Mediator Resume

Experienced family law mediator with more than 700 mediations involving dissolution of marriage, parenting plans, timesharing, child support, alimony, equitable distribution, and post-judgment matters. Founder of Porter Law and Resolution, with more than 25 years of legal practice experience and a substantial focus on family law and mediation. Prior experience with Price Waterhouse LLP and Ernst & Young LLP in trusts, estates, high-net-worth planning, asset protection, and business succession provides a strong foundation for complex financial matters. Mediation approach is analytical, organized, practical, and empathetic, helping parties navigate challenging family disputes and develop informed, durable resolutions.

Porter Law and Resolution

Attorney, Mediator, Arbitrator

Founding Owner/Managing Partner/Attorney/Mediator, Porter Law and Resolution (aka: Law Offices of Marla Porter Gross, P.A.), 1999 - Present; Co-Founder Owner / Managing Partner, Law Office of Bradley Gross, P.A., 2011 - 2021; Founder / Executive Director, Adoption Ranger, Inc., 2000 - 2008; Trusts & Estates Tax and Planning Attorney / Consultant (U.S. and International), Price Waterhouse LLP (PwC), 1995 - 1997; Trusts & Estates Tax and Planning Attorney / Tax Consultant, Ernst & Young LLP, 1993 - 1995.

Is the Founding Owner and Managing Partner of Porter Law and Resolution / Law Offices of Marla Porter Gross, P.A., since 1999 - has practiced family law and served as a mediator. To date (July 2026), has mediated more than 700 family law matters involving dissolution of marriage, paternity, parenting plans, timesharing, child support, alimony, equitable distribution, and post-judgment disputes. Mediation practice focuses on helping parties resolve complex family matters through structured negotiation, careful analysis, and practical solutions tailored to the unique circumstances of each family. In addition to mediation practice, has extensive experience representing family law clients in matters involving dissolution, parenting issues, support, equitable distribution, prenuptial agreements, and post-judgment matters. This experience has provided a practical understanding of the legal, financial, and interpersonal issues that often contribute to family disputes and informs ability to assist parties in evaluating options and reaching durable agreements. A significant component of professional background involves complex financial matters. Prior to focusing on family law, practiced with Price Waterhouse LLP and Ernst & Young LLP as a trusts and estates tax and planning attorney/consultant, handling matters involving high-net-worth individuals and families, domestic and international trusts and estates, asset protection planning, business succession planning, and sophisticated financial structures. This experience has provided a strong foundation in analyzing financial information, understanding valuation issues, and assisting parties with complex equitable distribution and support-related matters. Professional experience also includes founding and operating a Florida-licensed international adoption agency and representing families in international adoption matters involving multiple countries, government agencies, and child welfare systems. This work required extensive negotiation, cross-cultural communication, and coordination among legal, governmental, and professional stakeholders. Also has experience in special education law advocacy, including assisting families with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) and Section 504 plans and addressing educational and developmental needs of children with disabilities. Throughout career, has combined legal knowledge, financial analysis, communication skills, and child-focused advocacy to assist individuals and families navigating significant life transitions. Professional background has shaped a mediation approach that is organized, practical, and focused on helping parties develop informed and sustainable resolutions.

Has mediated more than 700 family law mediations to date (July 2026), involving a broad range of divorce, paternity, parenting, support, and post-judgment matters. Mediation practice includes extensive experience with complex family matters involving challenging communication dynamics, emotional conflict, parenting disputes, financial issues, and the development of practical solutions tailored to the unique needs of each family. Is frequently selected for complex matters because of ability to effectively address both the human and financial dimensions of family disputes. Mediation approach combines strong interpersonal communication skills with detailed legal and financial analysis, allowing to assist parties in navigating emotionally sensitive issues while also addressing sophisticated financial considerations. Routinely assists parties in developing practical solutions involving parenting structures, timesharing arrangements, child support, spousal support, equitable distribution, and long-term financial planning. Parenting-plan mediation experience includes matters involving children of all ages, supervised contact arrangements, military-family scheduling issues, culturally sensitive parenting issues, and families with special needs children. Has particular experience working with families involving neurodiverse children, including children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), ADHD, and related developmental, behavioral, and educational challenges. Background in special education and child advocacy law provides a practical understanding of the unique emotional, logistical, and financial pressures these families often experience. Assists families in developing detailed parenting plans and communication frameworks designed to reduce future conflict and minimize future litigation. Believes effective agreements must be customized to reflect each family's schedules, communication dynamics, and children's evolving needs. In addition to parenting-plan experience, a significant portion of practice involves financially complex family disputes, including high-net-worth matters, closely held businesses, trusts and estates considerations, complex compensation structures, and detailed analysis of corporate and individual tax information. Early legal experience with large accounting firms involving trusts and estates, asset protection planning, and business succession planning provided a strong foundation in financial analysis, valuation issues, and complex financial structures. Is comfortable analyzing complex financial disclosures, business interests, income structures, retirement assets, investment accounts, real estate holdings, tax considerations, and competing valuation positions. Frequently uses financial summaries, spreadsheets, and settlement scenario modeling to help parties understand the practical consequences of different options and develop agreements that are both equitable and sustainable. Ability to translate complex financial information into understandable choices is a significant component of mediation practice. Experience includes working with culturally, ethnically, and religiously diverse families through South Florida mediation practice and prior work as an international adoption attorney. Recognizes that cultural values, family traditions, and communication styles may influence conflict resolution and remain attentive to these dynamics while maintaining neutrality and helping parties develop workable solutions. Background in Communication Arts from Cornell University, combined with legal, financial, and family advocacy experience, has shaped a mediation style that is analytical, organized, practical, and empathetic. Strives to create an environment where parties feel heard, informed, and empowered to reach durable agreements.

