Melissa A. Graham-Hurd
Top rated Family Law attorney in Akron, Ohio
Practice Areas:
Family Law,
Alternative Dispute Resolution,
Estate Planning & Probate,
Child Support,
Custody & Visitation,
Divorce,
Domestic Violence,
Father's Rights,
Wills,
Mediation & Collaborative Law
Education Qualification:
The University of Akron School of Law
Practice Areas:
Family law,
Alternative dispute resolution,
Estate planning & probate,
Child support,
Custody & visitation,
Divorce,
Domestic violence,
Father's rights,
Wills,
Mediation & collaborative law
4030 Massillon Road #B AkronUniontown, Ohio, 44685
First Admitted: 1984, Ohio
Professional Webpage: http://www.grahamhurdlaw.com/attorney-profile/melissa-graham...
Bar/Professional Activity:
- Ohio State Bar Assocciation Solo and Small Firm Section - Chair of the Board of Editors
- Ohio State Bar Association, Council of Delegates, 2001 - Present
- Chair, Ethics/Professionalism Committee, Ohio State Bar Association
- Chair, Ohio State Bar Association, Family Law Committee, 2002 - 2004
- Ohio Supreme Court, Advisory Committee on Families, Children and the Court, 2003 - 2007
- Fellow, Ohio State Bar Foundation, 2003 - Present
- Ohio State Bar Association - Board of Governors
- Fellow, Akron Bar Foundation
- Chair, Akron Bar Association, Family Law Section, 1994
- Chair, Ohio State Bar Association, Family Law Legislative Drafting Subcommittee, 1996 - 1998
- Co-Chair, Special Committee to Review Gender Fairness Task Force Report , 2009 - 2012
- Vice Chair Juvenile Committee, Ohio State Bar Association, 2004 - 2005
- Vice-Chair, Akron Bar Association, Family Law Section, 1993
- Vice-Chair, Ohio State Bar Association, Family Law Committee, 2000 - 2002
- Vice Chair, Akron Bar Association, Law Week Committee, 1989 - 1991
- Secretary, Ohio State Bar Association, Family Law Committee, 1998 - 2000
- Secretary/Treasurer, Akron Bar Association, Family Law Section, 1989 - 1992
- Ohio State Bar Association, Professionalism Committee, 2012 - Present; renamed Ethics Committee, Chair 2016 - 2018
- Member, Ohio State Bar Association, Family Law Committee, 1987 - Present
- Ohio State Bar Association, Family Law Committee Spousal Support Committee, 2000 - Present
- Mentoring, Akron Bar Association, 1990 - 1992
- Akron Bar Association, Grievance Committee, 1989 - 1991
- Ohio State Bar Association, Solo and Small Firm Section, 2006 - Present
- Member, Ohio State Bar Association, 2001 - Present
- Member, Akron Bar Association, 1984 - Present
- Akron Bar Association, Young Lawyers Committee, 1984 - 1992
- Member, Ohio Women's Bar Association
- American Bar Association, Family Law Committee, 1987 - Present
- Member, Stark County Bar Family Law Committee
- Member, Ohio State Bar Association, 1990 - 2002
- Member, Akron Bar Association, Family Law Section, 1985 - Present
- Member, Stark County Bar Association
- Akron Bar Association, Bar Applicants Interviews, 1993 - 1994
- Ohio State Bar Association, Family Relations Specialty Committee, 2004 - Present
- Member, Akron Bar Association, Law Week Committee, 1984 - 1993
- U.S. Supreme Court, 1999
- U.S. Court of Appeals 6th Circuit, 1990
- Member, Ohio State Bar Association, Legal Ethics and Professional Conduct Committee, 2006 - 2012
- U.S. District Court Northern District of Ohio, 1985
- Ohio, 1984
- Member, Ohio State Bar Association College, 1987 - Present
- Akron Bar Association, Women in the Law, 2009 - Present
- Member, Association of Family and Conciliation Courts
Verdicts/Settlements (Case Results):
- DePiero v. Macedonia - 6th Cir. 180 F.3d 770 - a civil rights suit successfully brought against a municipality holding mayor's court, 1999
Representative Clients:
- Ordinary men and women going through the toughest parts of their lives, the breakup of their relationships, and determining how to arrange parenting responsibilities.
Special Licenses/Certifications:
- University of Akron, Center for Dispute Resolution, Certificate in Peace Studies, 1980
Pro bono/Community Service:
- American Bar Association Military Pro Bono Project - Provides services to military service members through JAG offices
- Many cases handled at low cost or no cost for qualified lower income individuals with family relations difficulties through volunteer agency.
