Top Family Lawyers Near Me in Chapel Hill Area

While I am a native of New York, I grew up in Hillsborough, North Carolina. I attended the University of North Carolina at Greensboro where I earned my Bachelors of Science degree in Finance, graduating Magna Cum Laude. After graduating from college, I worked in the financial services industry assisting individual and corporate clients with financial and estate planning. I quickly realized that financial securities work was not fulfilling my desire to work with clients on a more personal level. Therefore, I left the financial securities industry and enrolled in North Carolina Central University School of Law, where I graduated Magna Cum Laude earning a Juris Doctor.. My philosophy in helping my clients is simple: I treat my clients the way I would want my family to be treated. My clients are the cornerstone of my practice, and I am humbled to hlep clients through exciting times, such as purchasing a new home and through more difficult times, such as divorce.. In my free time, my husband and I are active in our church and taking care of our three daughters. When we are not at a basketball game or dance event, we like to travel, shop, and catch up on television.

Scott is an associate at Village Law Group. After graduating from Florida State (Go Seminoles!) and prior to attending law school, he worked as a Legal Assistant at Haas Tharrington, P.A. . It was during his time as a legal assistant that he found and fostered his interest in family law. Scott knew he wanted to one day come back to practice family law, but he first wanted to gain as much litigation experience as possible.. Prior to entering private practice, Scott served as an Assistant District Attorney for Alamance County, North Carolina. He progressed through the DA’s office at a quick pace, handling a full-time felony caseload less than a year after being hired. Scott served as the DWI Prosecutor in Alamance County, trying over 100 DWI trials. He also served as the Domestic Violence District Court Prosecutor which made him well versed in the emotionally charged crimes that occur between family members or current/former romantic partners. Once promoted to the “big leagues” Scott was assigned a wide array of felonies including but not limited to: Drug Possession/Sale/Deliver/Manufacture; Residential Breaking and Entering; Fraud; Embezzlement; Larceny; Habitual Impaired Driving; Habitual Felon Status Crimes; Possession of Firearms Crimes and many others. Scott was fortunate enough to try a handful a jury trials, many of them as “first chair” and the sole representative for the State.. During his time as a felony prosecutor, Scott also took over as Juvenile Prosecutor in Alamance County. As Juvenile Prosecutor, Scott handled cases ranging from simple possession of marijuana to First Degree Forcible Rape. Scott enjoyed his time in Juvenile Court because the outcome for most defendants was not incarceration but rehabilitation with so many more resources available. Scott has an intense awareness and concern for children and is always careful to ensure that the needs of the children in any situation are thoughtfully considered and addressed. He understands that it is frequent that children experiencing crisis or transition in their households or families act out and make mistakes, and that is why Scott will also be adding a juvenile defense practice to Village Law Group.. Scott is extremely comfortable in the courtroom, but understands that it is not the right venue for all matters. He is sensitive to the complexities of dynamics between family members, and has spent considerable time working with families in crisis, and those being affected by domestic violence, substance abuse, and contacts with the adult or juvenile criminal justice systems.. As a prosecutor, Scott spent considerable time negotiating with defense attorneys, and has the strong communication and active listening skills required of all professionals dealing with the deeply personal and delicate issues that occur between spouses and families. Scott understands that separation and divorce are major and traumatic life events, and that adults experiencing these transitions also act out and make mistakes. As such, Scott will be focusing his adult defense practice at Village Law Group on traffic violations and Impaired Driving (DWI) cases.. Scott earned his law degree from the University of South Carolina. In addition to his J.D., Scott also received a Children’s Law Certificate, which is given to law students who focus their coursework on laws and policies directly affecting children. He has served as a volunteer Guardian ad Litem for abused and/or neglected children since his time as a legal assistant. He is a member of the American Bar Association and the Durham County Bar Association.

Martha McKee has practiced law for 25+ years.  Although she is a strong advocate in court or in negotiations, she believes that each family has unique needs that must be fostered as the family unit changes.  She has represented hundreds of clients in a varitey of court settings including family court, DSS court, special proceedings, arbitrations, and other settings during the few years she practiced in Pennsylvania.  Martha's main practice areas at present are custody, divorce, property settllements, child support, spousal support and alimony, and all other related family matters including wills and living wills, prenuptial agreements, incompetency proceedings, grandparent issues, alienation of affection and criminal conversation.. Martha has volunteered in numerous areas over the years, from family law clinics, domestic violence clinics, divorce clinics, mock trial competitions, disability proceedings, mortgage foreclosures and citizenship cases.  She is a devoted mother and grandmother, a former Stephen Minister, she loves to read, travel, swim and is an avid sports fan.  Although she is a graduate of Duke Law School, she considers her undergraduate education at The College of Wooster to be the grounding force in her life and the education which allows her to be a lawyer for all people in all situations.

