Marek, Lilia S.

Michael has practiced divorce and family law for more than 23 years and has handled thousands of family law cases. He is admitted to practice in all Georgia courts and federal courts in the Northern and Middle District of Georgia, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court.  On December 5, 2012 he appeared and presented oral argument on behalf of Savannah Soldier and father, Sgt. 1st Class Jeffrey Chafin before the Supreme Court of the United States.  Michael is one of only a handful of family law attorneys anywhere, anytime to ever argue a family law case before the U.S. Supreme Court and the only one practicing in the Southeastern United States today.  Michael has built a progressive practice and a reputation for winning difficult, controversial and high-profile cases. He has successfully represented thousands of mothers and fathers in state, federal and international divorce, custody and child support cases.

In the last 10 years, Michael has added six family law associates and six paralegals to his practice. Michael supervises his junior associates and consults with his senior associates.  He remains lead counsel on cases of sufficient complexity or at his clients' request. He has expanded his personal caseload to increasingly handle international family law, particularly Hague Child Abduction and Retention cases, high asset divorce, complex custodial disputes  and family law appeals. Michael has become one of the most sought-after international family law attorneys in Georgia and throughout the southeast, representing clients in neighboring states, foreign jurisdictions and before the United States Supreme Court. Michael has handled matters to successful resolution on all continents of the world, with the exception of Antarctica. With the help of his excellent staff, Michael coordinates with the State Department and has always found exceptional cooperating counsel and court systems in jurisdictions throughout the world.

Michael has successfully obtained the return of children from foreign lands throughout the world and successfully obtained the return of children abducted to or retained in the United States.  He has traveled abroad to argue cases in foreign courts to obtain children’s return.

Michael's professional affiliations include the International Society of Family Law, the American Bar Association Family Law Section and International Section, the State of Georgia Bar Association Family Law Section and the Cobb County Bar Association. He organized the Cobb County branch of the Georgia State University College of Law Alumni Association. He is a past president of the GSU College of Law Alumni Association. He regularly writes and lectures on International Family Law and Hague Abduction and Retention under The International Child Abduction and Retention Act.