Honors/Awards:
- Fellow - Akron Bar Foundation
- Fellow, Ohio State Bar Foundation
Educational Background:
- JD - University of Akron School of Law, 1983
- University of Akron, B.A. in English and French, 1980
Scholarly Lectures/Writings:
- Tax Aspects of Divorce in Ohio, Miscellaneous Tax Provisions and Ethics, National Business Institute, 1999
- Coordination/Organization of Seminar, Ohio State Bar Association Family Law Committee - Annual Conventions, 1998
- Family Law in Ohio, Analysis of Financial Information, Preparation and Trial of a Divorce Case, National Business Institute, 1996
- Parenting Issues in Domestic Relations Cases in Ohio, Modification Proceedings, Evidentiary Problems in Initial Allocations and Modifications, National Business Institute, 1996
- Tax Aspects of Divorce in Ohio, Miscellaneous Tax Provisions and Ethics, National Business Institute, 1995
- Rules Update, Akron Bar Association Family Law Section - Annual Seminar, 1995
- Case Law Update, Akron Bar Association Family Law Section - Annual Seminar, 1994
- The New Child Support Statute, Akron Bar Association Family Law Section - Annual Seminar, 1993
- Tax Aspects of Divorce in Ohio, Miscellaneous Tax Provisions and Ethics, National Business Institute, 1993
- Bridge the Gap Seminar, Domestic Relations Section, Ohio CLE Institute, 1993
- New Lawyers' Seminar, Domestic Relations Sections, Akron Bar Association Young Lawyers Committee, 1990 - 1993
- Tax Aspects of Divorce in Ohio, Tax Treatment of Property Transfers Incident to a Divorce, Miscellaneous Tax Provisions, National Business Institute, 1992
- Creative Approaches when Seeking Visitation and New Developments in Child Custody Cases Involving the Use or Misuse of MMPIs, Ohio Academy of Trial Lawyers - Annual Family Law Seminar, 1991
- The Need to Value Marital Property, Akron Bar Association Family Law Section - Annual Seminar, 1991
- Ethical, Procedural and Evidentiary Considerations in Sexual Abuse Cases, Ohio Academy of Trial Lawyers - Annual Family Law Seminar, 1990
- Property Division - Separate and Marital Real Estate, Ohio State Bar Association, 2012
- Deviation from Child Support Guidelines, Akron Bar Association Family Law Section - Annual Seminar, 1989
- Case Law Update, Akron Bar Association, 2009
- Complication of Handbook of Forms for Portage, Stark and Medina, Akron Bar Association Family Law Section - Annual Seminar, 1987
- Ohio Spousal Support Law, Ohio Academy of Trial Lawyers, 2006
- National Trends in Spousal support , Akron Bar Association - Annual Rosen Seminar, 2013
- New Ohio Family Law Legislation, Akron Bar Association, 2005
- Shared Parenting Plans, Akron Bar Association, 2017
- Ohio Spousal Support Proposals, Ohio Association of Magistrates, 2005
- Gender Fairness project results, Akron Bar Association, 2012
- Ohio Family Law Legislation, Akron Bar Association, 2004
- Post-Decree Children's Issues, Ohio State Bar Association Family Law Committee - Annual Conventions, 2003
- Tax and Divorce - A Practical Approach, Ohio CLE Institute, 2003
- Ethics and Malpractice, Akron Bar Association Family Law Section - Annual Seminar, 2002
- "Networking Websites", Domestic Relations Journal of Ohio, West Publishing Co., September/October 2010
- "Attorney Fees", Domestic Relations Journal of Ohio, West Publishing Co., July/August, 2003
- "Law in the 50 States", (Ohio Reporter), American Bar Association Family Law Quarterly, several years
- Gender Fairness, Akron Bar Association, 2012
- Government Retirement Benefits, Sowald Morganstern Domestic Relations Law, Baldwin's Ohio Practice Series, West Group Publishers, 1997, Updated Annually
- New Lawyers' Seminar, Domestic Relations, Akron Bar Association Young Lawyers Committee, 2002
- Coordination/Organization of Seminar, Ohio State Bar Association Family Law Committee - Annual Conventions, 2001 - 2002
- Parenting Case Law Update, Akron Bar Association, Family Law Section - Annual Seminar, 2000
- Shared Parenting Case Law Update, Akron Bar Association Family Law Section - Annual Seminar, 1999
Industry Groups:
- Divorce
- Domestic Relations
- Family
- Juvenile Law
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