John is a board certified specialist in Family Law and a partner at Bagwell Holt Smith P.A.  His practice includes all aspects of Family Law, including separation and divorce, premarital and postmarital agreements, custody, child support, alimony, equitable distribution, adoptions and termination of parental rights.  While John primarily practices in Orange, Durham, Wake, Chatham and Alamance County, he has represented clients from Burgaw to Boone.. In the community, John served on the board of directors for the Compass Center for Women and Families in Chapel Hill where the the firm also leads a free monthly workshop on divorce.

I love practicing law. Guiding people through the upheaval of a custody battle, the end of a marriage or the aftermath following the death of a loved one is a honor and a position of trust that I take seriously. I enjoy finding creative ways to solve problems, efficiently handling disputes as cost effectively as possible and fiercely protecting my client's rights. Let me help you get through this, we can do it together.

I have 29 years of litigation and jury trial experience. Before starting my own firm, I worked as a partner for a prominent law firm with over 170 attorneys and offices throughout Florida. I have litigated cases and taken depositions throughout the United States, as well as Puerto Rico, Canada, England and the Netherlands.. My practice concentrates on litigation matters, particularly family law and personal injury. I have an AV® Preeminent™ rating by Martindale-Hubbell, reflecting achievement of the highest rating for skill, professionalism and ethics.. Finally, I have been active in legal and community organizations, including Lawyers for Children America, a lead child advocacy organization protecting the rights of children, and the Foster Care Review Board, reviewing cases of youth in foster care. In Chapel Hill, I am a member of the North Carolina Advocates for Justice as well as the Special Needs Advisory Council.

I guide high net worth individuals and families through the complex legal and tax aspects of estate planning, probate and trust administration. After over 35 years of helping folks,  I like to say that I specialize in "peace of mind.". I grew up in Chapel Hill, NC and most of my family is in the area. I now split my time between Naples, FL and Chapel Hill, but remain a die hard Tar Heel fan! Personally, I enjoy traveling, the outdoors, reading history, and spending time with my rather large family!

Brian is a founding member of Chapel Hill Family Law and has exclusively practiced family law in Orange, Chatham, and Durham Counties for more than ten years.  Brian has successfully represented hundreds of clients in all manner of family law matters, including particularly challenging cases involving high net worth individuals, business valuations, domestic violence, high-conflict parties, mental illness, infidelity, substance abuse, individuals with substantial separate estates, and parents with special-needs children.. Brian graduated with Honors from Bucknell University in Pennsylvania.  His move south began when he started law school at The George Washington University Law School in Washington, DC, which is consistently ranked as one of the top-20 law schools in the country.  Brian began his legal career practicing civil litigation with a well-known law firm in suburban Maryland just outside of Washington, DC.  Following the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon, Brian represented victims of the attacks through the Trial Lawyers Care pro bono program.  Brian then transitioned to the practice of family law with one of the top Washington, DC-area family law firms.  In 2005, Brian moved with his wife to Chapel Hill to follow her dream of working for her alma mater.  Upon obtaining his North Carolina law license, Brian continued his career in family law, working at Lewis & Anderson, a renowned Chapel Hill family law firm, for nine years until the firm’s principal, Susan Lewis, retired from the full-time practice of family law.  In 2014, Brian founded Chapel Hill Family Law with his colleague, Chellie Joines, to continue the tradition of excellence maintained by Lewis & Anderson.. Brian is a native Pennsylvanian who was born into a family now full of lawyers.  His father has practiced law in Pennsylvania for more than forty-four years, and two of Brian’s three siblings are also lawyers.  Brian lives in Chapel Hill with his wife, also a lawyer; his young son; and their often uncooperative and always enormous Newfoundland, Ernie.  Brian enjoys spending time with his family, travel, and just about anything involving water.  Brian has been highly involved with his son’s preschool, including serving on its Board of Directors as Chairman of the Board.

An Alamance County native, Ray earned his Juris Doctorate from North Carolina Central University School of Law. He received his Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice with a minor in History from Campbell University. Prior to joining the Law Office of Matthew Charles Suczynski, PLLC, Ray served as an Assistant District Attorney in the Durham County District Attorney’s Office where he handled thousands of misdemeanor and felony cases in both District and Superior Court. While serving as an Assistant District Attorney, Ray was part of the Violent Crimes and Homicide Team where he prosecuted a multitude of violent crimes ranging from Felony Assault to First Degree Murder. Ray’s professional experience gives him a unique perspective on criminal law by allowing him to understand how both sides of the process operate.. Before joining the Durham District Attorney’s Office, Ray worked as a Staff Attorney for Legal Aid of North Carolina in Pittsboro, North Carolina. While working for Legal Aid of North Carolina, Ray provided free legal representation to North Carolinians in various civil matters.

Experienced Family attorney serving clients in Chapel Hill and surrounding areas.

Experienced Family attorney serving clients in Chapel Hill and surrounding areas.

Experienced Family attorney serving clients in Chapel Hill and surrounding areas.

Experienced Family attorney serving clients in Chapel Hill and surrounding areas.

Experienced Family attorney serving clients in Chapel Hill and surrounding areas.