shortly thereafter, the Georgia Legislature did as well.  Given the danger that domestic violence poses to our society, our children, our law enforcement officiials, this was a special and deep personal victory to me, fighting a battle for so many who often are unable to fight for themselves.

Educational Background:

• University of Georgia School of Law, Juris Doctor, 1997
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA, B.A., with highest distinction, in International Studies, Dean's List, Phi Beta Kappa, Golden Key National Honor Society, 1994