Michèle M. Bissada

Ms. Bissada is a Certified Specialist in Family Law (ACFLS); a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML); rated by Martindale Hubbell as an AV Preeminent attorney in her field and is a member of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC), a national organization addressing children’s issues in divorce. Ms. Bissada has spent her entire legal career practicing and further strengthening her roots in San Mateo County. Ms. Bissada is a prominent and seasoned litigator, mediator and settlement Judge, specializing in complex custody and financial matters.  She has expertise in navigating and guiding clients through complex venture capital, hedge fund and private equity cases, as well as the most complex of custody issues, including children who resist or refuse to see one parent, gatekeeping and relocation (move-away) cases. 

Ms. Bissada’s extensive knowledge and talent allow her to smoothly manage complicated, high-asset issues that are unique to family law.  She is in her 28th year of practice, enabling her to guide her clients with confidence and sensitivity throughout the often emotional process. She brings these honed skills to her mediation practice as well; both as a consulting attorney, a mediator and offering services for attorney assisted mediation and as a settlement judge. Ms. Bissada is further trained in and practices collaborative law–a voluntary process providing an alternative for dispute resolution and settlement without going to Court.

Ms. Bissada has in the past been appointed by the Family Court Judges of Santa Clara County to serve as a Judge Pro Tem; a position reserved for well-known, reliable, and highly-esteemed lawyers in the community. Similarly, Ms. Bissada is appointed by the Judges of San Mateo County as an Arbitrator in fee disputes between attorneys and their clients, a role requiring demonstrated sensitivity and fairness. Both appointments exhibit Ms. Bissada’s on-going service to the community, as well as her reputation as a well-respected, objective and skilled leader. In her private practice, Ms. Bissada also serves as a mediator directly for parties in dissolution, or desiring of premarital or cohabitation agreements; as a neutral mediator for attorney-assisted mediation; and as a private settlement judge for family law matters, including complex financial and high conflict custody issues.  These positions further give Ms. Bissada the unique experience to “sit” in the shoes of a neutral or Judge, a viewpoint essential to providing her clients with effective and efficient advice.

Ms. Bissada also strives to mentor others and help strengthen the caliber of attorneys in the field of family law.  In addition, to mentoring the attorneys in her own firm, Ms. Bissada is a Group Leader for the AAML Mentoring Program and also presents on average three (3) times per year at conferences, educational seminars or in the graduate school setting as a guest lecturer to assist in educating aspiring family law attorneys, professionals affiliated with the family law field and graduate clinical psychology students who plan to work in the family law field. 

Education

• JD, California Western School of Law, San Diego, 1994
• BA, University of California, Davis, International Relations, 1989
• BA, University of California, Davis, French, 1989