The Law Office of Nordin F. Blacker

The Law Office of Nordin F. Blacker is a firm with experience in all aspects of family law, including child and spousal support, pre- and post-nuptial agreements, non-marital and domestic partnerships, and custody and visitation cases, with a specialization in complex and high asset property issues.

After 20 years in the historic Jackson Square neighborhood, the firm moved its office to the Transamerica Center to expand its mediation and private judging services.

Nordin F. Blacker has been in practice for over forty years and a Certified Family Law Specialist for over twenty-five years. Having developed a strong network of professional relationships throughout the years, the Law Office of Nordin F. Blacker work effectively within the Bay Area Family Law community, strongly advocating for clients while moving cases towards settlement and, when necessary, trial.

The legal professionals at the Law Office of Nordin F. Blacker are highly skilled and experienced, and are committed to working closely with clients to meet their needs during what is often a difficult and emotional time.

LEGAL STAFF

NORDIN F. BLACKER – Attorney

Nordin’s practice is now focused on serving as a private judge, mediator or a consultant in Family Law matters. He continues to be available as an expert witness in Family Law cases and will continue to negotiate and draft premarital and post marital agreements. He is also available to serve as a Special Master in custody case.

Nordin is a graduate of the Law Center at the University of Southern California and has practiced law since January 1964, with an emphasis in the field of Family Law, and a gradual move towards specialization occurring in the early 1970's. Nordin served as United States Magistrate (part-time) in San Jose from 1971 to 1986, and continues to serve as an Early Neutral Evaluator in Federal civil cases. He was certified as a Family Law Specialist in 1981 and has been a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers since 1977. In addition to practicing Family Law, he has served as Judge Pro Tem, private judge and mediator, has served as a consultant in complex Family Law matters, and has testified as an expert witness in Family Law in numerous cases.

Nordin has also taught and guest-lectured at law schools throughout the Bay Area, including Stanford, the University of Santa Clara, the University of San Francisco and Golden Gate University and has been a panelist on a wide range of legal topics including children and divorce, substance abuse in divorce cases, prenuptial agreements, trial practice and legal ethics. He has been named in the bi-annual publication of Best Lawyers in America from 1987 through 2007. In his leisure time, Nordin enjoys his family, good company, food and wine.

MELINDA A . SAMMIS - Attorney

Melinda has been with the firm since 1999 and practices primarily in family law litigation, mediation consultation, and drafting of complex pre and post-nuptial agreements. She is a graduate of University of California, Hastings College of the Law and was admitted to the State Bar of California in 1999. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree with honors in English Literature and Spanish from Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. Melinda was a judicial extern for Family Court Judges Thomas Mellon, Jr. and Judge Charlotte Woolard in San Francisco County. She is a member of the San Francisco County Bar Association and the San Francisco Barristers Association. Melinda has been a guest lecturer at Hastings College of the Law, where her grandfather, Arthur Sammis was Dean from 1963 to 1970. She is a third generation Northern California attorney (and the first female). She has been a member of both Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists for many years and was awarded a national Emmy for co-writing and starring in the best public service announcement for television in 1989. She also received the California Governor’s Award for Excellence in Drama and Public Speaking in 1991. She has lived in Spain and is fluent in Spanish. In her spare time she enjoys traveling, road biking, and cooking.

DAVID L. BLACKER – Attorney

David Blacker graduated with honors from Columbia University with a degree in European history in 1991. He lived in Italy for a year where he was an English tutor and musician in two village bands. Returning to the States, David spent 10 years playing trombone professionally in a variety of bands and jazz orchestras in the San Francisco Bay Area and elsewhere, with highlights including playing with Rosemary Clooney and opening for the P-Funk All-Stars, all the while maintaining his legal assistant “day gig” in several family law offices in San Francisco. He joined the Law Offices of Nordin Blacker in 1997, and returned to law school shortly after getting married. He received his law degree from the University of San Francisco School of Law in 2005, and was admitted to the California Bar later that year. While in law school, David founded the USF Family Law Association which brought students, faculty and family lawyers together to discuss current issues in the field. His proudest accomplishment is being the father of two native San Franciscans.

SUPPORT STAFF

DENNIS HANSHEW – Legal Assistant

Dennis holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree and a Professional Diploma in Education and has worked in the family law milieu since graduating Phi Theta Kappa with a Bachelor of Science Degree from a two-year American Bar Association approved legal assistance program in 1989. From 1990 to the present he has been variously employed as a law office manager, case manager, paralegal and legal assistant. He considers himself a “people person” and enjoys developing a familiar rapport with clients and all the professionals in the legal arena. Dennis was co-presenter of a workshop on “Domestic Partnership and Same-sex Marriage Statutes in Canada and the U.S.” at the 2005 Vienna conference of the International Commission on Couple and Family Relations. In his leisure time, Dennis enjoys travel and the arts.

JENNIFER MANSFIELD SOWERWINE – Office Administrator

Jennifer is a graduate of the University of California at Davis, where she studied International Relations with an emphasis in political science. She also earned a paralegal certificate through U.C. Extension, finishing first in her class. Before coming to the firm in 2003, Jennifer worked as a legal assistant and a law office administrator, and was a volunteer paralegal for the San Francisco Volunteer Legal Services Program temporary restraining order clinic. In addition to her legal experience, Jennifer owned an import company, designing and selling products from Nepal. Jennifer handles accounts receivable, accounts payable and general administrative operations for the firm.

DONNA BLACKER – Payroll and Pension Manager

Donna attended UCLA, University of Santa Clara Business School, Lincoln Law School, and the Academy of Art, thus qualifying her as the office Renaissance person. She worked in the business office of the University of Southern California while Nordin attended USC Law School. She then became a professional campaign worker, running various campaigns for State Assembly, San Jose Mayor, San Jose School Board, and US Congress (Pete McCloskey). She also ran the Santa Clara County campaign for Congressman McCloskey’s run for the Presidency in 1972.

Donna has at one time or another served as the Chairperson of the Santa Clara Human Relations Commission, founding member of Opera San Jose, board member on the Santa Clara County AIDS Board, Vice President of the Merola Opera Program Board in San Francisco. She managed Nordin’s office through 2002 when she took on her present duties. She loves opera, theater, travel, and, most of all, her four remarkable grandchildren.