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Melanie Friend, (Lawyer)

Address:
   1930 Huguenot Rd., PO Box 35655
Phone:
  
Fax:
  
Other Office Locations:
  
Email:
  mfriend@cowangates.com
Website:
  

Education


Degree Institution Year Add More

Licenses


J.D.

LL.B.

Ph.D.

Psy.D

Ed.D.

L.E.P.

LCSW

LPC

LMFT

Psychiatrist

CFP®

CPA

ChFC

Professional Activities


Current Prior

Collaborative Practice Training


Year Course Title Instructor Hours Action
Basic/ Introductory Collaborative Law or Interdisciplinary Collaborative Team Training.
30-Hr Interest-Based Negotiation & Mediation Skills
Advanced interest-based negotiation, communication skills, collaborative,professional coach training
Annual 4 hours collaborative continuing education (basic, intermediate, or advanced)

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Melanie Friend, (Lawyer)

Address:

Phone:
Fax:
Website:


Melanie Friend is a principal at CowanGates, where her family law practice focuses on divorce , child custody and visitation, spousal support, child support, adoption, and prenuptial agreements. She is qualified as a guardian ad litem for children. She joined CowanGates in 2007, after completing a clerkship for the Honorable Timothy E. Meredith of the Maryland Court of Special Appeals. In 2019, Virginia Lawyers Weekly named Melanie to their "Leaders in the Law" list, and in 2016, the publication named Melanie to their inaugural class of of Virginia's Up & Coming Lawyers. In 2013, the Richmond Bar Association selected Melanie as the recipient of its Young Lawyer of the Year award. Virginia Business Magazine selected her to its list of Legal Elite in the area of family law 2013-2019, and she has been named as a Super Lawyers Rising Star 2010-2013 and a Super Lawyer in the area of family law 2014-2020. Melanie is a past-president of the Metropolitan Richmond Women’s Bar Association. She has also served on the boards of the Greater Richmond Bar Foundation, the Richmond Bar Association, Collaborative Professionals of Richmond, and the Metro Richmond Family Law Bar Association. She is a member of the Lewis F. Powell, Jr. American Inn of Court, the Chesterfield County Bar Association, Virginia Trial Lawyers Association, and the Family Law Section of the Virginia State Bar. Melanie obtained her law degree from William & Mary School of Law, where she earned Honors for excellence in research, writing and client relations. In addition, she served as member of the Moot Court Team and National Trial Team. In 2003, Melanie graduated summa cum laude from Thiel College with a bachelor of arts degree in English and was named class salutatorian. Melanie received the Thiel College Excellence Award, a full academic scholarship presented each year to one entering freshman. She also received the Vira I. Heinz Scholarship for Study Abroad, allowing her to spend a summer term studying at University College Cork in County Cork, Ireland.

Collaborative Practice Group Membership


Collaborative Professionals of Richmond

Collaborative Services


Education


Licenses


Esq. ,J.D.

Professional Activities


PRIOR:
Lewis F. Powell American Inn of Court
Metro Richmond Women's Bar Association
Metro Richmond Family Law Bar Association
Virginia Trial Lawyers Association
Richmond Bar Association
Chesterfield County Bar Association

Collaborative Practice Training


Year Course Title Instructor Hours
Basic/ Introductory Collaborative Law or Interdisciplinary Collaborative Team Training.
2013 Collaborative Divorce 3-Day Team Training Virginia Collaborative Professionals 19
30-Hr Interest-Based Negotiation & Mediation Skills
2014 Family Mediation Commonwealth Mediation Group 20
2014 Basic Mediation Skills and Process Ervin Mast 20
Additional 15 hours Intermediate/ Advanced interest-based negotiation, communication skills, collaborative, or basic professional coach training
2014 Understand Attachment Styles and Its Application in Collaborative Divorce Cases Yuval Berger, MSW, RSW and Lisa Alexander, BA, LLB 7
2013 Client Science for Collaborative Professionals: Client Interviewing and Decision-Making Through Bad News and Other Legal Realities CPTI 7
2013 Behavioral Finance Susan Buniva 1
Annual 4 hours collaborative continuing education (basic, intermediate, or advanced)
2021 The Psychological and Ethical Dimensions of Collaborative Practice (13th Annual Conf.) David A. Hoffman, Collaborative Attorney & Mediator 4.75
2020 Things to Consider in Handling Multi-Nationals Family Law Cases and Cases with International Aspects CPR: Melissa Kucinski 1
2019 What's IACP Got To Do With It? Chris Farish, JD .5
2019 Collaborative Boot Camp: An Experiential Day of Refining Skills and Deepening Team Cohesion (12th 11-11-19 Barbara Burr, JD & Lisa Herrick, PhD 5.5
2018 UCLA Panel: What’s In It For Me? (11th VaCP) 11-12-18 Del. David Toscano; Robert Merlin, PA; Teresa Cole, JD; and Cathleen Rea, PhD 1.25
2018 The Complicated Marriage of Family Law & Estate Planning and Estate Law Scott Stovall, Esq. 1
2018 Support Redux: Navigating the New Tax Laws and the Emotional Challenges They Create for Spouses (and Teams) (11th VaCP) 11-12-18 Sanford Cassel, PhD; Frank Morrison, JD; Gigi Robson, CPA, CDFA; and Paul Smollar, JD 3.25
2018 Protecting Ourselves & Our Clients from Identity Theft Bryant Harrison 1
2018 Love Yourself First: Top 10 Financial Planning Tips Jennifer Berdell 1
2018 Intersection of the Property Settlement Agreement & the Parenting Plan, Part 2 Mary Owens, Will Fitzhugh, Sandy Cassel & Annelise Petry 1
2017 Securing Collaborative Clients CPTI 7
2017 Mastering Crucial Moments in Separation and Divorce Lisa Herrick, Kate Scharff 6
2016 Risk Assessment within the Collaborative Process Kenny Elikins 1
2016 Retirement and Preparation for Retirement During Times of Uncertainty Paul LeGrand 1
2016 Client Science for Collaborative Professionals: Client Interviewing and Decision-Making Through Bad News and Other Legal Realities Marjorie C. Aaron 4.5
2015 Virginia Case Law and Legislative Update for the Collaborative Professional Christopher MacTurk 1
2015 Perry Mason Goes Digital: What Collaborative Professionasl Need to Know about Electronic Evidence John Simek 0.5
2015 Information Security for Collaborative Professionals Sharon Nelson 1
2015 Building Your Collaborative Practice Mike Fancher 3
2013 Parent Coaching Janet Carter 1
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