Sandra L. Meilton

BACKGROUND

Sandy began her career as a high school teacher, although she had considered going to law school while attending college. However, a legal career always appealed to her. After moving to the Harrisburg area, Sandy held a position as a Medicare Hearing Examiner. But the desire to go to law school stayed with her. She finally took the plunge and applied to law school, realizing that a better understanding of the law could help in her work as a Medicare Hearing Examiner.

After graduating from law school, Sandy began working for a personal injury law firm. Eventually, she gravitated to family law and found it a natural fit for her skills and personality. During her first few years, Sandy worked with a wonderful mentor who instilled a love and respect for family law in Sandy that has stayed with her throughout her career.

EXPERIENCE

Sandy offers her clients over forty years’ experience in family law. She is a trained Mediator and trained Parent Coordinator. She served as a Custody Conciliator Officer for Dauphin County from 1991 through April 2008 and now, upon request of the Court or individuals, will serve as a Guardian Ad Litem. Sandy is a frequent lecturer on family law matters throughout the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

PERSPECTIVE / PHILOSOPHY

Sandy believes that the law is a great profession for women, offering intellectual challenges, as well as the opportunity to work with great people. She loves helping people through the most troubling periods of their lives and bringing their issues to a solid resolution. Sandy also enjoys the many facets of family law that make it infinitely interesting. She sees these aspects as puzzle pieces that she must fit together – from taxes and small businesses to trusts and estate work, future planning and much more – all are aspects of many family law cases.

FUN FACTS ABOUT SANDY

Sandy loves to fly fish when time permits and finds the sport totally absorbing and relaxing. Sandy has been married over 50 years and enjoys traveling with her husband and time with friends.

PRACTICE AREAS

Family Law
Mediation
Parent Coordination

PROFESSIONAL & COMMUNITY AFFILIATIONS

• American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Fellow Member, 1993-Present
• American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Pennsylvania Chapter, Past President
• Supreme Court of Pennsylvania’s Disciplinary Board Hearing Committee Member (Past)
• Pennsylvania Bar Association, Member
• Pennsylvania Bar Association’s Review and Certifying Board, Member (Past)
• Dauphin County Bar Association, Member
• Dauphin County Bar Association, Past President
• Dauphin County Bar Association, Past Chair, Family Law Section
• Advisory Committee to Create the First Family Law Court in Dauphin County (Past)
• Cumberland County Bar Association,  Member
• Pennsylvania Bar Foundation, Lifetime Member
• Dauphin County Bar Foundation, Lifetime Member; Past Board of Directors (Past)
• Dauphin County Seminar for Separating Parents Task Force, Chairperson (Past)
• Joint State Government Advisory Committee on Domestic Relations Law – Appointed
• Federal Judicial Advisory Board, Past Member
• American Trial Lawyers Association, Past Member
• Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association, Past Member;  Past Board of Governors  and Executive Committee
• Workers’ Compensation Rules Committee, Past Member (Appointed by Pennsylvania Secretary of Labor and Industry)
• United Methodist Home for Children, Residential Care, Inc., Board of Directors (Past)
• Pennsylvania Bar Association Review and Certifying Board, Member

PROFESSIONAL RECOGNITIONS

• AV Martindale-Hubbell Peer Review Rating
  (Peers rank Sandy at highest level of professional excellence of legal ability in her area of practice, her expertise and other professional qualifications, as well as her adherence to professional standards of conduct and ethics, reliability, diligence and other criteria relevant in the performance of her professional responsibilities)

• Martindale-Hubbell Special Edition Judicial Award, 2016
• Assisted with the creation of Dauphin County’s Family Court, 2014
• Best Lawyers’ Harrisburg Family Law “LAWYER OF THE YEAR,” 2014, 2017, 2019
• Best Lawyers in America, 2006-2011, 2013-2020
• Central Pennsylvania’s Best Lawyers, 2009-2020
• Pennsylvania Super Lawyers, 2004-2020
• Top 50 Women Lawyers in Pennsylvania, featured in Philadelphia Magazine, 2004-2009
• USA Today/CNN’s Lawyers of Distinction, 2016
• Harrisburg Magazine’s Local Legal Leaders – Family Law, 2016
• ALM’s Women Leaders in the Law, 2015
• Susquehanna Style’s Select Lawyers – Family, Custody and Divorce Law, 2014-2015

SEMINARS & EVENTS

Sandy has lectured and authored over eighty seminars and events on domestic issues through the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Pennsylvania Bar Institute, Pennsylvania Bar Association, Pennsylvania Trial Lawyers Association, Dauphin County Bar Association, Cumberland County Bar Association, Widener University, Harrisburg Area Community College, Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and various non-profit organizations.

Some of her most recent seminars and events include:

•  Co-Editor of Pennsylvania Bar Institute’s “Custody Law Practice in Pennsylvania,” 1st Edition (2013); 2nd Edition (2015.); 3rd Edition (2017)
• Mentor and Lecturer, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers’ Institute for Family Law Associates, 2004 – 2010
• Co-course Planner and Lecturer, Pennsylvania Bar Institute’s “Pitfalls of Family Law: Malpractice and/or Ethical Dilemma,” 2007
• Co-Presenter with the Honorable Jeannine Turgeon at Nineteenth Children’s Interagency Training Conference, “How Does Your Garden Grow? Cultivating Cross-System, Family-Driven and Youth-Guided Partnerships” on the topic of Ethical Consideration in Working with the Judicial System, 2007
• Faculty Member and Lecturer, Pennsylvania Bar Institute’s “Family Law Institute” on “The View” Round Table Discussion on Custody From Custody Masters’ Perspective, 2007
• Guest Lecturer, Family Law – Practice and Procedure Class of Widener University School of Law on the topics of custody conciliation and collaborative law
• Lecturer, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers’ “Deal or No Deal” (Advanced Alimony Course), 2007
• Lecturer, Pennsylvania Bar Institute’s “Primer on Family Law,” 2006
• Co-course Planner and Lecturer, Pennsylvania Bar Institute’s “Fundamentals of Family Law,” 2006
• Author and Lecturer, Pennsylvania Bar Institute’s Annual Family Law Update, 1997 – 2005

EDUCATION

J.D., Dickinson School of Law, Carlisle, Pennsylvania, 1980
B.A., Bethany College, Bethany, West Virginia, 1968

BAR ADMISSIONS

U.S. Supreme Court, 1984
Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, 1980
U.S. District Court, Middle District of Pennsylvania, 1980
U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, 1985

Office Locations: