About

Heidi S. Risser

Heidi Risser has spent her career working with families involved in divorce or custody battles. Heidi has used both litigation methods and collaborative methods to help these families in crisis.

Heidi spent her early career working for several top family law litigators in North Carolina—Joslin Davis, Bill Diehl, and Greg Hatcher. During her time working in firms that specialized in family law litigation, she experienced the time-consuming and expensive process of litigation first hand. She also saw how settlements could be created from some of the most contentious situations, if the lawyers and the parties were committed to the process of settlement. Settling cases in this way is called Collaborative Law practice, and it has found a home within family law practices not just in the U.S. but around the world.

Determined to learn more about Collaborative Law methods, Heidi joined the Mecklenburg Collaborative Family Law Practice Group, Inc. in 2006.  This group is now known as the Charlotte Collaborative Divorce Professionals group.

Heidi also has dedicated much time to volunteering and teaching. Currently a sustaining member of the Junior League of Charlotte (JLC), Heidi spent many years volunteering for a variety of causes supported by the JLC. Heidi also devotes time to the Council for Children’s Rights as a volunteer attorney in the Custody Advocacy Program. In 2009, Heidi won the Council for Children’s Rights Pro Bono Attorney of the Year Award. Heidi is a consistent volunteer at her church too. Through the National Business Institute, Inc., Heidi has taught CLE classes on Collaborative Law and a CME class on Mediation to other lawyers interesting in learning more about alternative dispute resolution techniques.

Heidi received her law degree from the University of Chapel Hill School of Law in 1993. She lives in Charlotte with her husband and two children. She enjoys swimming, yoga, and outings with her family.

Areas of Practice

• Collaborative Family Lawyer–A lawyer who helps families avoid court and guides them to finding their own solutions to their family law issues.

• Mediation–A DRC Certified Family Financial mediator who mediates family law disputes.

• Parent Coordinator–A certified Parent Coordinator works with parents who are having trouble with custody and visitation. The Parent Coordinator assists the parents in promoting the child’s or children’s best interests and needs.

• Prenuptial and Postnuptial Agreements

• Separation and Divorce

• Child Custody and Visitation

• Child Support

• Alimony

Bar Admissions

• North Carolina, 1993

• U.S. District Court Western District of North Carolina, 1993

Education

University of North Carolina School of Law, Chapel Hill, North Carolina

• Juris Doctor – 1993

• Law Review: UNC

University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill, School of Business

• B.S. – 1993

Classes/Seminars

• Collaborative Law, Love and War in the Time of Collaborative Law, CLE for the National Business Institute, Inc.

Honors and Awards

• Mecklenburg County Bar, Council for Children’s Rights Pro Bono Attorney of the Year, 2009

Pro Bono Activities

• Volunteer Attorney, Custody Advocacy Program