Melissa F. Benson
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Leading the firm’s Family Law Practice, Melissa represents families and individuals in all types of domestic relations and disputes. She is a dedicated advocate, providing compassionate and concierge-style service to resolve her client’s most personal disputes.

Melissa also brings over 17 years of experience working in Arizona’s criminal justice system as a victim advocate, probation officer, and sex crimes and domestic violence prosecutor. This courtroom experience and her mediation training enable Melissa to present the best case for her clients, often resolving disputes before trial.

Melissa F. Benson

Melissa's experience includes divorce, custody, property division, alimony, modification of orders, and beyond, including more serious issues like orders of protection. Just as every family is unique, so is each family's legal case. Melissa understands the complexities and sensitives of family law and thus tailors her services and legal strategy to each client's unique needs.

Earning her law degree magna cum laude from Arizona Summit Law School, Melissa also served on the law review, where she gained experience in legal research and persuasive writing. Before law school, Melissa worked in the criminal justice system and earned her undergraduate degree in Criminal Justice with a minor in Sociology from Virginia Wesleyan University.

Melissa is the proud mother of four precocious and amazing children. In her free time, she and her husband enjoy traveling with their children, baking, and caring for their animals.

RECENT REPRESENTATIVE MATTERS

  • Represented the wife in a contentious divorce in which the husband filed a supersedeas bond preventing the wife from selling or touching the $2.3M in real estate she was awarded as part of the divorce pending husband’s appeal. Melissa prevailed, winning her client the ability to move forward with selling some of the real estate, plus winning an additional $12,000.
  • Obtained attorney’s fees and costs for her client in a case before the Arizona Court of Appeals, where the husband attempted to modify the PSA (property settlement agreement) in which he had previously agreed to pay half of the $2,700/month mortgage. Melissa argued that the PSA is an uncontested document, and the court found in favor of Melissa’s client and ordered the husband to adhere to the PSA and pay all reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs.

ASSOCIATIONS & MEMBERSHIPS

  • Arizona Women Lawyers Association, Steering Committee Member; Co-Chair of Mother's Forum
  • Arizona Thurgood Marshall Inn of Court, Member
  • Business Network International (BNI) Arizona, Strike Chapter Member

HONORS & AWARDS

COMMUNITY & PHILANTHROPY

  • Maricopa County Bar Association, Volunteer, 2013-Present
  • Wills for Heros, Volunteer, 2013-2020
  • Probate Lawyers Assistance Project, Past Volunteer

News

events

  • “Criminal Issues in Family Law: Fraud, Computer Crimes, Domestic Violence, and More,” Presenter, National Business Institute (NBI), April 16, 2024