Divorce Professionals to Know 2025

Tricia D. Goostree is the founder and managing partner of Goostree Law Group, P.C. in St. Charles, Illinois. Since 2002, she has focused her practice entirely on family law. She represents clients in divorce, child custody, child support, visitation, paternity, maintenance, complex financial disputes, and appeals. Her background in moot court, legal writing, and courtroom advocacy helped shape the clear, strategic approach she brings to every case. Tricia helps clients make sense of difficult family law problems and take practical steps forward. Whether you are dealing with a contested divorce, a custody fight, or a complicated financial issue, she works to protect your interests and present your case effectively. She is known for being prepared, direct, and compassionate with clients who are facing stressful and deeply personal situations. In addition to her work in court, Tricia has served her community through legal service, bar association leadership, and mock trial programs. She has also earned recognition from Best Lawyers, Super Lawyers, Leading Lawyers, and other respected legal organizations.

Renee Bauer is a nationally recognized family law attorney and the founder of Happy Even After Family Law, where she helps clients navigate divorce and custody matters with clarity and confidence. With decades of courtroom and negotiation experience, she is known for combining sharp legal strategy with a modern, client centered approach to resolving complex family disputes.

Specialties: Board Certified Family Law Specialist

I am the founder and principal mediator of the San Diego Family Mediation Center. We are located in Del Mar, California at 445 Marine View Ave., Suite 305, Del Mar, CA 92014. Please visit me at www.SanDiegoFamilyMediation.com. My primary goal is to educate people of the benefits of mediation, not only in family law matters, but in all matters. I have been mediating divorces for over 17 years. I believe that families deserve more than family court can give them. Sure, divorce is a legal process, but it is also a family matter and should be treated as such. Too many professionals lose sight of the fact that each "side" is still part of a whole unit. One that will, more often than not, have to continue in a relationship together. This process MUST include empathy, understanding and clear communication. Without them, our clients suffer, and if our clients suffer, their children suffer more. Specialties: Family mediation, pre-marital & post-marital mediation & agreements, dissolution of both marital and non-marital relationships. Mediations are generally completed using only one mediator, however, team mediation will be provided upon request or when necessary.

Family law attorney with 20+ years of business leadership experience, focused on divorce and child custody advocacy.

Scott Levin, known as the Chief PeaceKeeper™, is a leading San Diego divorce lawyer and mediation expert. As the founder of San Diego Divorce Mediation & Family Law, Scott helps couples achieve amicable divorces without the stress of court battles or high legal fees. With over 20 years of family law experience and a magna cum laude degree from the University of Virginia School of Law, Scott is dedicated to providing affordable, peaceful resolutions for families. Scott's clients typically reach amicable out of court agreements in months for a fraction of the cost of a contested litigation. Scott’s expertise as a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst™ ensures a fair division of assets and debts, while his problem-solving approach has earned him recognition as one of San Diego's top family law attorneys, including awards from San Diego Business Journal, Super Lawyers, Mediate.com, and San Diego Metro Magazine. Scott is proud of his and the firm's compassionate approach to separation empowering families to resolve all aspects of divorce with dignity. To learn more about Scott and mediation law services, call 858-255-1321

I am a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA), mediator, Certified Divorce Coach (CDC), and Certified Co-Parenting Coach (CCPC) who has built a trusted reputation for guiding women and families through the complexities of divorce and co-parenting transitions with both emotional safety and financial clarity. Drawing on my own lived experience as a divorced mother, I blend empathy with professional expertise to help clients navigate one of life’s most challenging transitions. My practice, Finding Strength with Shell, is rooted in the belief that clarity and confidence are possible even amid upheaval. Areas of Expertise: - Divorce Planner & Guide: Helping clients navigate the divorce process, understand the long-term impact of financial decisions during divorce and make informed decisions. - Mediation: Creating safe, constructive spaces for resolution and collaboration. - Co-Parenting Coaching: Supporting families in building healthier communication and boundaries post-divorce. - Financial Recovery Coaching: specialized support service designed to help women rebuild stability, confidence, and clarity in the wake of divorce. It goes beyond traditional financial planning by addressing both the numbers and the emotions tied to money during a major life transition. Notable Accomplishments - Earned certifications as a Certified Divorce Financial Analyst, a Certified Divorce Coach, and a Certified Co-Parenting Coach, underscoring my commitment to both financial and emotional well-being. - Author of "You Are Not Alone: Your Guide When Divorce is on Your Doorstep." It's a heartfelt companion for anyone contemplating divorce but who hasn’t yet found the courage to express it. - With a master's in accounting and over 20 years of experience in the Financial Services Industry, I've proudly transitioned from leadership roles to expanding my practice. This journey showcases my strategic vision and unwavering personal integrity, fueling my passion for making a positive impact in our community. - Featured in media and professional platforms for my innovative frameworks that blend financial clarity with emotional healing. Shell’s work is distinguished by her ability to translate difficult transitions into opportunities for growth. Journalists covering stories on divorce, co-parenting, rebuilding finances, or women’s empowerment will find my perspective both deeply informed and profoundly human.

