Andrew Aaron Zashin, ADR Attorney in Cleveland, Ohio

Andrew Zashin is the Founding Partner of Zashin Law and practices Family Law and International Family Law. He is regarded regionally, nationally and internationally as an expert in these legal disciplines. Andrew represents celebrities, athletes, high-net worth individuals and ordinary people with respect to their Family Law situations. Andrew is sought after as a speaker and commentator and has lectured locally, nationally and internationally.

Recognitions

Andrew Zashin works extensively in all facets of domestic relations law including divorce, dissolution, child custody, support issues, marital settlement agreements, and equitable property divisions. In his distinguished career, Andrew has received numerous accolades for his capabilities and effective representation of his clients. Andrew has been named a Fellow of both the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and the International Academy of Family Lawyers.

Worth Magazine (Robb Report) named Andrew to its list of the “Top 100” attorneys in the nation for high net worth clients.

Andrew is named in the elite lawyers rating guide, “Best Lawyers in America,” and he has been designated the Best Lawyers’ “Lawyer of the Year” for Family Law in Cleveland.

Chambers and Partners (“Chambers”), the most prestigious global legal ranking guide in the world, ranked Andrew “Band 1,” its highest ranking, in the category of Family/Matrimonial law. The Chambers reviews have said of Andrew:

“[he] has got a fantastic reputation for doing things well and quietly...” (2020)

“He is lightning in a bottle. If you have a challenging case, he is a delight to have on the matter. He is extremely creative and brilliant." Zashin advises wealthy individuals on a full range of family law matters, including marital agreements, property divisions and child custody cases. "He is great, he really is a big-picture thinker. He is very bright and he handles the big picture of the case, how the pieces of the pie come together," explains an interviewee, who adds: "I enjoy having cases against him.” (2021)

Martindale-Hubbell, a well-known national lawyer rating guide, has awarded Andrew its highest rating. This rating is reserved for lawyers who have “reached the heights of professional excellence” and “the highest levels of skill and integrity.”

Specific Practice Areas

With respect to financial issues of Family Law, Andrew has experience in the following areas:

• evaluating and dividing business and partnerships interests;

• crafting complex property settlements;

• drafting long and short term spousal support arrangements;

• accounting for the misappropriation and hiding of marital assets;

• enforcing and challenging pre-nuptial contracts; and

• vacating divorce entries on the basis of fraud and non-disclosure of assets.

In connection with child custody matters, Andrew is experienced with the following:

• allocating parental rights and responsibilities;

• representing parents in custody disputes between states and countries;

• drafting shared parenting plans and visitation schedules;

• advising and litigating issues covering parental relocation;

• computing complex child support calculations;

• litigating domestic violence and sexual abuse issues; and

• analyzing and utilizing psychological expert testimony concerning the "best interests of the child"

Family Law Across Borders

Our world is shrinking. People today have financial and parenting issues that reach across county, state and national borders. Andrew and his team have a wealth of experience handling such matters.

Andrew routinely works with clients and their advisors to achieve their best results.

Aside from representing parents with custody matters inside of Ohio, Andrew has a wealth of experience working beyond the boundaries of Ohio and the United States. Child custody cases are complicated by an alphabet soup of laws, acts and treaties that make already difficult situations incomprehensible.

Andrew, and the team of Family Law attorneys at Zashin Law, have experience dealing with national laws and acts like the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (“UCCJEA”), Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (“UIFSA”) and others related to child custody matters between the states.

Andrew is also experienced at handling international child custody matters. Andrew and his team have represented parents in the United States and overseas in relation to the implementation and enforcement of The 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, at every level of the federal courts. These cases include the most rare, an historic en banc proceeding, one of only two, and twice in seminal cases at the Supreme Court of the United States, the two most important of only five.

“These are basically the two most important cases to be decided by any court in the world regarding this treaty.” (Golan v. Saada and Monasky v. Taglieri, both monumental “Hague Treaty” cases at the Supreme Court that Andrew Zashin and the Family Law team were on.) –Michael Scharf, BakerHostetler Professor of Law, School of Law, Case Western Reserve University, Frederick K. Cox International Law Center

Notable Activities

Andrew is an Adjunct Professor at the School of Law, Case Western Reserve University. He continues to teach family law classes, every year, from the most basic, to advanced and international, courses.

Andrew has published numerous academic, trade, and lay articles regarding Family Law topics and lectures in Ohio, nationally and abroad.

Andrew is sought out as a legal commentator and analyst for regional and national media. He has been quoted in, or made appearances on, important media outlets such as the New York Times, CNN, Reuters, Associated Press, The Today Show, The Anderson Cooper Show, MSNBC, National Public Radio (NPR “The Here and Now”), Crain’s, Court TV and many others.

