Our Attorneys:
Maribeth
Blessing, Esquire
CURRICULUM VITAE OF MARIBETH BLESSING
LAW OFFICES OF MARIBETH BLESSING, L.L.C.
MARIBETH BLESSING, MEDIATION & ARBITRATION, L.L.C.
EDUCATION
Collaborative Family Law Affiliates; Training
in Collaborative Law |
2003 |
Divorce Arbitration Institute; American Bar Association |
1996 |
National Center for Mediation Education; Divorce Mediation |
1996 |
Advanced Family Mediation Workshop; Advanced Mediator
Training |
2001 |
Microfocus On Transformative Process And Practice;
Advance Mediator Training |
2002 |
Mediation in the New Millennium |
2003 |
Domestic Violence Training |
2004 |
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Widener University School of Law
J.D.; cum laude |
1991 |
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University of Santa Clara
Graduate courses; Learning Handicapped |
1980 |
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Kutztown University
B.S. Elementary Education; magna cum laude
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1970 |
POSITIONS
1999-Present |
LAW OFFICES OF MARIBETH BLESSING,
L.L.C.
Practitioner and Litigator experienced in all aspects
of Family Law. Firm practice primarily concentrated in
Family Law with additional areas of practice in Wills,
Personal Injury, Contracts, Torts, Employment and Real
Estate Law.
Pennsylvania Bar Activities- Family Law Section and Council
Member, Rules Committee Co-Chair, Liaison to PBA Children’s
Rights Committee, PBA Legal Ethics & Professional
Responsibility Committee, PBA/PBI Continuing Legal Education
Instructor and Author.
Montgomery Bar Activities -MBA Judicial Committee, Trial
Lawyers Section, 2002 Chair of Family Law Section, active
member as well as former chair of sub-committees as follows:
Mediation Committee, Practicum Committee, Equitable Distribution
Committee, Custody Committee and Alternative Dispute Resolution
Committee; former Chair of Member Services Committee;
Member, MBA Alternative Dispute Resolution Committee;
Youth and Law Committee; Chair- Continuing Legal Education
Committee; MBA Instructor and Author-Continuing Legal
Education.
Other - Collaborative Law Affiliates; Counselor, Executive
Committee & Past President-Donas Jonas Freed Inn of
Court Executive Board; National Business Institute Instructor/Author;
Strathmore’s Who’s Who Recipient, 2004-2005;
2002 Recipient and Life Member of the National Registry
of Who’s Who; Widener University School of Law Outstanding
Service Award. |
1999-Present |
MARIBETH BLESSING, MEDIATION & ARBITRATION,
L.L.C. Member, Academy of Family Mediators, Practitioner,
1996-2001;
Member, Association For Conflict Resolution and Advanced
Practitioner, 2001-present; Member, Pennsylvania Council
of Mediators, 2004-present; Member, Montgomery County
Horace Davenport Mediation Center, 2001-present
Experienced Arbitrator and Mediator, practicing in all
aspects of family issues, peer mediation, neighborhood
disputes, contract disputes, and labor disputes. Chair
of the Advisory Panel for the Montgomery County Custody
Mediation Orientation Program as well as Supervisory Mediator.
Lecturer and Author for Continued Mediation Education
programs. |
1996-1999 |
LAW OFFICES OF LESLEE SILVERMAN TABAS, Partner
Experienced Family Law Practitioner with growing practice
of complex divorce, custody, property, support, abuse,
and adoption cases. Active member, Instructor and Writer
for PBA and Montgomery County Bar CLE programs. Court
appointed Guardian Ad Litem, Arbitrator and Special Master. |
1996-1999 |
CENTER FOR MATRIMONIAL DISPUTE RESOLUTIONS, INCORPORATED,
Executive Director
Member, Association for Conflict Resolution
Experienced Arbitrator and Mediator offering alternative
methods of managing negotiations, settlements and resolutions
of matrimonial disputes. Creatively devised mechanisms
most suitable to needs of parties and counsel. Neutrally
adjudicated arbitration cases in expeditious manner, preserving
privacy issues and minimizing litigation and costs. Mediated
and facilitated amicable agreements with expediency and
sensitivity to the needs of the participating parties.