Generally structures parenting-plan mediations by first addressing parental responsibility and decision-making frameworks, including methods and technologies for communication between parents and between parents and children. From there, moves into timesharing schedules and related logistical issues, followed by child-support and financial matters where appropriate.

I approach family law mediation as an individualized process rather than a formulaic exercise. Every family presents its own communication dynamics, emotional history, financial circumstances, and practical challenges. Accordingly, my mediation style is intentionally flexible and adaptive. Depending on the nature of the dispute and the needs of the parties, my approach may be facilitative, transformative, settlement-focused, or child-centered. I believe effective mediation begins with active listening, careful observation, and developing sufficient rapport and trust to allow meaningful communication to occur. My mediation practice encompasses the full spectrum of family law matters, including dissolution of marriage, parenting plans and timesharing, relocation, paternity, post-judgment modifications and enforcement proceedings, child support, spousal support (alimony), equitable distribution, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, and other family-related disputes. While every case presents unique legal and factual issues, I have found that the underlying interests of the parties are often best served through thoughtful, well-structured negotiation rather than continued litigation. In my view, the mediator's role is not to impose solutions, but to assist the parties in identifying their goals, clarifying areas of disagreement, recognizing areas of existing common ground, and developing practical, durable resolutions that they themselves can implement. I have found that family disputes are most effectively resolved when the parties feel heard, respected, and empowered to participate meaningfully in the decision-making process, even in highly contentious circumstances. When children are involved, I typically structure the mediation by first addressing parental responsibility and decision-making frameworks. This often includes discussion regarding educational authority, medical decision-making, extracurricular participation, religious considerations, and methods and technologies for communication between parents and between parents and children. Establishing communication expectations early in the process frequently creates a more productive framework for addressing timesharing and scheduling issues. After addressing decision-making structures and communication protocols, I move to timesharing schedules and logistical arrangements, including school-year schedules, holiday rotations, summer schedules, transportation exchanges, travel issues, and procedures for addressing future modifications. Once parenting issues have been addressed, or in cases involving only financial matters, I focus on the financial aspects of the dispute. These may include child support, spousal support (alimony), equitable distribution of marital assets and liabilities, business and asset valuation issues where appropriate, allocation of debts, and the evaluation of settlement alternatives. I enjoy working through complex financial issues with the parties and frequently develop alternative settlement scenarios to illustrate the economic impact of different proposals. By modeling various equitable distribution options, child support and spousal support calculations, and projected cash-flow outcomes, I help parties better understand the practical consequences of their decisions and evaluate settlement options that are both equitable and sustainable. My mediation process frequently incorporates caucusing, as I have found that many high-conflict family disputes benefit from private discussions that allow parties to communicate candidly, explore settlement options, manage emotions constructively, and realistically evaluate their positions. At the same time, I remain flexible in my use of joint sessions whenever they are productive and appropriate to the circumstances. Throughout the process, I strive to maintain neutrality, foster respectful communication.

Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook), Adobe Acrobat Pro, Nitro Pro, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, electronic document management, electronic filing systems, and legal research platforms including Westlaw and LexisNexis. Experienced using videoconferencing technology for hearings and meetings, secure electronic document exchange, and digital case file management.

Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University (J.D. - 1993); Cornell University (B.S., Communication Arts - 1990).

Admitted to the Bar: Florida. Florida Supreme Court Certified Family Mediator; Florida Supreme Court Certified Circuit Mediator; Florida Supreme Court Certified County Mediator; Florida Supreme Court Certified Appeals Mediator; Elder Care Mediator; Florida Qualified Arbitrator.

Florida Bar (Family Law Section, Alternative Dispute Resolution Section); New York Bar; New Jersey Bar; American Bar Association; Broward Bar Association; Weston Bar Association (Former V.P.).

Hourly Rate: $300.00 Daily Rate: Not provided Study Rate: $300.00/hr Cancellation: Not provided Cancellation Period: Not provided Comment:

English

United States of America

Weston, Florida