I love doing things differently.Business, branding, running a law firm. Don’t tell me something should be done a certain way. Challenge accepted.I’ve been a divorce attorney for a couple of decades. But I’m more than my legal degree.I wrote a book that won the American Book Fest Award in 2023 - SHE WHO WINS. I love motivational speaking because it terrifies me and makes me uncomfortable.I also am an investor in a technology platform called, The Tarot Bridge. Random, right? Not so much. As a divorce attorney, I often hear women tell me they go to psychics and tarot card readers to get guidance on what to do in their marriage. I saw the need for having a space where readers have been vetted for their integrity.So, to sum it up. I love scaling and building businesses. I love the challenge of taking an idea to fruition. I love failing because it’s an opportunity for growth. And I love helping women recognize their own greatness.

Julie Colin brings more than three decades of experience in family law, representing clients in divorce, custody, and related matters. She is widely recognized for her courtroom experience, practical guidance, and child-focused approach in complex and high-conflict cases.

Erik Wheeler has helped hundreds of couples go through divorce more peacefully and at much lower expense than battling it out in court. Holding a Master's degree in Mediation, Erik works in both Vermont and Colorado, specializing in divorce and family mediation. His calm, reassuring approach that helps couples reach agreements even in emotionally charged situations. He prepares all court-required paperwork for uncontested divorces, guiding clients through the process from initial agreement to final filing without the adversarial dynamic of litigation. Erik is available to comment on topics including divorce mediation, alternative dispute resolution (ADR), the financial and emotional costs of contested divorce, co-parenting agreements, asset division, and how couples can avoid the family court system. He serves everyday families, military couples, and cases involving complex asset division.

I’m a divorce attorney with 13 years experience litigating exclusively in Family Law in Virginia courts. I built a social media following on TikTok and Instagram of more than 100,000 followers by sharing practical and modern divorce strategy. I’m now embracing the challenge of entrepreneurship by growing a Family Law firm in one of the most competitive legal markets in the United States.

I pioneered divorce by mail in California from 1981 through 1998. I wrote the world's first divorce software (for California) in 1983. I converted that software to the web in 1999. After running several retail divorce sites, I launched Online Divorce Lawyer software for California lawyers in 2019. ODL is work-product software that works right out of the box. It does not require the lawyer to add logical workflows to make the product work. With ODL, your client data gathering time goes to zero thanks to our interactive secure online interview. Your doc prep/review time goes almost to zero. The lawyer controls all doc downloads in either batch or single doc modes. All California Judicial Council and local county divorce docs, plus Marital Settlement Agreements are included and are fully-prepared and ready to file. Online Prenup Lawyer was added in 2024 and AI-powered Online Divorce Mediation Lawyer was added in 2026. Consumers are impressed by the software and its speed. They get the best mix of tech and lawyer and the lawyer gets all of this under his or her own white label brand.

Cathleen Norton is a California Certified Family Law Specialist and the founder of the Law Offices of Cathleen Norton. She has practiced family law exclusively for over 20 years, handling high-conflict divorce, custody, domestic violence, and complex property matters in Los Angeles County. A UCLA School of Law graduate, Cathleen is known for translating complicated legal issues into clear, practical guidance for parents and families navigating emotionally charged legal disputes.

I free women who want to live a better life by helping them let go of a marriage that isn’t serving them anymore. Women who are empowered can inspire and create change that will improve everyone's lives.Divorce (Marriage Dissolution), complex property division, divorce for women, child support, child custody, adoption, modification, enforcement/contempt, prenups, postnups, marital agreements, collaborative law, mediation, and family law litigation.

