When I was referred to Melissa and her staff, I was trying to get a grip on a very unstable situation with separation and custody. I was feeling stuck, helpless and scared until I landed in Melissa’s office. From our first meeting, Melissa “got it” and knew how to handle things knowledgeably, efficiently, safely and professionally. She helped me understand the legal system, helped me get some direction and understand my rights. She slowly but surely helped me regain a sense of confidence and control in my life and in my situation. I have told her this many times but she has honestly changed the direction and course of my life with her extensive knowledge and endless support. I felt I was a helpless person in a helpless situation and she gave me a voice.
I felt she has always worked out of the best interest of my children and myself. She responds to crisis situations very quickly, calmly and professionally. She is tough, responsive and she really knows her stuff and I am so glad I landed in her office three years ago. Thank you.

Linda

“Ms Averett did a fantastic job answering multiple questions I had regarding post separation support, child support, and separation agreements. She even went so far as to recommend a military law specific attorney for me.”

Chris Johnson

“Melissa has kept me informed of everything that was going on in my case right from the beginning. I can honestly say that she has truly advocated for me (not the case), and has done her best to minimize my costs. She is very knowledgeable of divorce and family law in NC.”

Pete

“Melissa Averett and I have collaborated on behalf of many clients over the years. She always provides top-quality legal care and personable service. Melissa has a passionate dedication to the legal rights of her clients and is sensitive to their emotional needs as well. She uses her fine sense of collegiality to bring together a team of professionals in each case she serves. I continue to entrust my clients to her care because of the unfailingly superior performance I have experienced each time I have made a referral to her.”

Ellen Gray- Psychotherapist

“Melissa is a first-class attorney leading a well regarded firm in Chatham, Orange and surrounding counties. While not afraid to adeptly try contested cases, she strives to settle matters when possible for the benefit of her clients. She is perhaps a finer friend, colleague and member of the community. Melissa is kind, generous with her time and unquestionably experienced in all aspects of family law.”

John Miskey- Family Law Attorney

“Melissa Averett is all of the above and more. She has seen us through so many different scenarios where we have needed legal and professional help, with fantastic results. She knows what she’s doing, she’s effective and efficient, and what she doesn’t know, she goes and finds out or puts you in touch with who you need. I admire her both professionally and personally for all that she does and all that she is!”

Tamara Powers- Invention Manager Assistant

“I hired Melissa and her team over 3 years ago to handle my divorce and custody issues. She is extremely understanding and will fight to get what her clients need. She actually listens and gives her clients the legal advice and options for their particular case. She helps her clients make the tough decisions together as a team. Melissa is extremely detailed and efficient. I would strongly recommend her and her staff in whatever your legal needs are.”

Averett Family Law is a team of caring and efficient professionals. As a paralegal myself, I was truly impressed by the personal and skillful service I received throughout the painful process of divorce. I would recommend Melissa Averett to absolutely anyone. She is a tireless advocate for justice.

Catherine Wright

“I cannot put into mere words my pleasure with having hired Melissa. Her expert knowledge, compassion, and fortitude have yielded the best possible legal results for my family. She demonstrates an unparalleled spirit advocating for domestic violence victims. She was creative, tireless, and exceptional in addressing my concerns over two successive years. I wholeheartedly recommend Melissa for anyone in need of a family law advocate.”

Mary D.

“Melissa is known to be a fighter for her clients and she always goes the extra mile to achieve positive results for her clients. Her particular niche is dealing with clients who are experiencing or have experienced domestic violence in their personal relationships. She is sensitive to the dynamics of those relationships and her experience allows her to be a zealous advocate for that client, both inside the courtroom and out.”

Sarah Carr D’Amato- Bilingual Family Law Attorney

“I really enjoy working with Melissa. She is an excellent attorney, very dedicated and hard-working, and she really cares for her clients. I hope to work with her a great deal in the future. “

Tony Parrott at Spartan Investigative Services, LLC

“Searching the internet, I found a family law attorney in Chatham County. Based on the information I provided, she recommended Attorney Averett. To that point, it was the best advice an attorney ever gave me. A recommendation to speak with Melissa made a world of difference for my children and I hope it can for yours too. Everyone suspects that his or her problems are worse and different from everyone else’s. Having worked my way thru family courts in three different states, I can attest that everyone is right about that. Melissa understands that each family brings their own unique challenge to the table and that each person deserves fair and respectful treatment. As I am not a resident of North Carolina, all of our first communication was over the phone. Melissa took the time to hear and understand my perspective. Based on our initial conversations, we agreed to take each other on as partners.

