Ruffin Family Lawyers

Maryana Yavdyk is licensed to practice law in North Carolina. She obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Brooklyn College of the City University of New York and Juris Doctorate from Charlotte School of Law.
From the beginning of her career, Maryana has been highly engaged in serving the ones in need. During her college years, she worked as a volunteer liaison for non-profit community centers and youth organizations. She has assisted refugees and new immigrants through a variety of social and educational programs designed to help them successfully navigate their...

After more than a decade of practicing as a family law attorney, I know that when our clients contact us, they are typically making one of the biggest decisions of their lives. They each have somehow empowered themselves enough to make the journey to change what he or she has known…whether it was for one year or twenty years. I understand it is not always hard for everyone, but change affects us all. I see it with my clients. I saw it with my own parents. In hindsight, I have to believe that the events of my childhood led...

J. Denice (Payne) von Gnechten was born and raised in the Appalachian Mountains of Western North Carolina where her family of origin still resides. Her parents divorced when she was 15 so she has a special understanding of families transitioning through difficult periods, such as separation/divorce.  Denice attended East Burke High School, then the University of Denver . She transferred to the University of San Diego and spent a semester abroad in Oxford, U.K., graduating with honors with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology in 1989. After working as a litigation paralegal for a number of years in Denver,...

Ms. Jazmin G. Caldwell, Esq. earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and her Juris Doctor at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University College of Law in Orlando, Florida. She is licensed to practice law by the State of North Carolina and has been admitted into the United States District Court of the Western District of North Carolina. The Law Office of J.G. Caldwell, PLLC focuses on Wills and Trusts, Estate Planning, Real Property Law Family Law, and Business Formation. However, we are highly versatile and able to deal with any...

Huntersville divorce and family law attorney David Self has been practicing law for over 10 years. He focuses exclusively on family law matters, choosing to hone his skill in this important and impactful legal arena. David is Board Certified in Family Law by the North Carolina Board of Legal Specialization and is also a mediator, and he applies his expertise to his practice, fighting every single day for his clients’ rights and interests. David handles cases involving contested and uncontested divorce, divorce mediation, same-sex divorce, child custody, alimony, child support, modifications of orders, separation agreements, and more. He earned his...

Family law is an often stressful, personal, and emotional matter. Whether I am representing a client as their attorney or serving as a family law mediator, I know it’s important to be responsive, prepared, and understanding of both the personal and legal implications of a family law case. My entire legal practice involves helping spouses and parents navigate an often tumultuous time in their lives and helping them through education, counsel, and legal advocacy towards a better, more stable, and more satisfying outcome. I pride myself on being able to help parties negotiate compromised settlements, either as an attorney or...

The DeCosta Law Firm is a boutique firm that handles all "family" matters, including: divorce, custody, child support, spousal support, will drafting, as well as small business matters. At The DeCosta Law Firm, we consider small business matters a "family" matter as most of our clients are family-owned and family-operated businesses, who rely on us for our breadth of expertise in domestic relations and business matters.

Tiyesha N. DeCosta, Esq., received a Bachelor of Science degree, with a minor in Finance from La Salle University, in Philadelphia, PA. Upon graduation, she went on to work in various small...

My greatest attribute is the ability to fully invest myself in my clients. To a client, this means that I will do everything possible to understand your needs, to stand up and advocate for your interests, to fine tune every detail of documents created on your behalf, and to secure a favorable outcome in your case. I understand that when a client comes to our law firm, they are often feeling stress, whether from a difficult family issue, being a defendant in a criminal matter, or trying to plan for the future of their loved ones. My goal...

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...

Meet Attorney Nick Clark: Your Trusted Advocate in Family Law and Estate Planning! Located in the heart of Barco, North Carolina, Nick Clark is a dedicated family law attorney with a compassionate approach and an unwavering commitment to his clients. With years of experience navigating the complexities of family law, Nick understands that every case is unique—bringing not only professionalism but also a personal touch to each client interaction. In addition to his expertise in family law, Nick has expanded his practice to include estate planning, ensuring that he can support families through life's most important transitions and difficult decisions....

“My personal experience and frustration with the traditional divorce model inspired me to find an alternative more holistic and non-adversarial approach to divorce. I created ROAD to RESOLUTION to provide a place where cooperation and collaboration are cultivated and the best interest of the family remains the focus. My goal is to guide people, individually or as a couple, toward resolution.” Robin Perrigo - Founder ROAD to RESOLUTION

I have been practicing family law since 2002, and I have handled cases in over a dozen jurisdictions in North Carolina.

Native Oklahoman, Jordan A. Morris, has been practicing law since 2014. She currently represents clients in Cumberland County, North Carolina and the surrounding counties in the southern, middle districts of North Carolina. Jordan practices in civil litigation (contract disputes, landlord/tenant issues, personal injury), criminal litigation, family law issues (divorce, custody, paternity, child support, alimony, equitable distribution, juvenile, adoption, guardianships), and estate planning (wills, deeds, probates, conservatorships). She earned her Juris Doctor degree in 2013 at Florida Coastal School of Law (FCSL). In law school, Jordan was the recipient of the Governor’s Merit Scholarship. She was recognized for her commitment to her...