General Info:
Melissa Graham-Hurd graduated from the University of Akron School of Law and has been serving clients since 1984. She is admitted to practice in all Ohio courts and all federal courts, including the Supreme Court of the United States Ms. Graham-Hurd focuses on Family Law The term Family Law includes: * Termination of marriage cases, whether it is Divorce or Dissolution * Matters which arise after the Decree is issued, whether they are enforcement of the Decree by contempt actions or Motions to change the Decree such as parenting and support issues * Problems of people who never married but had children or property together * Guardianship and custody to third persons such as grandparents; and * Wills and Trusts for people to be able to plan for their children. She has been the Chair of the Akron Bar Association's Family Law Committee and the Ohio State Bar Association Family Law Committee. She has assisted the OSBA numerous times in writing laws and rules and served on the Ohio Supreme Court Advisory Committee on Children Families and the Courts. Ms. Graham-Hurd frequently provides lectures and continuing education for other attorneys in Family Law matters, and has written a chapter on Governmental Pensions in the most prominent Ohio Family Law treatise for lawyers. Melissa had served children in family law cases as GAL. Associate Attorney Rebecca M. Black graduated from the University of Akron School of Law in 2012 and practices in Family Law as well as Criminal Defense, and criminal appellate work. Rebecca graduated from Ohio University with two degrees: English literature and journalism which trained her to use clear, every-day language to explain complicated situations and events. She is a volunteer CASA/GAL through the Summit County Juvenile Court, where she advocates for the best interests of abused, neglected, or dependent children of Summit County. Rebecca also volunteers with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of Summit County. Rebecca is an active member of the Akron Bar Association and is the Secretary/Treasurer of the New Lawyer’s Section, in addition to participating in the Criminal Law section, the Family Law Section, the Bankruptcy & Commercial Law Section, the Solo and Small Firm Practitioners’ Section, and the Lawyer’s Assistance Committee. She also is a member of the OSBA, the Ohio Women’s Bar Association, the Ohio Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers, and the American Bar Association.