At The Law Offices of Blacker, Sammis & Blacker, you will find a law firm with a level of experience and expertise that befits its clientele, and a level of empathy and understanding that is needed during what is often a difficult and emotional time.
Attorney Nordin F. Blacker is a Certified Family Law Specialist with more than 40 years of experience. He is a strong advocate for moving cases toward settlement, with trial as an option when necessary. He serves as a private judge, a mediator, a Special Master and an expert witness in family law. Nordin has been included in the publication "Best Lawyers in America" since 1987.
Attorney Melinda A. Sammis is a Certified Family Law Specialist who has wide experience in family law and specializes in the detailed crafting of complex prenuptial, postnuptial, same-sex relationship and cohabitation agreements. She is conversant in Spanish.
Attorney David L. Blacker spent more than a decade working in family law as a paralegal prior to earning his law degree. While in law school, he founded the University of San Francisco Family Law Association. He is an active volunteer in the San Francisco public schools.
Paralegal, Dennis Hanshew, holds degrees in fine arts, secondary art education and legal assistance and has worked in the family law milieu since 1989. Dennis was co-presenter of a workshop, "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.
Office Administrator and Controller, Jennifer Mansfield, earned her B.A. from the University of California at Davis, and a paralegal certificate from the University of California Extension. Before joining the firm, Jennifer worked as a litigation paralegal, an office manager, and owned a business designing and importing products from Nepal. She has also been a volunteer paralegal for the Bar Association of San Francisco's domestic abuse clinic. Currently, Jennifer is an active volunteer in Alameda public schools. Jennifer is a member of the Golden Gate Association of Legal Administrators.
Pension Manager, Donna Blacker, attended UCLA, University of Santa Clara Business School, Lincoln Law School, and the Academy of Art, thus qualifying her as the office Renaissance person. Donna has worked on many political and social campaigns. Following her passion for opera, she has worked with local opera organizations, most notably as a board member of the Merola Opera Program and a founding board member of Opera San Jose. She managed Nordin's office until 2003, when she took on her present duties.
Paralegal Assistant, Tierney Berlinski, earned her Bachelor of Arts in Communications from San Francisco State University in 2010. Tierney joined the firm in 2008 as a file clerk. In her spare time, Tierney enjoys gardening, travel and exploring the great outdoors.