Chatham County Family Lawyers

Ellis Family Law, PLLC was founded in 2002 by board certified attorney Gray Ellis with the singular goal to provide the very best legal representation to North Carolinians facing challenging family law issues. Since that time, the firm has successfully represented hundreds of husbands, wives, children, grandparents, and other family members in courts across the state. Our work has not gone unnoticed as the firm has earned awards from both national and local organizations such as Super Lawyers, North Carolina’s Legal Elite, and Best of Durham.

Marie Hopper is a Chatham County native. She earned her law degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2004 and holds her undergraduate in History from Earlham College. She is a Certified Family Financial Mediator by the North Carolina Board of Dispute Resolution, a member of the North Carolina State Bar, the 18th Judicial District Bar, the Chatham County Bar Association, and the Family Law and Estate Planning and Fiduciary Law sections of the North Carolina Bar Association. She served as President of the 18th Judicial District Bar in the 2019-2020 fiscal year, and as Vice-President...

A natural born problem solver, attorney Hugh Bailey is an accomplished trial attorney with a proven record of successful results on behalf of clients. His practice includes advocating for clients in a wide variety of matters affecting the family unit, including divorce, child custody and support, spousal support, equitable distribution, domestic violence, and pre and post nuptial agreements. Hugh’s effectiveness in and out of the courtroom is derived in part from both a broad and deep background in high-stakes cases involving individuals, businesses, and government entities. However, it is Hugh’s approach and commitment to helping people that serves as a cornerstone...

Attorney Rebecca Poole brings a powerful combination of skill, passion, and advanced training to the practice of law. Certified by both the North Carolina Board of Legal Specialization and Center for Cooperative Parenting, Rebecca has established a reputation for excellence – and results – in the areas of mediation, arbitration, litigation, and the collaborative divorce process. She also assists the firm’s clients in developing comprehensive estate plans that ensure family members and financial affairs are protected and preserved. Over the course of her legal career, Rebecca has maintained an unwavering commitment to achieving client goals, even when faced with challenging...

I love practicing law. Guiding clients through the stress and upheaval of divorce, a custody battle or the aftermath of a death in the family is position of trust that I take seriously. Drafting an amicable separation agreement, or completing an adoption efficiently with as little drama as possible is equally important. I have been a NC Certified Family Law Specialist since 2009. My law firm handles divorce, custody, child support, alimony, property division, grandparents' rights, domestic violence, tort claims and personal injury, prenuptial and separation agreements, estate planning and administration in Chatham, Orange and Durham counties.

John G. Miskey IV is a board certified specialist in Family Law and leads the Firm’s Family Law department. He has maintained an interest in Family Law, families and policy throughout his educational and professional career.

Mr. Miskey’s character and work ethic was forged in his childhood. His first job was delivering daily newspapers through the snow-filled neighborhoods of Buffalo, NY. Very close with his family, he chose to attend local schools for his education. Mr. Miskey graduated summa cum laude from Niagara University and obtained his Juris Doctor degree from The State University of New York at Buffalo with...

D. Cole Phelps manages our office in the northeastern part of the state. Attorney Phelps is a native of Washington County, and he returned to his home community to serve and give back. After winning his first primary election with over 62% of the votes, he later became the youngest county commissioner at the time of his election to serve in any of North Carolina’s 100 counties. During his first term of office, he was selected by his fellow board members as vice chairman and then chairman. Currently, he is serving his second term of office as a member of...

Julia received a BA in Criminology and BA in Sociology from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Julia went on to earn her J.D. from Thomas M. Cooley Law School (N/K/A Western Michigan University Thomas M. Cooley Law School), in Lansing, Michigan. During law school, Julia competed in the Mock Trial First Year Competition and was a semifinalist. She also competed in Moot Court and was a finalist in the Negotiations Competition. During her last semester of law school, Julia completed an externship at the Durham County Public Defender’s Office. Julia is an associate attorney in the Family Law department. Julia focuses...

