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Mariette Geldenhuys, Partner
- Education:
- University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa, LL.B., cum laude, 1983
- University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa, B.L.C., cum laude, 1981
- Oxford University, Oxford, England (Rhodes Scholarship), graduate study in Law and Criminology, 1984-6
- Admitted to Practice:
- Supreme Court, South Africa, 1984
- NY State, 1989
- United States District Court, Northern District of NY, 1996
Prior to the merger of her practice with LoPinto, Schlather, Solomon & Salk on January 1, 2006 to form Schlather, Geldenhuys, Stumbar & Salk, Mariette had her own practice from 1997 to 2005. Mariette served as City Attorney for the City of Ithaca from 1996-1999. Before starting her own practice, she was a partner and associate in other Ithaca firms and a public prosecutor. She is President of the Tompkins County Bar Association, a member of the New York State Bar Association, Founder and past President of the Collaborative Family Lawyers of Central New York, a member of the Diversity Task Force of the International Academy of Collaborative Professionals, and a member of the National Family Law Advisory Council of the National Center for Lesbian Rights.
Mariette’s practice areas include family law (divorce, custody and support, with an emphasis on collaborative law and mediation); domestic partnerships; adoption; real estate; estate planning and administration; small business advising; municipal law and not-for-profit corporations.
Mariette has given lectures and made presentations on a range of topics including:
- “Legal Issues for Small Businesses”
- “Advance Planning - Wills, Trusts, Health Care Proxies, Living Wills and Powers of Attorney”
- “Collaborative Law: A Non-Litigation Divorce Alternative”
- “Collaborative Law for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Clients and their Families”
- “Women in Law”
- “Legal Issues for Gay and Lesbian Couples.”
She also presents a section on legal issues related to custody and child support for the “Parents Apart” course offered by Cornell Cooperative Extension.
Mariette currently serves as President of the Board of Trustees of the Community School of Music and Arts in Tompkins County, Chairperson of the Parish Pastoral Council of Immaculate Conception Church in Ithaca, and board member of Pastoral Counseling Service. She previously served on the board of directors of the Ballet Guild of Ithaca and Ithaca Rape Crisis.
She speaks English, Afrikaans, and German and has working knowledge of Dutch and French.
To schedule an appointment with Mariette, please contact Allison Myers. For matters related to adoption and estates, please contact Amie Sweeney.