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Marla Zide

Divorce and separation Attorney at Glen Burnie, MD

5.0   15 reviews
Virtual consultation available
Virtual consultation available
  • Licensed for 21 years
    State MD
    Acquired 2001
    Status
    Active No misconduct found

We have not found any instances of professional misconduct for this lawyer.

About Marla

Learn Marla’s areas of practice.

4
Practice areas
  1. Divorce and separation
    60%
    My area of practice is through out the state of Maryland concentrating in Anne Arundel County. This general area includes custody, visitation, child support, alimony, spousal support, etc.

    21 years

  2. Child custody
    25%
    My practice concentrates on a variety of custody issues for example: grandparent visitation, third party custody, non-married parents, etc.

    21 years

  3. Adoption
    10%

    18 years

  4. Domestic violence
    5%
    My litigation career started at the YWCA of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County. At the YWCA my practice was solely in the area of domestic violence and all of my clients were survivors of domestic violence. When entering private practice in 2004, I continued to represent suvivors in Protective Order cases and as well as divorce cases. I also represent respondents at both the Protective Order hearing and any subsequent litigation.

    21 years

PUT OUR EXPERIENCE ON YOUR SIDE

Marla Zide's journey into the legal field started at a very young age when she would ask if she could tag along on Saturdays when her father, a dedicated legal professional would go into the office. Ms. Zide, a New England native came to Maryland in 1993 to attend Goucher College. Ms. Zide graduated from Goucher in 1997 with a BA majoring in psychology and minoring in Women's Studies. Marla Zide is a 2001 graduate of the University of Baltimore School of Law where she concentrated in family law. She participated in the Family Law Clinic at University of Baltimore for two semesters. While attending University of Baltimore, Ms. Zide worked at the Maryland Legal Service Network (MLAN), working to network different legal service providers throughout the state. While working at MLAN, Ms. Zide also assisted in developing the People's Law Library.

Ms. Zide, since being sworn into the Maryland Bar in December 2001 she has concentrated her practice in family law. Ms. Zide's litigation career started at the YWCA of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County representing parties in Protective Order hearings. Her litigation career continues primarily in Anne Arundel County, however Ms. Zide also practices in Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Howard County, Harford County, and some of the Eastern Shore Counties. She represents, parents, grandparents, other third parties and children in contested matters involving separation, divorce, custody, visitation, child support, alimony, family support, and adoption.

Marla Zide dedicates herself to advocating for her clients. She recognizes that family law cases are extremely stressful and parties need direction and focus from their attorney. Ms. Zide strives to make each one of her clients feel like they are the only client and truly is a counselor of law in every sense of the word.

Ms. Zide's dedication to service is evident by her involvement with the Maryland State Bar Association (MSBA), Women's State Bar Association (WBA) and local Anne Arundel County Bar Association. Ms. Zide is a past chair of the Young Lawyers Section (YLS) of the MSBA. She is active in the judicial selection committee, planning committee and public awareness committee. Ms. Zide was the 2011 recipient of the David Hortzberg Award, recognizing solo and small firm lawyers. Ms. Zide was recognized in 2010 and 2011 as a Rising Star in Maryland Super Lawyers.