Sara Barlowe is an associate attorney at Bagwell Holt Smith where she practices in the Firm’s Family Law department. Sara joined the Firm in July of 2020 shortly after relocating to the Research Triangle area from Astoria, Queens with her family and their two cats. While in New York, Sara worked as an Assistant District Attorney with the Bronx District Attorney’s office where she focused primarily on domestic violence and special victims cases with the exception of a year-long stint in the office’s Special Investigations Division where she handled long-term wiretap investigations. Sara received her Juris Doctor, cum laude, from Benjamin...

Daniel Krchnavek is an attorney licensed to practice law in North Carolina. He is a member of the Wake County Bar Association and the North Carolina Bar Association. Daniel mostly practices in Chatham, Durham, Harnett, Johnston, and Wake counties. The majority of his practice involves family law, including, but not limited to: adoptions, alimony, child custody, child support, divorce, equitable distribution, guardianships, and postseparation support. When not practicing law, Daniel enjoys spending time outdoors with his family.

Attorney Justin Nichols practices family, personal injury, and criminal law in Chatham, Orange, Durham, and Wake Counties. He joined Averett Family Law in 2012, after practicing in the fields of personal injury defense, workers’ compensation, and complex construction litigation.

Justin has extensive experience in the courtroom litigating cases, as well as helping clients negotiate out-of-court settlements. He has handled cases before state administrative agencies, the state superior and district courts, the North Carolina Justin Nichols Associate Attorney Pittsboro Siler City Court of Appeals, and the federal district court.

Justin graduated cum laude from Campbell University School of Law in Raleigh, North Carolina,...

As a small dedicated law firm, we represent clients involved in marital disputes. Our knowledge of the law allows us to aggressively represent you when you need someone on your side. We represent people who need help in the following Domestic/Family Law areas: family and domestic law including; child custody, support, alimony, divorce, and property distribution.

Kelly was born and raised in North Carolina, and currently lives in Hillsborough, North Carolina with her wife and daughter. Kelly has worked with the seriously mentally ill, at risk youth, troubled families, domestic violence aggressors and victims and as an intake counselor for a four county area in NC. She has extensive training as a mediator As an attorney, she has represented defendants with serious felony offenses through negotiated pleas or jury trials to verdict. She has represented a wide variety of clients in negotiated and litigated family law matters and believes that negotiation should always be pursued...

Attorney Val Cesanelli handles family law cases for our firm, with a focus on child custody cases and matters arising out of the process of separation and divorce, such as separation agreements and questions of spousal and child support. Val also handles other family related cases, such as paternity actions, legitimations, name changes and changes in birth certificates, as well as provides drafting services of powers of attorneys and simple wills.

Val is as much a litigator as she is a counselor at law for her clients. As a mother of three children and three stepchildren, Val is both professionally and...

I am originally from Fort Bragg, North Carolina. I graduated Magna Cum Laude from North Carolina Central University in 2003 with a Bachelors of Arts in Political Science and Psychology. I obtained my Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Cincinnati College of Law in 2006. I than began work with Legal Aid of North Carolina. While at Legal Aid, I served as a staff attorney representing clients in housing, employment, education, and consumer matters. I also served as the director of Legal Aid’s statewide Bankruptcy team. In October of 2011, I began work with Mike Lewis Attorneys. There...

Daphne Edwards & her team focus exclusively on divorce and family law matters addressing the most complex issues facing divorcing couples: custody, asset division, alimony and child support, mediation and divorce arbitration, and the crafting of reliable separation agreements, as well as issues surrounding domestic violence, surrogacy, and assisted reproductive technology matters. Daphne’s approach is simple: each case is unique and each client receives personalized attention and the highest standard of care available while her team works to achieve that client’s specific goals.

Daphne has over twenty years of experience and is known to be an aggressive advocate for her clients...

Angela McIlveen is the CEO and Co-Founder of McIlveen Family Law Firm.

The first thing you will notice when you meet Angela McIlveen is that she genuinely cares about her clients and the clients of the Firm.

Maybe it’s because she remembers going through her parents’ nasty divorce when she was 6 years old. Angela knows that her parents' divorce impacted her life. Angela McIlveen remembers growing up with her dad when kids didn’t grow up with their fathers and she says it definitely shaped her life. In case you are wondering, no her mom wasn’t a bad person. Her...

