Melissa A. Kucinski works with lawyers across the globe handling the international aspects of family law cases. In addition to her law degree, Melissa obtained a Master’s Degree from the American University School of International Service, focusing her studies on high conflict cross-cultural mediation and crisis negotiation. She consulted for the Hague Conference on Private International Law on a range of issues related to the Hague Child Abduction and Child Protection Conventions.
Melissa is a seasoned author, writing the seminal handbook on representing children in domestic and international custody and abduction cases for the American Bar Association and co-authoring the West Academic text on international family law cases in U.S. courts. She is a dynamic speaker, presenting on international child abduction, relocation, and cross-border mediation for national and international organizations, like the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, the International Academy of Family Lawyers, the New York State Bar Association, and the American Bar Association.
Melissa designed the International Family Law course at the George Washington University School of Law, and has taught at this prestigious institution, which boasts a top 10 ranking in International Law, since 2010.
Melissa has an active global network that adds to her expertise and provides comprehensive support for her clients. She is a long-standing member of the U.S. Department of State’s Advisory Committee on Private International Law, has served as a member on several U.S. delegations to discuss the Hague Child Abduction Convention overseas, is one of only a handful of lawyers who sit on the U.S. Uniform Law Commission’s Joint Editorial Board for Uniform Family Laws, and has chaired some of the top bar association committees and working groups on international family law.