Awards

Silver Client Champion

Contact Marla

Law Offices of Marla Zide
7310 Ritchie Hwy.
Suite 1001
Glen Burnie, MD, 21061

Reviews

5.0 / 5.0
  15 customer reviews
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Posted by Kelly | June 29, 2019
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Joshua Tabor
The Law Office of Marla Zide was recommended to me by a magistrate in Baltimore City Family Court to help resolve a custody dispute with my ex-husband. This firm went above and beyond with every phone call, email and office meeting I attended! I could not be happier with the service I received. I was represented by Joshua Tabor, a phenomenal lawyer and all around great guy. He was down to earth and easy to get along with, his patience and persistence got me through the worse year of my life - I ultimately settled out of court with EVERYTHING I wanted. Josh walked me through every step of the process and offered me ways to SAVE money along the way. I highly recommend Josh to friends and family and only wish I had contacted him sooner. I cannot thank Josh and all the staff at the Law Office of Marla Zide enough!
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Posted by anonymous | October 6, 2018
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Exceptional Trial Attorney
Fortunately, not all divorces result in a bitter custody battle, but mine did. Marla is a highly skilled litigator who knows the law well. She is grace under pressure and an effective communicator in the courtroom. Marla displayed the highest integrity, even when the other side did not. Her focus and confidence never faltered which made my experience during several years of litigation less stressful. She was successful at two custody trials and an en banc appeal. The outcome could not have been better! She is THE attorney I would want by my side in a divorce or family law matter.
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Posted by Tim & Katie DePetris | July 26, 2018
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
A true professional and very effective child custody lawyer!
We retained Marla's services again due to changes that occurred since our last case finished against a high conflict ex wife. Marla and her team proved yet again that our trust and confidence in their services wasn't misplaced. Every single step of the way, they kept us up to date of any changes in our case. They were compassionate and sensitive to the impact of the case on our lives. Marla and her team made themselves available for our incredible abundance of questions and "What Ifs" and remained responsive to any needs we had. We promptly settled, getting mostly all of our terms addressed and that wouldn't have been possible without the professionalism and expertise of Marla and her staff. We are impressed by her relentless drive to represent her clients to bring about the best possible outcome that isn't motivated by the pursuit of a higher check but for the best outcome for her clients.
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Posted by Lee | June 14, 2018
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Family Law Attorney
Josh Tabor wth Marla Zide's office was excellent. He was prompt and very helpful. i would highly recommend Marla's office for your lawyer needs.
Posted by james | February 13, 2018
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Amazing
Ms. Zide was simply amazing. She was so helpful in our adoption case. We were foster parents who were fortunate enough to be able to adopt our little girl. She was suggested to us and we cannot imagine a better professional. She was friendly and supportive but best of all she was experienced. We had a few issues, and she answered all of our questions and was extremely helpful. As a family attorney she is top notch and if we ever have any type of legal need we will use her. Marla Zide is an amazing attorney that I recommend 1000%.
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Posted by Jamie | October 26, 2017
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Absolutley the best out there
I went to Marla last minute because I could not afford an attorney early on. Although court was 4 weeks away she came to trial fully prepared and knew my case from the inside out. (My case had gone on for 5 years prior.) She took the time to really understand what was going on in my case. She was extremely honest but still gave me a lot of hope that things would turn out well for me. She is very detailed and you can tell that she loves what she does, because she's great at it. She stayed after many nights to prepare for my case as did her assistants. I could reach her anytime and she never seemed bothered, ever...and I called ALOT. She fought for me like a family member would and that is definitely not easy to find. I've had 3 attorneys in the past and they did not work nearly as hard for me or seem to care the way she did. I was very lucky to have found her and now I live with peace of mind with my custody issues. My custody case was not easy for those 5 years but she took it on with no hesitation. Don't waste your time looking for anyone else, she knows what she's doing and you will see that when you meet her.
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Posted by Samantha | June 5, 2017
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Excellent
After fostering our son for over a year, Marla represented us during his adoption. She was kind, responsive, informative, and patient. She understood the situation and had plenty of experience in foster care adoptions. Marla made sure all the paperwork was completed properly so the adoption process didn't have to take longer than needed. She prepared us for what to expect in court, and she was there the day of the adoption. From beginning to end, Marla was present, helpful, and there to answer questions. She helped us through a very exciting yet unknown time in this journey. Thank you, Marla.
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Posted by Katie & Tim D. | December 1, 2016
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Highly Conscientious & Experienced - Representing Father's Interests in High Conflict Custody Battle
