Flicker, Kerin, Kruger & Bissada LLP
Top 10 Attorneys in Northern California
Top 50 Women Attorneys in Northern California
Ms. Bissada is a Certified Specialist in Family Law (ACFLS); a fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML); rated by Martindale Hubbell as an AV Preeminent attorney in her field; and a member of the national organization addressing children’s issues in divorce, the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC). Ms. Bissada has spent her entire legal career practicing and further strengthening her roots in San Mateo County. Ms. Bissada is a prominent and seasoned litigator, mediator and settlement Judge, specializing in complex custody and financial matters. She has expertise in navigating and guiding clients through complex venture capital, hedge fund and private equity cases, as well as the most complex of custody issues, including children who resist or refuse to see one parent, gatekeeping and relocation (move-away) cases.
Ms. Bissada’s extensive knowledge and talent allow her to smoothly manage complicated, high-asset issues that are unique to family law. With over 25 years of experience, she is adept at guiding her clients through the often emotional process with confidence and sensitivity. Ms. Bissada brings these honed skills to her mediation practice as well; both as a consulting attorney, a mediator and offering services as a settlement judge. She is further trained in and practices collaborative law–a voluntary process providing an alternative for dispute resolution and settlement without going to Court.
Ms. Bissada is appointed by the Family Court Judges of Santa Clara County to serve as a volunteer settlement attorney; a position reserved for well-known, reliable, and highly-esteemed lawyers in the community. Similarly, Ms. Bissada is appointed by the Judges of San Mateo County as an Arbitrator in fee disputes between attorneys and their clients, a role requiring demonstrated sensitivity and fairness. Both appointments exhibit Ms. Bissada’s on-going service to the community, as well as her reputation as a well-respected, objective and skilled leader. In her private practice, Ms. Bissada also serves as a mediator directly for parties in dissolution, or desiring of premarital or cohabitation agreements; as a neutral mediator for attorney-assisted mediation; and as a private settlement judge for family law matters, including complex financial and high conflict custody issues. These positions further give Ms. Bissada the unique experience to “sit” in the shoes of a neutral, a viewpoint essential to providing her clients with effective and efficient advice.
Professional Involvement
Ms. Bissada’s extensive and dedicated involvement with the legal community is an invaluable resource to her clients, as it provides access to resources, relationships and a nuanced knowledge of the local, legal landscape. Her involvement in the legal community includes membership to the State Bar of California, as well as the San Mateo County, Santa Clara County and San Francisco Bar Associations. Ms. Bissada served as the 2011 President of the San Mateo County Bar Association and as a Board Member of this 1,400 member organization from 2002 – 2012.
Ms. Bissada was a member and chair on a number of committees in the Bar Association, including: the Bench and Bar Committee, where she acted as a liaison between the County Judges and the lawyer members of the Bar to strengthen relationships with the judiciary and improve the legal practice in the County; the Finance Committee; the Membership Committee, where she worked to improve the benefits, services and professional training programs for members; as well as the Community Affairs Committee, where she worked to involve the public in Speaker events and inform service clubs, businesses, professional groups and schools in subjects relating to the law and administration of justice.
Ms. Bissada has served on the AAML Northern California Chapter Board of Managers since 2020 and currently serves as President-Elect for 2022. She also serves on the AAML National Foundation Grant Committee. Ms. Bissada is also a leader of the 2022-2024 AAML Northern California Chapter Peninsula Mentoring Group. Ms. Bissada served on the Board of Directors of the Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County and chaired the Board’s Development Committee from 2012 until March 2017. She was also a member of the Legal Aid “And Justice For All” Annual Awards Luncheon Committee from 2009 until 2017, including several years as Co-Chair. Ms. Bissada worked diligently to strengthen the relationship between the San Mateo County Bar Association and the Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County, ensuring that vital legal assistance and advocacy is available to numerous disadvantaged people in the community.
Ms. Bissada also served on the Board of Directors for Overcoming Barriers until April 2016 and is now serving on the Advisory Council and continues as a member of their Development Committee and Judicial Legal Committee. The Board of Directors for Overcoming Barriers is a non-profit organization created to promote children’s healthy relationships with their parents where a child is at risk of losing a relationship with a parent.
Ms. Bissada has been a member of Collaborative Practice San Mateo County since 2001, where she also serves on their Membership Committee. Staying actively involved in the Collaborative Practice enables Ms. Bissada to facilitate cooperation and mutual agreement between her clients and opposing parties.
Ms. Bissada served as Chair of the Legislative Day Committee for the Conference of California Bar Associations (CCBA) until 2015. She previously served a 3-year Board term from 2010-2013 as Regional Director on the Board of Directors of the CCBA. She has also served the Board in assisting with their CCBA Legislative Day in Sacramento. From 2000 to the present, she has also served as a Delegate to the CCBA, representing San Mateo County. In the past, she has served in the capacity of Chair and as Treasurer of the delegates representing San Mateo County on a statewide level where they critique, create and refine new and proposed legislation.
Ms. Bissada also served on the Board of Managers for the Peninsula Family YMCA from 1999 through 2007. In addition, Ms. Bissada was a member of the Chamber of Commerce Leadership Program — Class of 2002, where she further honed her leadership skills to effectively serve her practice and her community.
Education
Awards
Ms. Bissada received the 2017 Friend of the Conference Award from the Conference of California Bar Associations (CCBA) in recognition of her tireless efforts on behalf of the organization while serving her term on the Board of Directors, as well as her continued volunteer work in assisting in the planning of the organization’s Annual Legislative Day in Sacramento. This Statewide Award was presented to Ms. Bissada at the organization’s annual conference in Sacrament in October 2017 in Sacramento.
Ms. Bissada received the 2010 Dorothy M. Wolfe Award in recognition of her extraordinary devotion and pro bono work with the Legal Aid Society; for aiding those who would not otherwise have access to vital legal services. Ms. Bissada brings the same tenacity to her pro bono work as she does her practice. Ms. Bissada worked as an exemplary volunteer for the Domestic Violence Collaborative Pro Bono Project, through which she represented low-income victims of domestic violence, aiding them in their filings and making court appearances on their behalf.
Ms. Bissada also worked with the Legal Aid Society of San Mateo County by mentoring and inspiring other attorneys to take pro bono cases through the project. She further trained and encouraged her associate attorneys at Flicker, Kerin, Kruger & Bissada LLP to take on pro bono cases on a regular basis.
Ms. Bissada has earned a number of other legal achievements in her career, including Best Lawyers® by US News & World Report (2018-2022) and Super Lawyers® by Thomson Reuters (2006-2022).
Community Involvement
After graduating from California Western School of Law in 1994, Ms. Bissada made a purposeful decision to move back to the Bay Area to start her family and career. This decision was motivated by a desire to make a contribution to the legal field in the community where she was raised. The driving force behind Ms. Bissada’s commitment to helping underrepresented members of her community comes from her parent’s immigration to the Bay Area.
Speaking Engagements
Extracurricular Activities
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