
Practice Areas: Family Law, Appellate
Licensed in Oklahoma since: 2004
Education: The University of Tulsa College of Law
Cornell Law Firm
2504 E. 21st StreetSuite A
Tulsa, OK 74114 Phone: 918-574-8901 Email: Melissa F. Cornell Visit website
Details
Focusing her practice exclusively on family law matters, Melissa F. Cornell is the founder of her firm that is based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. In addition to her representation of area clients who are contemplating or going through a divorce, her practice includes paternity establishment and disputes; the preparation and review of prenuptial agreements; adoptions; in vitro fertilization and surrogate carrier issues; and helping domestic violence victims obtain protective orders. Ms. Cornell is admitted to practice before all Oklahoma state courts.
In her divorce practice, Ms. Cornell assists clients whose marriages are ending and who are thus having to deal with child custody and visitation, property division, alimony, and child support. Because of her training and background in mediation, she often helps them attempt to reach an accord on these matters through the use of that alternative dispute resolution method, but she is a forceful advocate on their behalf when going to court is necessary or advisable. Ms. Cornell's colleagues have taken note of her successful track record in all of her endeavors as well as of the ethical manner in which she handles what are often sensitive cases, and they have awarded her an AV Preeminent* peer review rating through Martindale-Hubbell and a 10.0 "Superb" peer review rating through Avvo.
Ms. Cornell is a fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, and she is a past chair of the Family Law Section of the Tulsa County Bar Association. She is a graduate of what was then known as the Metropolitan State College of Denver, where she majored in criminal justice and received a Bachelor of Science in 2001. Her legal education was obtained at The University of Tulsa College of Law, and she served on the Tulsa Law Review before being awarded her Juris Doctor with honors in 2004.
*AV®, AV Preeminent®, Martindale-Hubbell Distinguished and Martindale-Hubbell Notable are certification marks used under license in accordance with the Martindale-Hubbell certification procedures, standards and policies. Martindale-Hubbell® is the facilitator of a peer review rating process. Ratings reflect the anonymous opinions of members of the bar and the judiciary. Martindale-Hubbell® Peer Review Rating™ fall into two categories – legal ability and general ethical standards.
First Admitted: 2004, Oklahoma
Professional Webpage: https://www.clftulsa.com/attorneys/attorneys-cornell/
- Chair of the Young Family Lawyers Committee of the Family Law Section of the Tulsa County Bar Association, 2007
- President of the Oklahoma Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, 2017
- President of the Oklahoma Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers.
- Member of the Family Law Sections, American Bar Association
- Member of the Family Law Sections, Oklahoma Bar Association
- Oklahoma, 2004
- OBA Delegate, 2009
- Member of the Inns of Court, 2003
- Chair of the Family Law Section of the Tulsa County Bar Association, 2013
- Member of the Tulsa County Bar Association Family Law Section, 2004
- Member of the Professional Responsibility Committee, 2009
- Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, 2013
- Certificate of Arbitration Training from the Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, 2020
- Certificate of Mediation Training, 2009
- Young Family Lawyers Committee Chair
- CLE Presenter "Valuing Closely Held Businesses in Divorce" at American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers CLE , 2019
- Tulsa County Bar Association Delegate to the Oklahoma Bar Association
- Volunteered for the Tulsa County Bar Association’s Professional Responsibility Committee
- Volunteered for the Tulsa County Bar Association’s Young Family Lawyers Committee
- Volunteered for the Tulsa County Bar Association’s Mentor Committee
- Volunteered for the Tulsa County Bar Association’s Children in the Law Committee
- Volunteer attorney for Tulsa Lawyers for Children, 2008
- CLE presenter for Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma, 2005
- CLE presenter for Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma, 2007
- CLE presenter Tulsa County Bar Association, Family Law Section, 2011
- CLE Presenter Oklahoma Bar Association Family Law Section, 2016
- CLE presenter for Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma, 2006
- CLE presenter for Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma, 2010
- CLE presenter Tulsa County Bar Association, Family Law Section, 2014
- CLE Presenter- National Business Institute [NBI], 2016
- CLE presenter for Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma, 2008
- CLE presenter Tulsa County Bar Association, Family Law Section, 2013
- Named to Top 25 Women Super Lawyers in Oklahoma , Top 25 Women Super Lawyers in Oklahoma, Super Lawyers, 2019
- Oklahoma Rising Star (2009-Present)
- Named to the Super Lawyer list , Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers, 2019
- Named to the Super Lawyer list , Super Lawyer, Super Lawyers, 2018
- Martindale-Hubbell Bar Register of Preeminent Women Lawyers (2011-Present)
- Tulsa’s Top Lawyers as published by Tulsa People Magazine (May 2011-Present)
- Directory of Distinguished Attorneys (2010-Present)
- AV Preeminent Rating (2009-Present)
- Martindale-Hubbell Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers (2011-Present)
- University of Tulsa College of Law , 2004
- Termination of Joint Custody: Is the Law in Oklahoma Disjointed?, Oklahoma Bar Journal, 2007
- Published case: Radford v. Radford, 2016 OK CIV APP 24, 371 P.3d 1158.
- Published case: Johnson v. Wingert, 2011 OK CIV APP 128, 268 P.3d 145.
Selections
- Super Lawyers: 2016 - 2024
- Rising Stars: 2008 - 2014