Bio

Melissa has dedicated her career to helping families during times of crisis, as she devotes her practice exclusively to the areas of divorce and family law, including distribution of assets, child custody, child support, spousal support, orders of protection, abuse and neglect proceedings, and juvenile delinquency matters. Melissa is very active and experienced in the local court systems, representing clients in Nassau, Suffolk, Queens and New York (Manhattan) Counties, and she has frequently been asked to lecture to her fellow attorneys and law students on various topics.

At the forefront of current trends, Melissa has developed an expertise in divorce mediation – a process that allows couples to divorce in an amicable and more cost-efficient manner. Melissa draws upon her vast experience as a traditional divorce attorney in a litigation setting, and her judicial appointments as the Attorney for the Children in custody disputes, to successfully mediate divorces.

Melissa graduated magna cum laude from New York University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Child Psychology, and from New York Law School with a Juris Doctor degree. Her past professional experience includes her work at Jill C. Stone, Esq., P.C., where she worked for over a decade handling complex custody matters and divorce litigation (and where she remains Of Counsel to the firm). Previously, Melissa worked as a law clerk at a large corporate firm in Manhattan, and subsequently interned for a boutique Manhattan matrimonial firm, specializing in high net worth and celebrity divorces. While in law school, Melissa interned for the esteemed Honorable Arthur Diamond, wherein she assisted in over dozens of matrimonial matters.

Since 2011, Melissa has been an active and passionate member of the Nassau County Attorney for the Children Panel, through which she is appointed by Supreme Court and Family Court Judges to represent children in Family Court proceedings and Supreme Court custody matters. Through this important panel, Melissa has zealously represented the rights of hundreds of children in Nassau County.

Melissa is a well-respected, passionate advocate for her clients. She has been recognized among her peers for her legal skills, achievements and her commitment to her work by numerous journals and advocacy groups. In February 2013, Melissa was named “Young Lawyer of the Month” in the Nassau Lawyer, and she has been named a Rising Star (2015, 2016 and 2017) and a Super Lawyer (2018 and 2019) by New York Super Lawyers Magazine.

Melissa has lectured at Hofstra University, the Nassau County Bar Association, and is an active member of the Nassau County Bar Association, Nassau County Women’s Bar Matrimonial Committee and Family Law Committee.