Michael Jay Schlifka

Michael Jay Schlifka

also known as Michael J. Schlifka

4.9
Rating: 7.8

Licensed for 46 years

Divorce and separation Lawyer at Atlanta, GA
Practice Areas: Divorce & Separation, Child Custody, Alimony ... +2 more

1545 Peachtree Street, Ste. 300, Atlanta, GA

About Michael

Biography

Practice Areas

5

Practice Areas

Child Custody 20%

46 years

20%
Alimony 10%

46 years

10%
Child Support 10%

46 years

10%

Fees and Rates

Cost

Retainer

Always


Payment Methods

  • Cash
  • Check
  • Credit Card

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Licenses

Licensed in Georgia for 31 years

State: Georgia

Acquired: 1994

Active Member in Good Standing

No misconduct found

Licensed in New York for 46 years

State: New York

Acquired: 1979

Currently Registered

No misconduct found

Location

Meriwether & Tharp, LLC

1545 Peachtree Street, Ste. 300, Atlanta, GA, 30309

Meriwether & Tharp, LLC

3340 Peachtree Road, NE, #1800, Atlanta, GA, 30326

Meriwether & Tharp, LLC

One West Court Square, Ste. 750, Decatur, GA, 30030

Meriwether & Tharp, LLC

Five Concourse Park, Ste. 3000, Atlanta, GA, 30328

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Michael Jay Schlifka's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

4.9 /5.0

15 Client Reviews

5 star (14) 4 star (1)
3 star (0)
2 star (0)
1 star (0)

Posted by Kai | September 12, 2019 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

MICHAEL WAS A BLESSING TO ME!

I’m Kai... This Review is about Michael Schlifka and Lisa Jackson, both who ended up being heaven sent angels in my life! Michael and Lisa are two of the most supportive, heart felt, hard working, determined, people I’ve ever met.. Im blessed Michael was my divorce attorney, and that Lisa was the par...alegal over my divorce case.. They were an AWESOME team over my case, my divorce was everything BUT pretty. My ex wife and I have 2 kids together, my ex demanded the divorce but was being very difficult with the kids. It had even got to the point where I was set up by my ex, and my character was assassinated by my ex. To try to obtain full custody of the kids. Through it ALL Michael stayed by my side, and fought for me and my kids diligently and affectively. Michaels sense of compassion but ability to be firm when need be is on point! Michael really knows his stuff, and fought for me tooth and nail! He did not give up on me or my case, he showed up to every court date, every hearing, and fought so hard for me. Sometimes I sit back, and thank god for bringing Michael and Lisa into my life. And putting Michael as my attorney over my divorce.. When I began my divorce, I knew nothing about divorce. Was highly hurt and emotional. Heartbroken is an understatement.. I googled divorce attorneys, not knowing where to start. I came across Meriwether and Tharpe, got put in touch with Michael Schlifka. And the rest is history.. Michael always kept my kids and I best interest in mind, and never gave up on my case. My divorce was LONG and drawn out, but he stayed by my side. He answered every email every phone call, and was highly effective. In the end of my case, due to Michael’s drive and will not to give up. My divorce worked out perfectly, everything went how I wanted! I couldn’t have asked for a better attorney!.. Lisa Jackson is a very determined hard working paralegal! Lisa was there every step of the way also, she never gave up on me either. Lisa is very professional, very heart felt, and very supportive also. Lisa’s communication is ON POINT! She kept me updated on everything, and any information I needed to submit. She was always sure to let me know, she reached out when need be by phone call or email anytime I needed to know anything. Lisa has a spirit of gold! Lisa was also heaven sent to me!.. Any questions or concerns I had, Lisa was right there to make sure she answered them. She did and awesome job, at keeping all of my case information in order. Also being sure that everything was submitted and on point, Lisa is just as hard working as Michael. I’m blessed that Michael and Lisa are hard working, determined, caring, and persistent people. They were a GREAT legal team over my divorce case. My divorce was long, drawn out, and ugly.. BUT thanks to Michael and Lisa, my case ended the right way. I am more than thrilled with the outcome, they both worked hard and diligently to be sure my outcome was the best. I am forever grateful, and blessed for Michael Schlifka and Lisa Jackson!

Posted by Martha | April 8, 2019 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

Great attorney with a sense of humor to boot

Michael was kind and compassionate about my terrible situation. My divorce was very unpleasant. He worked with me (and my ex-husband) to get to a very specific parenting plan and next 8 or 9 years plan. We agreed to co-parent 50/50 and maintain the "homestead" 50/50 until the last child graduates ...but MAN it was hard to get to that point. All the anger - he worked with me and often times I took out my anger on he and his team of paralegals (who were all wonderful!). He never had any anger back, mostly just some humor. He understood me. He took time to understand the unreasonable situation I was in and worked hard to get a great settlement. We didn't even have to go to court! Thanks so much Michael Schlifka!

