Attorney Melissa J. Needle focuses her practice exclusively on Family Law. Based in Westport, Connecticut, she provides astute advice and counsel to clients throughout Fairfield County--serving Westport, Greenwich, New Canaan, Wilton, Darien, and Fairfield. Ms. Needle has been admitted to practice before all Connecticut state courts since 1990, and she is also admitted to practice in New York.
Attorney Needle's approach strikes a hard-to-find balance between aggressive client representation and the preservation of family. Before starting Needle|Cuda, Attorney Needle found that most firms in the market practiced at the extreme ends of the spectrum -- either being overly aggressive or collaborative to a fault. Needle|Cuda strives to deliver a service that brings clients the best of both worlds because the long-term dynamic and health of your family is worth protecting.
Attorney Needle specializes is high net worth divorces and deals frequently with closely held family businesses, hedge fund investments/ownership interests, private equity ownership interests, complex family trusts, and other complex assets valuations. A forceful courtroom advocate and expert family law litigator, Attorney Needle has also worked on highly contested custody and relocation disputes, although she strives to help her clients come to an agreement in a less-adversarial manner such as mediation when that is possible.
Ms. Needle's experience has also encompassed the preparation of prenuptial and postnuptial agreements and various types of protective orders for domestic violence victims. Attorney Needle also helps clients who have already divorced and who are seeking enforcement of or modifications to existing support and parenting orders.
- Whittier Law School
- J.D. (1990) | Law
- Tufts University
- B.A. (1987) | English Language & Literature/Letters
- Attorney
- Needle | Cuda Divorce and Family Law
- - Current
- Attorney
- Rutkin & Oldham
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- Attorney
- Schoomaker & George
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- Attorney
- Law Offices of Gary Cohen
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- General Counsel
- American Infrastructure LLC
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- Today's Business: Divorce, expert testimony and delivering a “winning narrative”
- New Haven Register
- Earning Capacity in Family Law: Understanding the Law, Litigating the Issue, and Using an Expert, Annual Conference, Connecticut Bar Association, Hartford, CT
- Divorce Law, Annual Meeting, Connecticut Bar Association
- Best Lawyer Award - Family Law
- The Best Lawyers in America
- 10.0 Superb Rating
- Avvo
- Peer Review Rated
- Martindale-Hubbell
- 2018-2023
- Super Lawyer
- Super Lawyers
- 2019-2023
- 10 Best Attorney in Client Satisfaction
- American Institute of Family Law Attorneys
- 2019-2021
- American Bar Association  # 01302717
- Member
- Current
- Activities: Family Law Section
- Connecticut Bar Association
- Member
- Current
- Activities: Family Law Section
- Fairfield County Bar Association
- Member
- Current
- American Association of Certified Financial Litigators
- Founding Member
- Current
- American Institute of Family Law Attorneys
- Member
- Current
- Connecticut
- New York
- Credit Cards Accepted
- Divorce
- Collaborative Law, Contested Divorce, Military Divorce, Property Division, Same Sex Divorce, Spousal Support & Alimony, Uncontested Divorce
- Family Law
- Adoption, Child Custody, Child Support, Father's Rights, Guardianship & Conservatorship, Paternity, Prenups & Marital Agreements, Restraining Orders, Same Sex Family Law
- English: Spoken, Written
- Q. Can I hire a GAL for my grandchildren so that I know their best interests are being presented?
- A: GAL's are either appointed by the Court in a Divorce or Family Law Action or determined by mutual agreement of the Parties and "approved" by the Court.
WHAT IS A GUARDIAN AD LITEM (GAL)?
A Guardian Ad Litem (GAL) is a court appointed individual, by either the successful motion of a party or when the family court determines a GAL is necessary to advocate for the best interests of the child. The court considers appointment of a GAL when parties (parents) are unable to resolve a parenting or child related dispute, and they are frequently appointed when the matter is a highly contested custody dispute.
The GAL’s role is different from that of an Attorney for a Minor Child ... Read More
- Q. What’s my rights as a grandparent
- A: Do Grandparents Have Visitation Rights? (Connecticut)
Yes, grandparents can petition the courts for visitation rights just as any third party. The courts will use the same standard of the child’s best interest to determine if the grandparents should have visitation rights. In order to be awarded visitation, the grandparents must also convey to the court that they have a parent like relationship with the child and that depriving them of visitation rights would significantly affect the child.