Representative Appointments

• CLE National Planning Committee

American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers

Annual National Convention, Chicago, Illinois, November, 2018

• Adjunct Professor of International Law

Cox International Law Center, School of Law, Case Western Reserve University, 2017–present

• Adjunct Professor

School of Law, Case Western Reserve University,

2003–present

• Family Law Mediator / Arbitrator

American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers

Advanced Mediator Training, AAML 2017

Representative Cases

• Golan v. Saada, 833 Fed. Appx. 829, (2022).

• Arimitsu v. Cook, 141 S.Ct. 1514 (2021) Docket No 20-864: certiorari denied

• Monasky v. Taglieri, 140 S. Ct. 719 (February 25, 2020)

• Golan v. Saada, __ U.S. __, (filed Oct. 28, 2020). (On Amicus Curiae team for Cox International Law Center) Certiorari granted

• Monasky v. Taglieri, U.S., No. 18-935, certiorari granted June 10, 2019.

• Taglieri v. Monasky, 907 F.3d 404 (6th Cir. 2018) (en banc), cert. pending, No. 18-935 (U.S. Jan. 18, 2019).

• Taglieri v. Monasky, No. 16-4128, 2018 U.S. App. LEXIS 5408 (6th Cir. Mar. 2, 2018) (en banc).

(The first Habitual Residence Case under The Hague Convention to be heard en banc by a US Court of Appeals in history and only the second Hague Case ever to be heard by an en banc court of appeals panel because of its exceptional public importance.)

• Expert Witness “In Re: the matter of ‘M’”, Interpretation of Ohio Revised Code, Court of Appeals, Tel Aviv, Israel, September, 2017.

• Taglieri v. Monasky, No. 16-4128, (6th Cir. argued May 3, 2017).

• Taglieri v. Monasky, No. 16A557, (U.S. dismissed December 9, 2016). Motion to Stay Denied by Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan.

• Taglieri v. Monasky, No. 1:15-CV-00947, 2016 WL 8135530, (N.D. Ohio Jan. 25, 2016).

• Roche v. Hartz, No. 1:10 CV 1819, 2011 U.S. Dist LEXIS 22477 (N.D. Ohio Mar. 7, 2011) (Determination of Habitual Residence under 1980 Hague Convention)

• France v. France, 8th Dist. Cuyahoga No. 95629, 2011-Ohio-2402 (The famous “Facebook Bigamist” Case / appeal involving interstate child custody and UCCJEA questions)

• Dobos v. Dobos, 2009 U.S. Dist. Lexis 127474 (S.D. Ohio W.D.)(Interpretation of Grave Risk of Harm under 1980 Hague Convention)

• Rosen v. Celebrezze, 117 Ohio St.3d 241, 2008-Ohio-853 (Ohio Supreme Court matter involving child custody jurisdiction between states)

• Shutway v. Shutway, 8th Dist. Cuyahoga No. 76737, 2000 Ohio App. LEXIS 461 (Feb. 10, 2000) (Burden of evidence necessary for domestic violence civil protection order “CPO”)

• Lachowyn v. Lachowyn, 6th Dist. Erie No. E-94-36, 1995 Ohio App. LEXIS 1539 (April 14, 1995) (Property division in high net worth, significant spousal support, divorce case)

• Solon Family Physicians, Inc. v. Jean Buckles, et al., 96 Ohio App. 3d 460 (8th Dist. 1994) (Prevailed on behalf of medical practice in contract dispute against law firm)

Representative Publications

• Jewish Divorce, Sowald and Morganstern, Baldwin's Ohio Practice, Domestic Relations Law § 34:32 (2022-2023 ed.)

• Domestic Violence by Proxy: A Framework for Considering a Child’s Return Under the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction’s Article 13(b) Grave Risk of Harm Cases Post Monasky, JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF MATRIMONIAL LAWYERS, Vol. 33, 2021 (University of Missouri – Kansas City School of Law)

• Jewish Divorce, Sowald and Morganstern, Baldwin's Ohio Practice, Domestic Relations Law § 36:2 (2019–2020 ed.)

• Obergefell V. Hodges: A Consideration of its Impact Through the Lens of American Judaism, DOMESTIC RELATIONS JOURNAL OF OHIO, Thompson Reuters, MAY/JUNE 2019.

• The United States as a Refuge State for Child Abductors: Why the United States' Fails to Meet Its Own Expectations Relative to the Hague Convention, JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF MATRIMONIAL LAWYERS, Vol. 28, 2015 No. 1 (University of Missouri – Kansas City School of Law)

• Filling the Gaps with Public Policy: The Application of the Hague Convention Protocol in US Courts in the Absence of a Co-Signing State, INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LAW, POLICY AND THE FAMILY 2014 (Oxford University)

• Child Custody Litigation and Settlements, 2013 Thomson Reuters/Aspatore (Contributing Author)

• Bus Bombings and a Baby's Custody: Insidious Victories for Terrorism in the Context of International Custody Disputes, JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF MATRIMONIAL LAWYERS, Vol. 21, 2008 No. 1 (University of Missouri – Kansas City School of Law)

• A Closer Look at Separation Agreements and Settlement Agreements in Divorce and Dissolution Proceedings, DOMESTIC RELATIONS JOURNAL OF OHIO, Banks/Baldwin West Publishing, November-December 2001.

