Bernadette Staroschuck concentrates her practice in Matrimonial Law and Family Law issues. She also has handled a variety of other legal matters including estate administration and other civil issues. Over the last two decades she has litigated complex family law matters that include support, equitable distribution and complex child custody issues. She has had experiencing litigating these issues in Allegheny County and other outlying counties in Western Pennsylvania.

Bernadette is trained in the Collaborative Law Process. She has successfully resolved disputes between spouses and parents in the collaborative law process. She is also a trained Mediator.

Bernadette has litigated many child custody proceedings, both addressing complex custodial issues as well as addressing relocation issues. For the past two decades, she has also litigated countless economic claims in the family law section of the Court of Common Pleas to include such matters as child support, spousal support, alimony pendente lite claims, and also complex equitable distribution cases which include not only distribution of various marital assets but also the distribution of partnership and business interests of the litigants. She has experience in the appellate courts of this Commonwealth addressing various family law issues on appeal.

Education:

• Duquesne University School of Law (J.D.)
• Duquesne University (B.A.)

Honors:

• AV Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rated

Bar Admissions:

• Pennsylvania

Court Admissions:

• U.S. District Court, Western District of Pennsylvania

Professional Affiliations:

• Allegheny County Bar Association
• Pennsylvania Bar Association
• Collaborative Law Association of Southwestern Pennsylvania (CLASP)
• International Association of Collaborative Professionals (IACP)

Speaking Engagements and Presentations:

• Ms. Staroschuck has spoken publicly in many forums to address the issues of domestic violence. She has worked with financial planner who was affiliated with American Express Financial Services, as well as speaking before gatherings of various mental health professionals, bankers, and appraisers. She is also committed to educating the public about the benefits of considering alternative dispute resolution options such as handing their family law issues through the Collaborative Law process or through Mediation as opposed to litigation. A local television reporter for CBS recently interviewed her. The reporter also interviewed the parties and the opposing counsel. It was the hope of all that based on this interview, more potential litigants would become informed about the options available to them in addition to the traditional litigation option. She continues to speak with numerous organizations about the option of collaboration such as leaders within the community at large, within the legal community, within various religious communities and to individuals as well.

• Family Law