Practice included both Bench and Bar referral of cases. |
1994-1998 |
PENN STATE UNIVERSITY, Instructor, CED Division
Taught evening classes for the paralegal including certification
courses for Domestic Relations, Introduction to Basic
Legal Principles, Legal Research, and Civil Practice and
Procedure. |
1992-1996 |
GOLD-BIKIN, CLIFFORD, & YOUNG, Attorney
Exclusively serviced Senior Partner's high end clients
and prepared extremely complex divorce, custody, support,
property, abuse, and adoption cases for litigation. Developed
own caseload for expanding Domestic Relations practice.
Participated in Pro Bono work for Legal Aid, and County
Arbitration Panels. |
1985-1992 |
BUCKS AND MONTGOMERY COUNTY DOMESTIC RELATIONS;
Hearing Officer & Investigator
Conference, arbitrate, and mediate support disputes. Adjudicate,
execute and enforce support orders. Investigate and process
bench warrants. Reported to the Court with written recommendations,
and presented cases at trial. |
1970-1985 |
Teacher
OUR LADY OF MT. CARMEL, Doylestown, PA
ST. PHILIP NERI, East Greenville, PA
IMMACULATE HEART OF MARY, Cuyahoga Falls, OH
ST. WILLIAMS ELEMENTARY, Los Altos, CA
THE CURIOSITY SHOPPE, Doylestown, PA
TIK TOK KINDERGARTEN, Killeen, TX
CHINOOK ELEMENTARY, Anchorage, AK
Experienced in open-structured and self-contained classroom
environments, team teaching and departmentalization with
experience at every grade level from K-8. Effectively
utilized large and small group instruction in a multi-media
approach. |
ADMISSIONS
- U.S. Supreme Court, 2002
- Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1991
- Supreme Court of New Jersey, 1992
- U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Pennsylvania, 1992
- Bucks County Court of Common Pleas, 1992
- Montgomery County Court of Common Pleas, 1992
PUBLICATIONS
- Instructional Videotape Series, ESS Science Pilot Program,
Anchorage School District, 1970
- "The Domestic Relations Preliminary Conference: Its Potential
Power as the Court's Hidden ADR Asset", Scholarship Award,
Sigma Delta Kappa Law Foundation, Inc., 1991
- "The Evolution of Support Guidelines", Scholarship
Award, Sigma Delta Kappa Law Foundation Inc., 1991
- "Cigarette Litigation: Is The Tide Changing?", H.
Schwabb Literary Contest, Honorable Mention, 1991
- "From the Perspective Of A DRO Officer", Putting
on the Writs, Bucks County Bar Association Legal Reporter, 1992
- "Self Help Guide to Support", brochure, Women's
Commission Of Montgomery County, 1993
- "Legal View", Family Law Videotape Series and Instructional
TV Presentation, "Self Help Guide to Support", Women's
Commission Of Montgomery County, 1993; Divorce and Equitable
Distribution, 1997
- "Act 58, The Reality of the Fantasy", Montgomery County Law
Practicum Guide, 1999, 2000
- "Casenote: Vacarello vs. Vacarello", Pennsylvania Family Lawyer,
2001
- "Dischell’s Troops Blast Canada", Sidebar Article, Montgomery
Bar Association, 2002
- "Common Law Marriage-For Better or For Worse", Sidebar Article,
Montgomery Bar Association, 2003
- "Processes in Divorce", Article, 2005
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
- Member, Eastern Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce, 2005
to present
- Speaker, Rockledge-Cheltenham Rotary Club, 2005
- Strathmore’s Who’s Who Recipient, 2004-2005
- Selected for membership; Collaborative Family Law Affiliates,
2004
- Alumni Award, 2003 Outstanding Service Award, Widener School
of Law
- Award, Doris Jonas Freed American Inn of Court, 2003
- Award, Montgomery Bar Family Law Section, 2002
- Law Day Elementary School Instructor, 3rd grade, 2001
- Life Member of the National Registry of Who’s Who,
2000 Edition
- Chosen instructor for National Business Institute Presentation,
2000
- Representative to National Conference of American Inns of
Court, 1999
- Speaker, Willow Grove Rotary Club, 1999