We worked with Marla on a high-conflict custody battle that ended up dragging on for over a year. Since we were going to court against the ex-wife, we wanted a lawyer who had extensive knowledge and experience at representing the father’s side and I am definitely glad we secured Marla Zide for our counsel. She brought a straightforward no-nonsense mindset to our situation and immediately began working on our case. From start to finish, she fought for our interests and assessed our case from every possible angle to provide us with the best representation and outlook. In a high conflict custody battle where stress and tension are overwhelming, Marla addressed our abundance of questions and concerns with tact and sensitivity. Marla Zide always presented the accurate and honest truth to us and made sure we were informed of all changes to our case. It was refreshing to work with an attorney that did not sugar coat the reality of the situation or drag out a case to take advantage of you financially. She demonstrated her commitment to our case by making time on multiple occasions to confer with us over the phone and/or in person outside of her normal operating hours, which is certainly not something all lawyers will do. As an attorney, her approach to our case was uniquely crafted to fit our situation and grew organically from the beginning. She was not afraid to switch tactics or to invest extensive time and effort to research different avenues the case can potentially take. I can assure you these qualities are not universal across all legal counsel. Without her representation, we wouldn’t have had any chance of the extremely favorable settlement that we received. Throughout the course of the year that we were involved in this case, Marla remained conscientious to our needs, which helped lessen the detrimental impact of this case on our daily lives. If the need arose, we would definitely retain Marla’s services again. Her associates were also very helpful in our case, but we worked primarily with Marla throughout the process, which I would recommend. Although it would be less expensive to have her associates assist, in a high-stakes battle for your rights as a parent, you want the absolutely best person arguing for your interests and Marla Zide is the person for the job.
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Posted by Eleanor | October 12, 2016
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Excellent family law attorney
We were very fortunate to have Marla assist us through the second parent adoption process. She was not only extremely knowledgeable, but a fierce advocate... both of these qualities are critical given how heavily you have to rely on your attorney throughout these types of legal procedures. Marla and her staff were highly responsive, dependable, and compassionate. We could not have asked for better legal representation and therefore highly recommend Marla and her team.
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Posted by Kelly | July 19, 2016
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Trustworthy Lawyer
My wife and I retained Marla’s services for the adoption of our daughter. My wife gave birth to our daughter via artificial insemination and we were unaware of Maryland Laws regarding the protection of the non-biological parent and didn’t know where to turn. After doing research and speaking with several friends Marla was recommended. Marla went above and beyond to ensure we were educated on the laws and provided much needed support. Her hard work and organization kept us relaxed and made for a streamlined and easy process. Our family is now complete because of Marla!
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Posted by anonymous | July 8, 2016
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Extraordinary Attorney/Associates!!
I retained the services of Marla Zide initially for my separation agreement and then my subsequent divorce. Between Marla and two of her associates, I was extremely satisfied and thankful for all the guidance that was provided to me throughout the entire process. If I am ever in need of family related legal services in the future, I will utilize her office again with no hesitation.
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Posted by anonymous | December 14, 2015
This review is from a person who hired this attorney.
| Hired Attorney
Family/high-conflict custody case
I was going though a high-conflict custody battle with my ex-H and I was very disappointed with my attorney. Finally I decided to change attorneys in the midst of the litigation and I am glad I did! Marla, my new attorney, completely changed the strategy. We worked as a Team and The whole process became less stressful. Always gave a realistic advice and most importantly She was ready to fight and protect my kids' interests. I was very pleased with the results.
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Posted by anonymous | July 24, 2013
Thank you!
Marla helped review my marriage separation agreement, and provided consultation on what it meant, what should be changed, and gave me assurances to what rights of mine were protected. She also explained Maryland divorce law to me, and what the process was. She was very professional, and quickly jumped in and gave me exactly what I needed. Would definitely recommend.
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Posted by becca | October 26, 2009
The BEST
I have had to use Marla a few times over the past few years. The first time was for an emergency hearing whereas I was the defendant. My attorney was not able to represent me because of the expedited hearing. Marla was quick to respond, she took the time to meet with me, answered all my questions and asked the pertinent ones. Her retainer was fair and reasonable and she made some payment arrangements with me going forward. This hearing turned into a "change of circumstance" hearing which is what she predicted. She represented me professionally and we did not settle until it was equitable. Marla is still representing me today but on another matter. She has a very good repoir with her colleagues and the judges which I think is very helpful. She is able to talk to me in terms I understand and lay out all the possible scenarios. She was able to settle me when I needed and completely understood how such circumstances could rock someones perception. She ultimately left the decisions in my hands however with her guidance I felt as if the choices I made were educated instead of from emotion. She made herself very available, by email, phone and in person. Her rates are fair and she is an outstanding attorney. She really knows how to read people. She takes great notes and has an amazing memory. She is on point in the courtroom, she really thinks out of the box. She is a pro at witness preperation, speaking for myself as well as my witness'. We all knew what to expect and we were prepared for our nerve racking cross examination as well. Marla has worked very hard on behalf of my family the last few years. I have the utmost respect for her and her abilities and refer her everytime I get the chance.
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Posted by Debbie | August 27, 2009
Wonderful, responsive and has the best intersts of the children in mind
I used Ms. Zide for my exparte, separation and divorce when she first started practicing family law at the YWCA in Arnold and my case transferred over to her private practice with Alan Forman. I have not dealt with many attorneys or legal issues, but she went out of her way and above and beyond any expectations that I had to make the transition as easy as possible for my son, who was the real victim in the ugly divorce battle. When I felt like I wanted to be vindictive for all of the nasty things that my ex did, Marla was always there to ground me and give me a dose of reality, reminding me what was best for my child. She was so easy to talk to and I never felt like I was being judged at all. I appreciate everything that she did for me and my son. I obtained full physical custody and was able to finally become cordial with my ex and be able to talk about issues with my son.
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Cost