It was (and is) very important to me that Melissa took the time to understand my children, my own ‘worse and different’ circumstance, and me. Melissa put me in touch with the right professionals in the Hillsborough and Chapel Hill area to develop a support team. That support team was critical to the case ending in my children’s best interest. Melissa and Alva have been with me every step of the way. The legal and professional advice they have given me has been tremendous. The general ‘counsel’ they provided helped keep me calm and confidant – not making any poor ‘reactionary’ decisions. This allowed me to keep what was most important in front of me. Over time, those conversations were more important to my family than any of the excellent ‘nuts and bolts’ legal advice and guidance they provided.

Thank You, Melissa. I cannot recommend you strongly enough.”

Scott R.

“I was referred to Melissa Averett, by another lawyer. Within a few minutes of speaking to her, I wished I had used her when I initially went through my divorce. She was so great!! Smart, to the point, knowledgeable. She came up with a great option for me and I would highly recommend her to anyone.”

Nealy

“Melissa is an expert in the field of domestic violence and a valued contributor to all members of the NCBA Family Law Section Listserv. When I am in need of a colleague to be a sounding board or a source of knowledge, that person is Melissa. Her superior legal reasoning, sound research, and skilled trial advocacy are only matched by her generous spirit to make sure the legal needs of domestic violence victims and the under-served poor are met. She is the type of lawyer that makes her profession proud.”

Afi Johnson-Parris- Lead Attorney

“I recently had the unpleasant experience of going through a divorce in NC. Melissa and Alva have been professional, efficient and knowledgeable throughout the entire process. They respond timely and accurately. On more than one occasion, they went above and beyond to facilitate the process. Melissa sought out ways to save me time and money and was always cost-conscious when billing me for her services. I always received accurate information/analysis and was never waiting on them. I knew I was in good hands and can’t say enough about how pleased I am with the services I received from this firm.”

Jeremy T

“I am a family law attorney in Greensboro with great respect for Melissa as a fellow attorney. Melissa is a fierce advocate for her clients and a leading voice in the community for victims of domestic violence. She is a valued colleague who willingly offers her knowledge to others. Her advice as a colleague is prized because of her expertise and common sense approach. She knows what she’s doing. period.”

Afi J.

“I have worked with Melissa as opposing counsel on cases and know her generally as a member of our local family law bar. Melissa is an excellent attorney, and any client would be well-served by her representation. She is highly knowledgeable in all areas of family law, and she is a zealous and effective advocate for her clients.”

Brian Johnston, Family Attorney

“Wow I am really excited to get the opportunity to write a recommendation for Melissa. She has helped me with some really difficult situations, and she made it very simple and easy.

She has the experience and knowledge, as well as the creativity, to be very effective with difficult people. Also, I did not feel that Melissa was ever trying to run up the bill – even though I know she easily could have. I am really grateful for her assistance.”

Amy O.

“Melissa Averett is an open-minded professional who views her clients’ interests as paramount. She always divides her attention evenly among her caseload and assures that every client receives the full benefit of her time, experience, and legal knowledge. As a professional, she is discreet as well as mindful of your time and expense. Melissa is the attorney you must contact if you are seeking an honest opinion about your legal situation and seek a strong professional that will always consider what is in your best interest and is remarkable when confronted with challenges, both in and outside of the court. “

Courtney B.

“I was privileged to be D. Melissa Averett’s Program Manager. She is incredibly effective for her clients as well as for the judicial systems of Orange, Chatham, and the other counties she practices in. I highly recommended Attorney Averett. Justice is blind but Attorney Averett isn’t. She is sharp and so is her staff. The other side never knows what hit them. You are lucky beyond belief if Attorney Averett will take your case.”

Melissa M.