PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Rosenthal Law & Mediation,
New York, NY: 2006 – present
Attorney at Law, Mediator
Represent parents in adoptions, custody, child support, uncontested and collaborative divorces. Mediate custody, visitation, matrimonial, elder, probate and other family cases. Prepare wills and trusts, probate and estate administration. Serve as Guardian Ad Litem.
Member:
- CUNY Community Law Resource Network
- Part 36 Guardian Ad Litem Panel (Manhattan, Bronx, Brooklyn Surrogates Courts)
- Family and Divorce Mediation Council of Greater New York (President 2012-2014, Board 2008-2014)
- International Academy of Collaborative Professionals
- New York County Lawyers Association
- New York State Bar Association
- New York State Council on Divorce Mediation
- New York State Dispute Resolution Association
NYC Family Court Mediation Panel,
New York, NY: 2006-2009
Mediator
Mediated custody and visitation cases with low and middle income parents in NYC Family Courts.
Legal Aid Society, Juvenile Rights Division,
Bronx and Brooklyn, NY: 1997 – 2006
Staff Attorney/Law Guardian: (on leave 2001-2002)
- 2004-2006: Represented youth in juvenile delinquency trials and pre-trial hearings, negotiated plea bargains, counseled youth and parents to prevent recidivism.
- 2002-2004: Represented adolescents as they prepared to “age out” of the foster care system.
- 2000-2001: Wrote appellate briefs for child protective and delinquency cases.
- 1997-2000: Represented children and youth in neglect, abuse, custody, visitation, foster care, termination of parental rights, and adoption proceedings. Counseled and located family members, worked closely with social workers and investigators. Supervised students from Columbia, Fordham and New York University Law Schools.
New York University School of Law Family Defense Clinic,
New York, NY: 2001-2002
Fellow
Supervised third-year law students who represented parents in child protective cases in New York’s Family Courts. Researched teen mothers in foster care and designed curriculum for such young mothers regarding neglect and abuse. Worked closely with social work students.
Legal Information for Families Today (LIFT),
New York, NY: 1996-1997
Legal Coordinator
Provided legal information in all matters of Manhattan Family Court. Recruited, trained and supervised volunteers. Produced pamphlets for clients on relevant areas of family law.
The Door Legal Services Center,
New York, NY: 1996-1997
Paralegal
Interviewed and assisted adolescents on emancipation, family and benefits law. Advocated on behalf of clients with social service and government agencies.
Admitted to the New York State Bar, 1st Department: 1997
PRIOR EXPERIENCE
New York University, Office of the President,
New York, NY: 1990-1993
Speechwriter
Wrote remarks for president’s speaking engagements, prepared briefings about meetings and conferences. Supervised student community service volunteers and student employees.
Smith & Rosenthal, Inc.,
Visalia, CA: 1988-1989
Business partner
Raised start-up capital and managed small business consulting firm; researched market trends in management techniques.
PaineWebber, Inc.,
New York, NY: 1985-1988
Retirement Plans Analyst
Provided information to stock brokers and operations managers regarding tax regulations and firm’s procedures for retirement plans. Earned stockbroker’s license (Series 7, 63).
City of Cambridge Community Development Department,
Cambridge, MA: 1981-1984
Residential Energy Coordinator
Recruited, trained and supervised 50 employees and volunteers to install energy conservation materials in the homes of low-income elderly and disabled.
Connecticut Citizen Action Group,
Hartford, CT: 1980-1981
VISTA Volunteer, Community Organizer
Organized community association through door-to-door membership drives, strategic planning and leadership development. Organized grassroots fundraising events in Hartford and North Haven, CT.
EDUCATION
City University of New York School of Law, Flushing, NY,
Juris Doctor: 1996
Honors:
- City University Student Leadership Award
- Child Welfare Fellow
University of Massachusetts/Amherst,
Bachelor of Arts, Women’s Studies: 1980
Professional Trainings (Selected):
- Elder Mediation: Elder Decisions (16 hours): July 2009
- Matrimonial Law for Mediators: Center for Mediation in Law (16 hrs): Fall 2008
- Interdisciplinary Collaborative Practice: OCA (16 hours): March 2008
- Intensive Mediation: Center for Mediation in Law (39 hrs): April 2007
- Collaborative Law: NY Assn of Collab. Professionals (2 days): March 2007
- Basic & Custody/Visitation Mediation: CMS/OCA (52 hours): March 2006
- Part 36 Guardian Ad Litem Training: ABA (16 hours): November 2006
- Basic Mediation: Community Mediation Services (30 hours): November 2005
Regularly attend continuing education and continuing legal education courses on various aspects of family law, trusts and estates law, elder law and mediation.
Additional coursework:
- New York University Graduate School of Arts and Science (Psychology)
- New York University School of Social Work
- Harvard University Divinity School
- Smith College