Sheila Passenant is a Board Certified Family Law Specialist and received her J.D. from Brooklyn Law School in Brooklyn, New York. Ms. Passenant has a strong background representing children in high conflict custody cases as well as abuse and neglect situations. She is a Parent Coordinator and a Certified Permanency Mediator. Ms. Passenant created and coordinated the Legal Representation Project for United Family Services Victim Assistance and successfully increased the pro bono representation of victims of domestic violence, including the elderly and children. Ms. Passenant is an experienced litigator and has spent the majority of her career in the courtroom. Ms. Passenant successfully resolves the majority of her client’s family law issues through mediation and the collaborative law process. When settlement is not possible, Ms. Passenant is a passionate advocate for her clients and uses her many years of courtroom experience to fight for what is fair and equitable. Ms. Passenant is the youngest of eleven children and she is a twin. She is married, has four adult children and two dogs, and is the proud mother of a Division I Lacrosse player at Hofstra University.
REPRESENTATIVE WORK
- Representation of husbands and wives through the divorce and separation process including asset and debt distribution, business valuation, alimony and post-separation support.
- Representation of parents in the settlement or litigation of child custody and visitation issues involving initial custody determinations, modifications of existing custody orders, relocation of children, Grandparent and/or third party rights, parental alienation, allegations of abuse or neglect, issues of international parental kidnapping, social service investigations, and use of or challenge to forensic custody evaluations.
- Representation of parents in the settlement or litigation of support issues including child support, retroactive support, contempt of support orders and attorney’s fees.
- Successful use of alternative dispute resolution methods for resolving financial issues and child-related including negotiation, mediation, collaborative law and arbitration.
- Negotiation and preparation of separation agreements.
- Parent Coordination involving assistance with implementing custody orders, facilitating communication and encouraging effective co-parenting in high conflict custody cases
- Private Guardian ad Litem appointments involving investigation of issues surrounding high conflict custody cases and/or allegations of abuse or neglect
- Representation of clients seeking and defending against domestic violence and no-contact orders pursuant to Chapters 50B and 50C of the North Carolina General Statutes
PUBLICATIONS & PRESENTATIONS
- Presenter and Coordinator, United Family Services Domestic Violence Legal Representation Project Pro Bono Attorney Program
- Presenter and Staff Attorney, Council for Children’s Rights(formerly Children’s Law Center) Custody Advocate Program Pro Bono Attorney Program
- Hague Convention Case published opinion, Miller v. Miller, Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals, North Carolina in 2000
- Organized and compiled a training manual for "Family Law Boot Camp" CLE program
- Created, organized and compiled a training manual for the Legal Representation Project.
