Michèle Bissada

Michèle Bissada brings more than three decades of distinguished experience in California family law to her work resolving complex and emotionally charged disputes with clarity and compassion. A Certified Family Law Specialist and a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML), Michèle is an AAML Certified Mediator who devotes her practice exclusively to private dispute resolution. She is widely regarded for her integrity, discretion, and ability to foster resolution in even the most challenging circumstances. As a member of the International Academy of Family Lawyers and the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, Michèle also brings her expertise to the larger legal community. Over the years, she has served as a pro tem in both San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties. Clients and counsel alike value her steady presence, meticulous preparation, and balanced judgment in guiding families toward fair and lasting outcomes.​

Throughout her extensive career, Michèle has combined mastery of intricate financial matters with deep psychological insight into family dynamics. She is highly experienced in high-net-worth dissolutions involving complex business entities, private equity, venture capital, hedge funds, and other illiquid or hard-to-value assets. Equally recognized for her work in high-conflict custody cases, she brings a nuanced understanding to matters involving children resisting contact, gatekeeping behavior, and relocation disputes. Her ability to integrate legal precision with empathy for the human experience allows her to craft solutions that are both equitable and enduring.​

Michèle’s approach as a neutral is grounded in preparation, composure, and respect for the emotional weight that accompanies family law matters. She works closely with attorneys and clients to identify core priorities – whether they are financial security, parenting stability, or peace of mind – and to develop creative, sustainable outcomes. Known for her poised demeanor and refined communication style, she creates a setting where parties feel heard and supported while maintaining forward momentum toward closure.​

Before transitioning full-time to neutral work, Michèle served as Senior Principal at Flicker, Kerin, Kruger & Bissada LLP in Silicon Valley. She represented high-profile and high-net-worth clients in complex financial and custody matters, earning a reputation for diligence, fairness, and strategic insight. Her decades of litigation and negotiation experience now inform her measured, future-focused approach to mediation and other neutral roles.​

A former President of the Northern California Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Michèle remains deeply engaged in advancing the field of family law. She co-leads an AAML Northern California Mentoring Group and has presented at more than fifty continuing education programs nationwide for AAML, AFCC, and numerous state and local bar associations. Her professional excellence has been recognized repeatedly. She has been named to Super Lawyers every year since 2006 and has been honored as one of the Top 10 Attorneys and Top 50 Women Lawyers in Northern California for consecutive years. Best Lawyers recognized her as “Lawyer of the Year” for Family Law in San Jose in 2024.​

Outside of her professional commitments, Michèle enjoys traveling with her family, kayaking, and recharging at the spa. She returns to her work grounded, focused, and dedicated to helping parties move forward with confidence and dignity.