Mediator Resume

Litigator in Family Law for 16 years including trial and appellate work. Mediator in Family Law for 12 years. Serving as Guardian ad Litem in contested and difficult custody cases for 12 years. Serve as a part time Juvenile Court judge. Focus in all cases is finding settlement and then narrowing issues for litigation if necessary. Children, and what's best for them, and the unique needs of each family involved in divorce/legitimation/custody/child support and other family law issues is at the center of this practice.

Fox Legal, LLC -- Owner/Managing Partner

Attorney, Judge

Owner, Fox Legal, LLC 2015-Present; Associate, Atwood Choate, P.C., 2010-2015; Associate, David & Rosetti, LLP, 2010; Law Clerk, Rubin, Lublin, Suarez & Serrano, LLC, 2009-2010; Deputy Chief of Staff, Georgia House of Representatives, 2008-2009; Legislative Aide House Judiciary Non-Civil Committee, 2007-2008; Research Analyst Georgia House of Representatives, 2005-2007; English Literature Teacher, Ben Franklin Academy, 2003-2005; Second Grade Teacher, The Children's School, 2002-2003; Teacher ESOL Interactive College of Technology 1999-2000; Legislative Correspondent, Office of Senator Fred Thompson United States Senate, 1999; Teacher ESOL, United States Peace Corps, Krosno, Poland, 1998.

Sixteen years of nothing but Family Law as a mediator, litigator, appellate attorney and Guardian ad Litem. Small business owner with knowledge and understanding of how businesses make money, how self-employed individuals pay themselves and applications of same to child support and division of property issues in contested divorces. Work with clients at all income levels from high-asset and high conflict over property, multiple sources of income, investments and division of same in fair and reasonable manner. Litigating issues from high income division to high conflict custody and dealing with difficult and exhausting personalities. Work with therapists and others in the mental health field to broaden knowledge of how to best help people in difficult situations. As a part-time judge focus on listening to facts and applying the law fairly to each party so as to make reasonable decisions for litigants in both family law cases and dependency (foster care) and juvenile delinquency cases; as a litigator caution parties and clients about why it's always best for them (via mediation) to make decisions for themselves rather than the judge. Prior to law practice experience in politics and teaching -- both require using reason and strategy to help disparate parties come together to make good decisions for themselves and the public. Experience with children with learning issues and education issues helps with negotiating difficult custody cases.

Mediator since 2014. Have participated as mediator and as lawyer representing parties (mothers and fathers and grandparents and sometimes even aunts and other family members) at mediation. Have participated in mediation as Guardian ad Litem with focus on best interest of child and making recommendations to parties about what is best for a child (or children) in a difficult custody case. Experience is in divorce, legitimation, paternity and modification (post-divorce, etc.) cases. Meeting parties where they are to find the best solution for everyone is at the heart of this experience. Creative solutions to parenting time, division of assets -- listening to parties and their unique needs one case at a time.

High conflict custody cases, high-asset divorces including both high asset and high debt divisions. Legitimation issues and toxic custody battles. Post-divorce and post-order modification cases including moving cases (one parent moving out of state or too far for current parenting plan to work). Cases involving substance abuse and addiction. Protective Order cases -- both as a litigator and in mediation. Trained in Domestic Violence mediation as required by Georgia ADR.

My role as mediator is to help the parties find solutions to problems that seem insurmountable. I look for lawyers to provide me with whatever information is necessary for me to help find settlement and for that lawyer to be the best advocate for his or her client. I want to hear from the client and give him/her a chance to tell his/her side of the story as this can help with moving the case toward settlement. I am comfortable working with marital balance sheets and can put them together in mediation or work with previously prepared information from lawyers. Because I work in courts and in the appellate process I can speak to how your case will fare in litigation and any post-litigation process if necessary. I am comfortable in uncomfortable situations and with telling parties what they may not want to hear. I also understand when mediation is not working and when to cut if off for the day and when to come back to try again. My goal as the mediator is to facilitate settlement for your clients and to allow the lawyers to be advocates as appropriate.

Happy to conduct mediations in person or via Zoom or any other video platform. Comfortable with all aspects of appearing via Zoom or other video platform for using screen sharing, multiple meeting rooms, etc.

Georgia State University College of Law (J.D., Cum Laude - 2010); St. John's College, Annapolis, Md. (M.A. - 2002); University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pa. (B.A. - 1998).

Admitted to the Bar: Georgia (2010). Certified mediator per State of Georgia ADR requirements (2014).

DeKalb Bar Association; Georgia Association for Women Lawyers; Atlanta Bar Association; Former Board Member of DeKalb Pro Bono.

Hourly Rate: $350.00 Daily Rate: Not provided Study Rate: $350.00/hr Cancellation: Not provided Cancellation Period: Not provided Comment: No charge if cancelled. Hourly rate for mediation is $350.00 includes any time spent in review of documents prior to mediation and time spent in mediation with the parties. No charge for travel unless outside of Atlanta Metro Area then rate is same as hourly rate.

English

United States of America

Decatur, Georgia