2024
Family Law Special Issue

Attorney at Law Magazine is proud to introduce its Inaugural Family Law special issue celebrating family law and divorce lawyers nationwide. 

Lawyers! I’m so excited to introduce the Inaugural Family Law Issue! We truly hope that this kicks off a great tradition for Attorney at Law Magazine. In this issue, we’ve interviewed some standout family law attorneys and teams from across the country. Thank you to each of the lawyers for sharing their story with us.

2024 Family Law Issue

Our cover story features the matrimonial team at Meister Seelig & Fein – a new addition to the powerhouse firm. Headed up by Chair Sam Ferrara, this team has been collaborating together to successfully represent their clients for close to a decade (with some members working together for close to 20 years!). Learn more about this six-attorney team in “The Big Picture of Family Law.”

Born and raised in southern California, attorney Nina Shayan Depatie has built a strong network within the local legal community. When she decided to start her own law firm she was supported by family, friends and even the team at her previous firm. Read about her practice in, “The Empowering Journey.”

At the age of 38, Rock Rocheleau left a successful insurance franchise to enroll in law school. Today, he works alongside his wife, Stacy Rocheleau, at Right Divorce Lawyers. Learn more about his journey to the practice of family law in “The Unconventional Journey.”

In “People Want Choices,” the team at Triangle Divorce Lawyers speaks to their expansion into a new office and their reach into the counties around Raleigh. Learn more about their approach, including “Second Saturdays” and pro bono work.

Tiffani T. Atamas grew up moving between New York and Japan. She initially followed her father into finance with a job at Lehman Brothers. In 2008, she followed her dream and attended law school. Today, she brings the same intensity to her family law practice. Learn more in “Family Law with a Wall Street Edge.”

Jay Henderlite, a board certified marital and family law attorney, was inspired to pursue his practice by his favorite law professor. Today, he practices alongside his partner in the historical Cathedral District of Jacksonville. Learn more in “The Family Philosophy.”

Be sure to check out our website for future special issues. We’re excited to continue sharing the stories of top lawyers nationwide.

Happy Reading,

Mike

Michael Elbrecht
Publisher

The Stories

Nina Shayan Depatie: The Empowering Journey

Meet Nina Shayan Depatie, the vanguard of a new generation of attorneys, challenging and reshaping the landscape of family law. In a profession often defined by tradition, Depatie, founder and principal attorney of Shayan Family Law, APC, brings a fresh, dynamic perspective that transcends the courtroom walls.  Recognized as belonging among the best in her field by her peers as well as by leading business publications, Depatie is a home-grown product of sunny

Read More »

Rock Rocheleau: The Unconventional Journey

Meet Rock Rocheleau of Right Lawyers, a legal maverick whose journey to the courtroom took a decidedly unconventional route. From his days serving in the Air Force to owning his own insurance firm, Rocheleau’s path meandered through diverse landscapes before settling into the realm of family law.

Read More »

Jay Henderlite: The Family Philosophy

As the managing partner of the firm of Watson Henderlite Family Law, John “Jay” Henderlite, III sets a high standard for legal excellence. His board certification, dedication to clients, and commitment to advancing the field of family law all combine to make him a standout figure in the legal community. Henderlite enjoys a reputation as a distinguished expert in the

Read More »

Tiffani T. Atamas: Family Law with a Wall Street Edge

Wall Street lawyer turned stay-at-home mom Tiffani T. Atamas received a frantic call in 2017 from a Japanese mother she had befriended at a playgroup in Tokyo. The mother, her American husband and their son had moved to Tennessee, and six months later the mother was served with an emergency custody order that deprived her of custody of her son.

Read More »

Triangle Divorce Lawyers: People Want Choices

Kathleen Murphy was making jokes to lighten the mood. And soon, so too were the rest of the Triangle Divorce Lawyers attorneys during our photo shoot at the North Carolina State Farmers Market. The goal was to communicate that this is something other than a stuffy, downtown law firm. Mary Gurganus launched the nine-attorney Triangle Divorce Lawyers firm in 2014.

Read More »

Rock Rocheleau: The Unconventional Journey

Meet Rock Rocheleau of Right Lawyers, a legal maverick whose journey to the courtroom took a decidedly unconventional route. From his days serving in the Air Force to owning his own insurance firm, Rocheleau’s path meandered through diverse landscapes before settling into the realm of family law.

Read More »

Meister Seelig & Fein’s Matrimonial Team: The Big Picture of Family Law

Some legal disciplines are by nature quite focused. Day in and day out, the lawyer provides the same services over and over with little variation. On the opposite end of the spectrum are practices like family law where the lawyer must serve as a maestro in a full orchestra of overlapping legal problems – family law, real estate, estate planning, commercial and corporate, tax, criminal and more. In this practice, not only must the lawyer have insight into a variety of areas, but collaboration is essential.

Read More »

Triangle Divorce Lawyers: People Want Choices

Kathleen Murphy was making jokes to lighten the mood. And soon, so too were the rest of the Triangle Divorce Lawyers attorneys during our photo shoot at the North Carolina State Farmers Market. The goal was to communicate that this is something other than a stuffy, downtown law firm. Mary Gurganus launched the nine-attorney Triangle Divorce Lawyers firm in 2014.

Read More »

Nina Shayan Depatie: The Empowering Journey

Meet Nina Shayan Depatie, the vanguard of a new generation of attorneys, challenging and reshaping the landscape of family law. In a profession often defined by tradition, Depatie, founder and principal attorney of Shayan Family Law, APC, brings a fresh, dynamic perspective that transcends the courtroom walls.  Recognized as belonging among the best in her field by her peers as well as by leading business publications, Depatie is a home-grown product of sunny

Read More »

Jay Henderlite: The Family Philosophy

As the managing partner of the firm of Watson Henderlite Family Law, John “Jay” Henderlite, III sets a high standard for legal excellence. His board certification, dedication to clients, and commitment to advancing the field of family law all combine to make him a standout figure in the legal community. Henderlite enjoys a reputation as a distinguished expert in the

Read More »

Tiffani T. Atamas: Family Law with a Wall Street Edge

Wall Street lawyer turned stay-at-home mom Tiffani T. Atamas received a frantic call in 2017 from a Japanese mother she had befriended at a playgroup in Tokyo. The mother, her American husband and their son had moved to Tennessee, and six months later the mother was served with an emergency custody order that deprived her of custody of her son.

Read More »