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Contact for Details

Resume

AVVO RATING 10.0 (Superb)

Work Experience

  • Partner
  • Forman & Zide
  • 2003 - 2011

Education

  • University of Baltimore School of Law
  • JD - Juris Doctor
  • 2001
  • Goucher College
  • BA - Bachelor of Arts
  • 1997

Associations

  • Maryland State Bar Association
  • Board of Governors
  • 2011 - 2013

Languages Spoken

  • English

Honors and Awards

  • Super Lawyer
  • Super Lawyers
  • 2021
  • Super Lawyer
  • Super Lawyers
  • 2020
  • Super Lawyer
  • Super Lawyers
  • 2019
  • Super Lawyer
  • Super Lawyers
  • 2018
  • Super Lawyer
  • Super Lawyers
  • 2017
  • Super Lawyer
  • Super Lawyers
  • 2016
  • Super Lawyer, Family Law
  • Super Lawyers Magazine
  • 2013
  • David Hjortsberg
  • Howard County Bar Association
  • 2011
  • Rising Star
  • Super Lawyers
  • 2011
  • Rising Star
  • Super Lawyers
  • 2010
  • Pro Bono Star
  • Pro Bono Resource Center
  • 2005
View all awards

Attorney endorsements

Received (4)
Given (2)
Endorse Marla
Unknown Attorney | Nov 04
Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter
"I endorse this lawyer."
Divorce and separation Attorney | Apr 16
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"I have known Marla for many years. She is an absolutely superb lawyer. I often refer cases to her that I am not able to handle. I would highly recommend her to anyone searching for an attorney in Maryland."
Divorce and separation Attorney | Mar 17
Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community
"Marla is very knowledgeable in all areas of family law. She is a strong advocate for her clients, extremely professional and highly competent."
Family Attorney | Jun 23
Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter
"I endorse this lawyer. Ms. Zide's enthusiasm, communication skills and professionalism makes her a true advocate for her clients. she is a pleasure to work with whether a case is uncontested or contested."
Bankruptcy and debt
Divorce and separation

Avvo Contributions

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Glen Burnie Divorce and separation Lawyer Marla Zide
Marla Zide
Divorce and separation Attorney
Glen Burnie, MD
Licensed for 21 years
Virtual consultation available