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Needle | CudaPartner
Melissa Needle
Pro

Melissa Needle

4.9
14 reviews

2435 Route 6, 2nd Floor, Brewster, NY 10509

Child Support, Divorce, Child Custody and 29 more

About Melissa Needle

Attorney Melissa Needle is a lifetime Connecticut resident. She was born in New Haven, raised in Fairfield, and now resides in Westport with her family. Attorney Needle is a third-generation attorney with deep family roots in Connecticut. Her father, Attorney Charles Needle, was a founder of the Connecticut firm Zeldes, Needle & Cooper in 1971. Since her admission to the Connecticut Bar in 1990, Melissa has exclusively practiced divorce and family law. Melissa started Needle | Cuda: Divorce and Family Law in 2010. The American Institute of Family Law Attorneys named Needle | Cuda a Connecticut Top 10 Best Firm in Client Satisfaction in 2019, 2020, and 2021.

Attorney Needle is an active litigator with an impressive track record. Many of the cases in which Melissa appears involve high net worth divorce property division, complex business valuations, highly contested custody, and petitions for child relocation. She is well-known in Connecticut courts as a forceful, but fair fighter; an attorney with great integrity; and as a worthy adversary who does not shy away from litigation if that path is the best opportunity for her client to reach an equitable solution. Melissa understands that divorce is not just about the dissolution of marriage or stop-gap solutions but helping clients develop and negotiate a comprehensive plan for the rest of their lives.

Honors

• Super Lawyer’s Honoree 2019 & 2020

• Family Law and Practice Magazine’s Top 10 Family Law Attorney Connecticut, 2020 & 2021

• American Institute of Family Law Attorneys (AIFLA) – 10 Best – 2-Years 2019-2020

• National Academy of Family Law Attorneys – Top 10 Attorney 2019, 2020

• Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell, 2018

• AVVO Clients’ Choice Award 2018

• AVVO Top Attorney 2018

 

Melissa Needle (Brewster, New York) View website

Awards

Peer Reviewed Rated
This badge is granted to attorneys who have been reviewed by another attorney.
Martindale-Hubbell Peer PR
Avvo Client's Choice
This award is granted to attorneys with at least 5 reviews with 4+ stars in a given year on Avvo.com.
Avvo Client Choice

Client Champion Awards

Client Champion awards recognize those attorneys who excel at service as affirmed by their clients. The awards, based on the quantity and quality of an attorney’s Martindale-Hubbell client reviews, demonstrate an ongoing commitment to delivering excellent client service. Award recipients stand out from their peers with a platinum, gold or silver icon.

Champion Badge Silver

At least three reviews and a score of 4.0 or higher.

Champion Badge Gold

At least six reviews and a score of 4.2 or higher.

Champion Badge Platinum

At least ten reviews and a score of 4.5 or higher.

Martindale Peer Awards

A lawyer who receives a minimum threshold of qualifying responses from fellow attorneys can qualify for one of three prestigious Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Ratings:

Martindale-Hubbell Peer AV Preeminent Rating

AV Preeminent®: The highest peer rating standard. This rating signifies a large number of the lawyer’s peers rank him or her at the highest level of professional excellence for their legal knowledge, communication skills and ethical standards.

Martindale-Hubbell Peer Distinguished Rating

Distinguished: An excellent rating for a lawyer with some experience. This rating indicates the attorney is widely respected by their peers for high professional achievement and ethical standards.

Martindale-Hubbell Peer Notable Rating

Notable: This rating indicates that the lawyer has been recognized by a large number of their peers for strong ethical standards.

Avvo Awards

Avvo Top Contributor

Avvo Top Contributor: The Avvo Top Contributor Award is granted to attorneys who have earned significant contribution points in a given year on our sister site, Avvo.com. Contribution points are earned by answering questions in Q&A, publishing Legal Guides, and other useful contributions to the Avvo community.

Avvo Client Choice

Avvo Client’s Choice: The Avvo Client's Choice Award Badge is granted to attorneys with a significant number of 4+ star reviews in a given year.

Melissa Needle got this award in 2021

Reviews for Melissa

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Overall Rating
4.9
See All Reviews
14
Lawyers.com
Not yet reviewed
4.4
Martindale
3
5.0
Avvo
11

Services

Areas of Law

  • Family Law 6
    • Child Support
    • Divorce
    • Child Custody
    • Spousal Support
    • Visitation Rights
    • Paternity
  • Restraining Orders
  • Alternative Dispute Resolution 1
    • Mediation
  • Other 23
    • Alimony
    • Pre-Marital Agreements
    • Fathers’ Rights
    • Marital Asset Division
    • Marital Property Division
    • Legal Custody
    • Prenuptial Agreements
    • Relocation
    • Post Judgment Modification and Enforcement
    • Separation Agreements
    • Dissolution of Marriage
    • Alternative Resolution (Mediation, Arbitration
    • Matrimonial Law
    • Prenup
    • Postnup
    • Spousal Abuse and Divorce
    • Substance Abuse and Divorce
    • Earning Capcity and Divorce
    • Business Valuations and Divorce
    • High Asset Division and Divorce
    • Celebrity Divorce
    • Privacy and Divorce
    • Infidelity and Divorce

Practice Details

  • Video Calls
    Offers Video Calls
    Video Call Options
    Zoom
  • Firm Information
    Position
    Partner
    Firm Name
    Needle | Cuda

Experience

  • Bar Admission & Memberships
    Admissions
    1990, Connecticut
    1991, New York
    Memberships

    Connecticut Bar Association, Family Law Section
    American Bar Association
    Fairfield County Bar Association
    Greater Bridgeport Bar Association, Family Law Section
    Connecticut Family Lawyer, Editorial Board, Former Member
    Special Master, Connecticut Superior Court
    Speaker: Connecticut Bar Association 2010 Annual Meeting

  • Education & Certifications
    Law School
    Whittier College School of Law
    Class of 1990
    J.D.
    Other Education
    Tufts University
    Class of 1987
    B.A.

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Attorneys FAQs

  • Is this attorney admitted to the bar in more than one state?
    Yes, Melissa Needle is admitted to practice in Connecticut and New York.
  • Is this attorney Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review rated?
    Yes, Melissa Needle has a 4.4 Peer Rating from Martindale-Hubbell.
  • How many attorneys are in this law firm?
    Needle | Cuda has 5 attorneys at this location.
  • Does this attorney maintain a practice in more than one location?
    Yes, Melissa Needle has a presence in Westport, CT.
  • What law school did this attorney attend?
    Melissa Needle attended Whittier College School of Law.

Attorney information displayed in this FAQ section is based upon information the lawyer has included on their profile, in addition to the information we collect from state bar associations and other organizations that license legal professionals.

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