Charles M. Green is a Certified California Family Law Specialist and licensed CPA with over 27 years of experience representing clients in complex divorce, child custody, and asset division matters throughout Los Angeles County. As one of approximately 1,150 State Bar-certified family law specialists in California—and one of the few who also holds an active CPA license—Charles brings integrated legal and financial expertise to high-stakes cases involving business valuations, QDROs, retirement division, spousal support calculations, and forensic financial analysis. His firm, Charles M. Green, APLC, was among the first Los Angeles family law practices to build CPA financial benefits and Spanish-language services into its foundation, serving Latino communities since 1998. The firm also provides Korean-language support. Charles is available to comment on California divorce and custody law, high-net-worth asset division, gray divorce trends, fathers' rights, CA yax law, QDRO/retirement issues, and financial strategy in family law and tax controversy matters.' Credentials: - Certified Family Law Specialist, State Bar of California - Licensed CPA (California) - J.D. + former Big Four accounting experience

Kara Francis is a modern relationship expert, divorce strategist, and former divorce attorney known for helping women and couples navigate marriage, separation, and life transitions with clarity, truth, and confidence. After years practicing as a divorce attorney, Kara stepped away from the courtroom to focus on a deeper mission — helping individuals make relationship decisions rooted in honesty, communication, and self-trust. Her work centers on preserving relationships when possible and guiding thoughtful, empowered transitions when necessary. Kara’s perspective is shaped by both professional experience and personal insight. Having navigated marriage, divorce, and remarriage herself, she brings a grounded, realistic understanding of the emotional and practical challenges couples face at every stage of partnership. Her work reflects a growing shift in modern relationships — one that values authenticity, emotional intelligence, and intentional decision-making over avoidance and reaction.

Jeffrey A. Landers, CDFA®, CDLP® is the Founder and CEO of Hello Monthly Income™, LLC (https://HelloMonthlyIncome.com), a specialized nationwide insurance agency that helps divorcing people protect their receipt of alimony and child support payments with life and disability insurance. Jeffrey A. Landers is a divorce financial specialist with more than 40 years of combined experience across financial advisory, real estate, mortgage lending, and insurance. He has personally advised on more than 1,000 divorce cases nationwide since 2010 and is widely recognized as one of the leading voices in the country on the financial aspects of divorce. Jeff earned his BA in Psychology from Columbia University and studied law at Pace University School of Law. Before entering the divorce financial space, he spent more than two decades in real estate and finance, working in the real estate departments of Metropolitan Life, Merrill Lynch, and other major financial institutions. He also owned and operated a real estate brokerage company in New York and an online real estate matching service. He later joined Wells Fargo Advisors as a financial advisor. While there, he had several clients who were going through a divorce and that was the genesis for launching his practice advising women navigating financially complex divorces. In 2010, Jeff founded Bedrock Divorce Advisors, LLC, a nationwide divorce financial strategy firm working exclusively with women before, during, and after divorce. Through Bedrock, he built a national practice helping clients and their attorneys work through the financial complexities of asset division, support structuring, and long-term financial planning. He went on to found Divorce House Sense, LLC to focus on helping divorcing homeowners with real estate and mortgage solutions, and then Hello Monthly Income, LLC to address the critical and often overlooked gap in insurance protection during divorce. Professional credentials and licenses: • Certified Divorce Financial Analyst (CDFA®) • Certified Divorce Lending Professional (CDLP®) • Licensed Life, Disability and Annuity Insurance Agent • Licensed Real Estate Broker • Licensed Mortgage Broker Jeff is the author of 8 published books on the financial aspects of divorce. Jeff also wrote “Divorce Dollars and Sense,” a weekly column for Forbes.com covering the financial aspects of divorce. He has also contributed articles regularly to The Huffington Post, DailyWorth, More.com, Lawyers.com, Advisorpedia, and many other publications. In addition, Jeff has been interviewed extensively by CBS Television News and FOX Television News on the financial impact of divorce. His expertise has been cited or featured by The Wall Street Journal, Dow Jones, The Miami Herald, Smart Money, Consumer Reports, The Christian Science Monitor, and Inc.com, among others.

Virginia Family/Matrimonial AttorneySpecialties: family law, matrimonial law, divorce, separation, child custody, parenting time/visitation, prenuptial/antenuptial agreements, parenting time, visitation, spousal support, equitable distribution, child support, mediation, litigation, business valuation, proofreading, research, writing

After spending 15 years as a divorce litigator, Jeanette became determined to create a positive and less stressful divorce experience for clients. This led to her found Atlanta Holistic Family Law, where Jeanette and her team prioritize non-litigation tools for clients to have a lower stress divorce on their own terms and timeline.Jeanette has a real passion for family law that stems from her own personal background of being a single parent over her son, Logan, who she adopted from birth together with her ex-husband. Jeanette’s passion for the law and her extensive family law experience enables her to handle even complex family law issues while utilizing a low conflict process.