• Updated and revised, Baldwin’s Ohio Practice. Sowald Morganstern Domestic Relations Law Vol. 2, Chapter 25: Pleadings and Practice. West Group Publishing, 2002 revision, forthcoming.

• The Enforceability of Settlement Agreements (In-Court Agreements), DOMESTIC RELATIONS JOURNAL OF OHIO, Banks/Baldwin West Publishing, January-February 2001

• Contributor and presenter to DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, REFERENCE MANUAL No. 99-106, OSBA CLE Institute, Chapter 8: Domestic Violence and Its Impact on Custody and Discovery

Community Service / Pro-Bono

• Case Western Reserve University School of Law

2018, 25th Reunion Advisory Committee

2018 Endowed, Zashin & Rich Employment Law Prize

2005 – Present Endowed, Zashin & Rich Family Law Prize

• Case Western Reserve Law Alumni Association, Second Vice President

- Alumni Board Officer:

Vice President, 2006-2009

Second Vice President, 2005–2006

Secretary, 2004–2005

Treasurer, 2003–2004

Alumni Board Member, 2001–2003

• Lake View Cemetery Foundation, Trustee

Site of the James A. Garfield Presidential Memorial

- “A Run Through History” Fundraiser

Organizing and Planning Committee Member and Sponsor, Lake View Cemetery Foundation, October 2017

Representative Lectures / Presentations

• Presenter, Habitual Residence in North America, International Academy of Family Lawyers, USA-Canada Chapter, 2020 Joint Webinar, August 28, 2020

• Presenter, Planning for every eventuality: Protecting your children from their future spouses, International Bar Association's 24th International Private Client Conference at Claridge’s, London, United Kingdom, March 5, 2019

• Presenter, Attacking and Defending Prenuptial Agreements, “What Every Practitioner Needs To Know,” a collaboration between the Ohio Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association, February 18, 2019

• Panelist, Learn From Lawyers, Case Western Reserve University, October 26, 2018

• Presenter, Sixth Circuit Court En Banc Addresses Habitual Residence Under The Hague Convention, American Academy of Matrimonial Law Ohio Chapter, Harold Kemp Annual Columbus Day Seminar, Columbus, Ohio, October 8, 2018

• Co-Presenter, U.S. Justice System – Protecting Women and Children, U.S. Department of State-sponsored delegation through the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), August 6, 2018

• Featured Lecturer, Hiding in plain sight: The International Family Law Issues Lawyers and Judges Miss, Cox International Law Center, Case Western Reserve University School of Law, February 20, 2018

• Co-Presenter, Abducted Children Caught in the Ohio Judicial System: New Precedent and New Ways of Thinking about Child Custody Jurisdiction, Judicial Conference of the Eighth Judicial District of Ohio, May 8, 2015

• Presenter, Should I Stay or Should I Go? Assessing Relocation Issues, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers Annual Meeting, Chicago, Illinois, November 2014

• Filling the Gaps with Public Policy: The Application of the Hague Convention Protocol in US Courts in the Absence of a Co-Signing State, article abstract presentation, International Society of Family Law, Regional Conference in Israel, Hod HaSharon, Israel, January 2014

• New Trends in Alternative Dispute Resolution in the United States, Israel Bar Association, Conference on Alternative Dispute Resolution, Eilat, Israel, April 2013

• The Enforcement of Religious Agreements in the Family Law Setting, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Florida Chapter, 34th Annual Family Law Symposium, Orlando, Florida, May 2012

• Co-Presenter, Culture, Religion and Divorce, American Academy Matrimonial Lawyers, Ohio Chapter, 23rd Annual Family Law Symposium, Columbus, Ohio, October 2011

• Lecturer, New Lawyer Training Seminar: “The 10 Commandments of Domestic Relations Law.” Cuyahoga County Bar Association. Cleveland, Ohio, January 6, 2004

• Lecturer, Advanced Family Law Symposium: “Estate Planning for Tax Purposes and its Impact on a Subsequent Divorce.” Cleveland Bar Association. Cleveland, Ohio, November 3, 2004

• Moderator, Improving Public Trust Forum. Ohio Judicial Conference. Columbus, Ohio, January 16, 2002

Memberships

• Cuyahoga County Bar Association

(Former Family Law Section Chairman)

• Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association

• Ohio State Bar Association