Mr. Culbertson has nearly 25 years of legal experience and is a widely recognized Federal and State Court Litigator. In the past year, Mr. Culbertson has been in both National and State news (see his website for links to newspaper articles (https://culbertsonatlaw.com/news/). He is also one of the elite percentage of attorneys that has a case reported in Federal Law Reports — the large law books that contain the controlling case law of the United States. He has handled dozens of Federal criminal and white-collar crimes, in addition to important Federal and State civil cases. Mr. Culbertson practices appellate law...

Our motto is: "Compassion, Responsiveness and Accessibility" Stephen Robertson is a Board Certified Family Law Attorney in Greensboro NC with over 20 years of experience. The Law Office of Stephen E. Robertson PLLC specializes in Family Law and Bankruptcy Law for individuals, families, and businesses in North Carolina. Our Family Law Lawyers in NC are focused on: Child Custody, Child Support, Divorce and Family, Alimony and Spousal Support. With our extensive experience, we can represent you in Parental Rights, Alimony in NC, Legal Separation, Divorce in NC, Child Support Calculator NC, Custody, Alienation of Affection; Invasion of Privacy, Nuptial or Post Nuptial, Qualified...

Angela L. Haas, of Haas & Associates, PA, is an experienced family law attorney and mediator, who serves both traditional and non-traditional families in every aspect of family law, estate planning and administration. A double-major honors graduate of Appalachian State University and Campbell Law School, Angela is dedicated to working with each client to develop creative and effective solutions to protect themselves and their families. Ms. Haas offers a refreshing perspective on the challenges and opportunities that each client faces, and seeks to take advantage of the best legal and practical solutions available in each case.

Carolyn has practiced family law for more than 20 years, helping North Carolina family law clients achieve their individual objectives with every case she takes. She is the managing shareholder of Woodruff Family Law Group in Greensboro, North Carolina, is a board-certified Family Law Specialist, and concentrates her legal practice in the areas of family law and divorce. She is very experienced in complex equitable distribution, business valuation in divorce, complex custody, alienation of affection, domestic violence, alimony, child support, grandparents' rights, and other areas falling within family law, such as termination of parental rights and adoption.

Jonathan, a director at Woodruff Family Law Group since 2006, has practiced family law for over 10 years, and is certified by the North Carolina State Bar as a Family Law specialist. Jonathan focuses on the areas of custody, divorce, and property division, including retirement. He received his JD from Wake Forest School of Law.

I am an experienced and dedicated attorney serving Alamance and Guilford Counties. My practice areas include criminal defense representation for DWI, Traffic Matters, Felonies and Misdemeanors. Additionally, I represent clients with Divorce, Separation, Child Custody and Support, Domestic Violence, and 50 B/C law matters.

I received a B.A. in History from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington in 1998. My J.D. was earned from Campbell University in 2006. Following Law School, I was an Assistant District Attorney in Alamance County, North Carolina for four years. I then opened my own law firm.

At Brad Buchanan Attorney...

Since 1992 I have focused my practice primarily on criminal defense. In 1998, along with Seth Blum, I founded the Raleigh Law Firm of Kurtz & Blum PLLC. At Kurtz & Blum we help people who have been accused of crimes from minor traffic cases and DWIs all the way up through high profile murder trials. On our civil side we help people who have been harmed by the negligence of another such as in car wrecks, nursing home negligence cases and legal malpractice cases. We round out our practice by helping people with family law...

I will try any case, anytime, anywhere, if the cause is just.

Thorough preparation and a thoughtful pace are vital in ensuring that your rights and interests are fully represented. Greensboro Family Law and divorce lawyer Rebecca Perry understands the value of preparation and commitment to excellence. Rebecca Perry has passionately represented the legal rights and vital interests of men and women in North Carolina since 1995. As a North Carolina Board Certified Family Law Specialist and Certified Family Financial Mediator, attorney Rebecca Perry can offer you the thoughtful legal counsel and thoroughly experienced representation you need in order to restructure and rebuild after separation. Or if it is time to create...

Steve Mansbery joined Tharrington Smith in 2006 after earning his law degree from Case Western Reserve University. Prior to law school, Mr. Mansbery attended the University of Kentucky, where he earned his undergraduate degree in Finance, with Departmental Honors, and graduated magna cum laude. He is a Board Certified Family Law Specialist by the North Carolina State Bar Board of Legal Specialization.

Mr. Mansbery has been appointed to the Wake County Bar Association and the Tenth Judicial District Bar Professionalism Committee every year since 2009. He was recognized as a “Rising Star” in North Carolina Super Lawyers magazine for the years...

Since my admission to the Bar, I have devoted my practice to helping my clients in family law matters, including custody, support, property division, divorce, adoptions, wills, estates and probate. I often deal with people at the most difficult times of their lives whether it is through a divorce or the loss of a loved one. With a combination of patience, experience and knowledge I am able to help my clients resolve his/her case with the best possible outcome.

Len C. Mueller graduated in 1982 from North Carolina State University with a B. S. in English, and graduated in 1985 from The Campbell University School of Law with her J. D. She has been practicing domestic law in Wake County since that time. Ms. Mueller was certified as a specialist in the area of family law by The North Carolina State Bar in 1994. Ms. Mueller is also certified as a Family Financial Mediator. Ms. Mueller credits her former law partners, prominent local attorneys, Richard (“Rick”) Gammon and Russell W. DeMent, for her success as a trial lawyer. She...

Lynn Burleson is a native of Albemarle, North Carolina. He was admitted to the practice of law in North Carolina after receiving his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Public Administration degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and his Juris Doctor degree from the Wake Forest University School of Law. Before joining Tharrington Smith, Mr. Burleson served as a district court judge and was a partner in the law firm of Kilpatrick Stockton. He has served as an adjunct professor of law for the Wake Forest University School of Law and High Point University....

Alice C. Stubbs is a partner in the firm. She joined Tharrington Smith in 2006 after having served for 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 primarily in domestic court. She was certified as a juvenile judge in 2001 and was designated and presided as a family court judge from 2002 until she came to Tharrington Smith.

Ms. Stubbs is a native of New Bern. She graduated from Phillips Academy in Andover,...

Cristina Quantock joined Beaver Courie Law Firm in 2012. Prior to working in private practice she served as a prosecutor in Hoke County. Since joining the firm, Cristina has worked on hundreds of cases in both District and Superior Courts. During her 10 years of practicing law, Cristina has exemplified an attention to detail and a dedication to achieving the best possible results for her clients. She has experience in handling difficult cases and knows how to help clients through challenging times.

Cristina’s practice covers all areas of family law including absolute divorce, child custody, alimony and equitable distribution. Cristina also...

Need a Raleigh Family Law or Contract Litigation Attorney? Call Bryant Paris today at (919) 832-5577. Since 2002, Bryant has represented people from all walks of life across North Carolina as well as small businesses in a wide-variety of civil and criminal law cases. Through the years, he worked tirelessly to obtain just results for his clients in an effort to put them in a position to move on with their lives after their cases are resolved. Bryant uses his vast experience gained from actual courtroom hearing and trial experience, as well as in arbitration and mediation, to...

Board Certified Family Law Specialist. Sam has received the Martindale-Hubbell Client Distinction Award, the AVVO Client’s Choice Award, AVVO Top Child Custody Attorney recognition, and is named in the Top 100 Family Lawyers in North Carolina by the American Society of Legal Advocates.

The Spagnola Law Firm in Greensboro, North Carolina practices almost exclusively in family law matters, including divorce, separation, alimony, child custody, child support, property division, prenuptial agreements, and adoptions. We represent clients in Guilford County, Randolph County, Rockingham County, Davidson County, Alamance County, and Forsyth County family law and bankruptcy matters.

Parker grew up in the Raleigh & Wake County, North Carolina. She completed her Bachelor of Arts in Journalism at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill in 1975. After graduation, Parker worked in public relations at Duke University Medical Center for several years before enrolling in law school at Wake Forest School of Law, where she completed her Juris Doctor in 1985. As a law student, Parker was a member of the Moot Court Board and was elected to the Order of the Barristers. She was a member of the school’s National Appellate Team and...