- Appointed by Montgomery County Bench as Guardian Ad Litem
- Selected by Montgomery County Bench and Counsel as Arbitrator
in Equitable Distribution
- Appointed by Montgomery County Bench As Special Master to
hear grounds trial in divorce case
- Continuing Legal Education PBI and Montgomery Bar Lecturer/Author
- Instructor, Community Program; Legal View Seminar, Norristown
Public Library
- Member, The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi
- Panel Judge Participant for mock trial competition, Young
Lawyers of Montgomery Bar Association
- 97% Settlement rate for Domestic Relations Support complaints
and enforcement conferences
- Maintained support enforcement caseload of 3000 cases utilizing
Federal and State remedies
- Established training procedures for DRO Officers
- Developed comprehensive remedial programs for learning disabled
students
- District demonstrator for pilot Science program
- Faculty representative on Principal Selection Committee
- Art and Drama coordinator for 26 member faculty and 600 students
Cathy Cardozo,
Esquire
Ms. Cardozo joined Bennett & Associates in 2004. Previously
she worked at Abrahams, Loewenstein & Bushman as an associate
focusing on both plaintiff and defense medical malpractice litigation,
as well as pro bono family law work with Philadelphia Volunteers
for the Indigent Program.
Cathy M. Cardozo is an attorney with Collaborative Family Law
Affiliates. She has also conducted mediations in divorce and
custody, as well as acting as a coach during mediation training
sessions. She does volunteer mediation with Good Shepherd Mediation
Center.
Ms. Cardozo is a graduate of Temple University, BSW 1988, The
Philadelphia Institute for Paralegals 1991 and Temple University
School of Law, JD 2002. She was on staff and associate editor
on the Temple Journal of International and Comparative Law. During
law school she worked as an intern through a clinical program
at Family Court of Philadelphia for Temple Legal Aid. Prior to
and during law school she had worked as a litigation paralegal.
Before entering the legal field, she was a social worker with
Philadelphia County MH/MR and a counselor with local womens'
agencies.
Memberships include the American Bar Association, Pennsylvania
Bar Association, Montgomery Bar Association, and the Doris Jonas
Freed Inn of Court.
Current Employment Position(s):
Areas of Practice:
- Civil Litigation
- Medical Malpractice
- Plaintiffs
- Defendants
- Personal Injury
- Employment Discrimination
- Divorce
- Family Law
Bar Admissions:
Education:
- Temple University School of Law, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
2002
Juris Doctor
- Temple University School of Law, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,
1988
B.S.W.
- The Philadelphia Institute for Paralegal Training, Philadelphia,
PA
Social Work
Classes/Seminars Taught:
- "Divorce and Custody Mediation", Cozen & O'Connor
LLP, 2005
- "Child Support and Custody", Women Against Abuse,
2002
Honors and Awards:
- W.W. Smith Scholarship, 1984 - 1988
Professional Associations and Memberships:
- American Bar Association - Family Law Section, 2003 - Present
- American Bar Association - Alternative Dispute Resolution,
2003 - Present
- Pennsylvania Bar Association - Family Law Section, 2004 -
Present
- Montgomery Bar Association - Family Law Section, 2004 - Present
- Montgomery Bar Association - Mediation Committee, 2005 -
Present
- Collaborative Family Law Affiliates, 2004 - Present
Attorney
- Good Shepherd Mediation Center, 2003 - Present
Volunteer Divorce/Custody Mediator
Past Employment Positions:
- Abrahams, Loewenstein & Bushman, Attorney, 2002 - 2004
- Marshall, Dennehey, Summer Associate/Law Clerk, 2001 - 2002
- White and Williams, Paralegal, 1999 - 2001
- Rawle and Henderson, Paralegal, 1996 - 1999
- German, Gallagher & Murtagh, Paralegal, 1991 - 1996
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