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Lea is a member of our Estate Planning and Administration Group, the Business Law Group, and leads the firm’s Family Law practice, which includes the Collaborative process.
Since 2007, Lea has concentrated her family law practice in the methods of collaborative law, which reaches resolution by settlement customized to address the needs of each separate case. Collaborative law is practiced outside the court process and allows the parties to maintain healthy relationships with children and extended family during and after the divorce.
While Lea is dedicated to the collaborative process, she also recognizes that, at times, court is inevitable. She is an experienced litigator in traditional divorce matters, including equitable distribution, support and alimony issues, custody matters, property negotiation and settlement of marital claims (including real estate matters), and pre-martial agreements.
She is an active and founding member of CLASP (Collaborative Law Association of Southwestern Pennsylvania), where she has completed many training sessions to learn the strategies of Collaborative Law. She currently serves as Chair of the Education Committee, which hosts two noon-time presentations per month, as well as a monthly evening video series, in hopes of expanding the process throughout the area, and across multiple industries and types of law.
Lea is currently a member of the IACP (International Academy of Collaborative Professionals), focusing on the needs of her divorcing clients, but also providing positive outcomes for these individuals and their children.
Lea holds a membership with the American, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Allegheny County Bar Associations. In 2008, Lea was nominated to become a Fellow of the ACBA Foundation, an organization dedicated to the community through pro bono work.
She has held numerous leadership roles within the ACBA, having been elected to the Council of the Family Law section, as well as the Mentoring Committee. Under her leadership, the Mentoring Committee has piloted a shadowing program. The successful shadowing program provides young and inexperienced attorneys the opportunity to shadow an experienced attorney for a custody, support, divorce or PFA matter. She also co-chaired the Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee.
She was also instrumental in the formation of the new Collaborative Law Committee of the ACBA in 2011. She serves as it’s first Vice Chairperson.
Lea has been named to the 2010 and 2011 List of Best Lawyers in America for Family Law: Collaborative Law.
She is also a master of the Pittsburgh’s Chapter of the Matrimonial Inn of Court, where she currently serves as the Secretary and Treasurer, with intent of taking over as President in the next year.
In addition to her family law focus, her estate planning practice serves an array of needs, including the drafting of wills, testamentary, irrevocable and living trusts, advance health care directives, living wills and durable powers of attorney and compliments the needs of her family law clients.
Lea recently addressed members of the Pittsburgh Foundation, with “Estate Planning for Women,” where she introduced and promoted actions women should take to best protect themselves and their family through their estate planning and family law needs. She has also spoken at PBI seminars on Premarital Agreements and Estate Planning for second marriages.
While Lea’s practice primarily focuses on Estate Planning and Administration and Family Law, she is also experienced in the formation and representation of small businesses, the purchase and sale of businesses, contract and lease negotiations, resolution of employment conflicts and family succession planning. In addition, she is experienced in the preparation of employment policies and handbooks, hiring and termination of employees, severance agreements and mutual releases.
A 1976 magna cum laude graduate of West Virginia University, Lea received her B.A. in Psychology. She was also elected into Phi Beta Kappa, Phi Delta Phi and Phi Kappa Phi. She attended the West Virginia University College of Law, earning her J.D. in 1979.
Continuing her involvement with West Virginia University, Lea has just completed a term on the College of Law Visiting Committee (2006-2010) and from 1995-2006 was a member of the Visiting Committee of Student Affairs. As a member of these committees, she aided the school and its leaders in decision-making and served as a liaison between the students and faculty and the Dean and President.
Lea is admitted to practice in the Supreme Court of the United States, Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia, United States District Court of Western Pennsylvania, Northern and Southern Districts of West Virginia.
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