NOT LIVING HAPPILY EVER AFTER? LET OUR TEAM OF LAWYERS BASED IN ALLEGHENY COUNTY HELP TO RESOLVE YOUR PENNSYLVANIA DIVORCE AND FAMILY LAW ISSUES.

With approximately fifty-five percent of all marriages ending in divorce and more than half of all children residing in single custodial parent families, divorce and family law issues impact more individuals and families than probably any other areas of the law. At the law firm of Lisa Marie Vari & Associates, our practice is limited to divorce and family law issues. As a former Staff Attorney for the Family Division of the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Attorney Vari and her staff understand the legal as well as emotional and financial implications of divorce and family law proceedings. Our offices’ goal is to make our clients’ experiences in and out of the courtroom as positive and convenient as possible. We handle all aspects of family law cases including:

• Pennsylvania divorces and annulments
• Equitable distribution of marital assets and marital debts
• Prenuptial and post nuptial agreements for Pennsylvania couples
• Pennsylvania spousal support, APL and alimony cases
• Pennsylvania child support and paternity issues
• Child custody and grandparents’ rights in Pennsylvania
• Contempt, enforcement, modification and appeals of Pennsylvania family law orders
• Rights of Pennsylvania step parents including step parent adoption and support
• Pennsylvania juvenile laws governing juvenile delinquents and juvenile dependents
• Domestic violence including spousal and child abuse issues

At our law firm, we believe that a team approach is the best method to provide clients with prompt and efficient service at affordable prices. This is why our office utilizes the talents of a select number of lawyers, law clerks and paralegals to assist our family law clients.

Our office is lead by Attorney Lisa Marie Vari. Attorney Vari has been in private practice in the family law area for over ten years. Prior to establishing her private practice, Attorney Vari was employed as a staff attorney to Judge Max Baer when he served as the Administrative Judge of the Family Division of the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County.

Lorraine Smith is a 1994 graduate of Duquesne University School of Law. After graduation, Attorney Smith practiced law in Florida in the areas of juvenile dependency and appellate law. In 2002, she returned to the Pittsburgh area and has concentrated her efforts representing clients in domestic relations matters. Attorney Smith joined the staff at Lisa Marie Vari & Associates in July of 2004. Ms. Smith maintains her license to practice law in both Pennsylvania and Florida.

David Obarra holds an "of counsel" designation with our office. Attorney Obarra has been employed by the Allegheny County Public Defender's Office for the past six years. Three of his six years with the Public Defender's Office where spent working in the Juvenile Court section of the Allegheny County courts. Attorney Obarra assists our offices with Pennsylvania juvenile criminal law issues also known as juvenile delinquency cases.

Jamie Stapinski is employed as a law clerk in our law firm. She is a recent graduate of Duquesne University School of Law and received her Juris Doctorate degree. Once Ms. Stapiniski has passed the Pennsylvania Bar Exam, she will become a full-time Associate Attorney in our office. Prior to her employment with our law office, Ms. Stapinski participated in a one-year internship in the Allegheny County Family Division of the Court of Common Pleas. Ms. Stapinski graduated magna cum laude from Robert Morris University in 2000 with a B.S.B.A. in Accounting. Her accounting skills and background in family law are utilized to assist the attorneys with child and spousal support cases as well as equitable distribution and other matters.

Jacqulyn West received her B.S. in Chemistry at Duquesne University in 2000, and her Juris Doctorate degree from Duquesne University School of Law in June 2004. Ms. West graduated with honor from the School of Law, was a member of Duquesne Law Review and the Associate Recent Decisions Editor for Volume 42. Ms. West will also become an Associate Attorney in our office upon her passing of the Pennsylvania Bar Exam. Prior to her employment with our law firm, Ms. West served a law student legal intern with Judge Jeffrey Manning in the Criminal Division of the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County. Ms. West's excellent research and writing skills are frequently called upon by the lawyers in the office.

Barbara Morgan received her paralegal certificate from the Bradford School in Pittsburgh. She was then employed by the Administrator of the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County, Family Division. From 1997, Ms. Morgan has been a paralegal in the office of Lisa Marie Vari & Associates.

Please visit our law firm’s website at: www.PaFamilyLawyers.com for more comprehensive biographies of the qualifications of our attorneys, law clerks and paralegals than that listed on this site. Feel free to compare information regarding the experience and qualifications of the lawyers and staff in our office against other attorneys and their law firm's experience and qualifications. Afterwards, our office is confident that you will agree that our law firm is the right choice for your Pennsylvania divorce, support, child custody or other family law matters.

From our offices in downtown Pittsburgh (located directly across the street from the Allegheny County Family Division court) and Whitehall, our team of Pennsylvania divorce and family law attorneys are available to represent clients with issues originating in Western Pennsylvania. Although our offices are located in the Pittsburgh section of Allegheny County, our team of Pennsylvania divorce and family law lawyers welcome cases not only in Allegheny County, but also in the family court systems located in Beaver County, Butler County, Fayette County, Indiana County, Somerset County, Washington County and Westmoreland County. Whether you want to call us your divorce lawyers, child custody attorneys, support lawyers, adoption advocates, or something else, our team of attorneys is ready to assist you with your Pennsylvania divorce and family law matters.

Please feel free to contact us by email or telephone to schedule your appointment. We offer both free and paid consultations. Evening hours are available upon request.

Please inform the secretary if you are a member of the military serving on active duty. Our office is familiar with military divorce and support issues. As a thank you for your military service, we offer a free initial consultation on Pennsylvania family law matters to any active duty soldier or sailor. Attorney Vari understands the commitment to your country and the sacrifices made by you and your family members as her husband is serving in the Special Forces unit of the U.S. Army.

Lisa Marie Vari & Associates
Manor Building, Penthouse Suite
564 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15219
Phone: (412) 281-9906
Fax: (412) 281-9908
Firm website: www.PaFamilyLawyers.com
Email: Info@PaFamilyLawyers.com

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