Posted by Katherine | April 5, 2019 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

Excellent Representation

Michael represented me (defendant) in child support modification case. I was and continue to be impressed by his knowledge, willingness to teach me about child custody and support laws, and his compassion to fight for the well being of my children. The high quality of service I received extended beyo...nd to the entire MW&T team working diligently on my case.

Posted by Cindi | January 13, 2018 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

Knowledgeable, informative and compasionate to my concerns and needs

I couldn't have gotten better representation than with Michael Schlifka! My divorce process lasted for a little over a year and Michael was there every step of the way; vehemently representing me, guiding me and keeping me calm. In the end, things worked in my favor and I received everything I want...ed. It wouldn't have been possible without Michael.

Posted by Nadia | January 9, 2018 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

Divorce case

I hired Michael for my divorce case. He was very helpful and walked me through the process. He is a great lawyer and cares about his clients . I highly recommend him.

See All Client Reviews

Michael Jay Schlifka's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse Michael
Margaret Eileen Simpson headshot
Margaret Simpson

Divorce and separation lawyer | May 01

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"I have worked closely with Michael on dozens of family law cases, and I highly recommend him. His attention to detail is impressive, but he also helps his clients see the big picture and plan the best strategy. He focuses on resolving problems and treats his clients like family."

David A. Canale headshot
David Canale

Family lawyer | Feb 08

Relationship: Co-worker

"Michael is an extremely professional, dedicated and effective lawyer. He is a patient and understanding advocate, who does his best to effectively represent his client and obtain the desired outcome for them. Michael's experience allows him to see issues that other, less experienced attorneys might ignore. I highly recommend him in the areas of Divorce and Family Law."

Kristal Alise Holmes headshot
Kristal Holmes

Family lawyer | May 26

Relationship: Co-worker

"I have had the pleasure to work with Michael this year and he is a seasoned advocate with a vast level of knowledge and experience. He is very thoughtful and compassionate. Yet, a zealous advocate who always fights for the best outcome for his clients."

Amy Latrese Cooper headshot
Amy Cooper

Family lawyer | Dec 21

Relationship: Co-worker

"Michael is a preeminent attorney. His attention to detail is unmatched, and he is the model of professionalism. Having worked with him closely, I know that he tirelessly works to achieve the best results for his clients. It my pleasure to endorse this attorney."

Patrick Lehmon Meriwether headshot
Patrick Meriwether

Family lawyer | Aug 10

Relationship: Co-worker

"Michael has been a welcomed addition to the team. He has wisdom beyond his 35 + years of experience. He approaches every case with the same level of zeal balanced by compassion. He has the experience and legal knowledge to handle any case, big or small. He has the energy and strategic thinking to jump into the middle of a mess to figure out what to do to help the client. He will then properly advise the client on whether to settle or pursue a trial, all the while cognizant of their emotional state and how they may process his advice. When he came on board, he helped my case load by instantly taking over several cases. He was able to process the cases and come up with a winning game plan for the clients. I endorse this lawyer."

Robert Lane Tharp headshot
Robert Tharp

Divorce and separation lawyer | May 22

Relationship: Supervised lawyer

"It has been a pleasure to get to know Michael since he joined our firm. He has over thirty years of divorce experience. He communicates with his clients in a manner that helps them to understand the divorce process. He maintains a balanced approach to litigation, perfectly blending a level headed approach to amicably problem solving their matters through negotiation when possible and defending their rights and interest in court when necessary. It is my pleasure to endorse this attorney."

Jason Karasik headshot
Jason Karasik

Family lawyer | Apr 17

Relationship: Worked for lawyer

"I had the honor of learning from Michael. With over 30 years of experience, Michael brings a wealth of knowledge to the table. Michael is understanding, professional and extremely hard working. Your case is certainly in good hands with Michael in your corner."

View All Endorsements
Margaret Eileen Simpson headshot
Margaret Simpson

Family lawyer

David Sinclair Walker Jr. headshot
David Walker

General practice lawyer

Kristal Alise Holmes headshot
Kristal Holmes

Family lawyer

Amy Latrese Cooper headshot
Amy Cooper

Uncontested divorce lawyer

Deborah Brooke Koslin headshot
Deborah Koslin

Family lawyer

Experience

Rating:  7.8 (Very Good)

Honors

2015

Client Distinction Award, Martindale-Hubbell

2014

20 year anniversary, Martindale-Hubbell

N/A

Professional Who's Who Award, Strathmore's Who's Who Worldwide

Work Experience

2015 - Present

Senior Attorney, Meriwether & Tharp, LLC

1995 - 2015

Attorney, Michael J. Schlifka, Esq.

1989 - 1993

Senior Associate Attorney, Feldman, Kramer & Roberts

1987 - 1989

Partner, Egan, Netusil & Schlifka

1979 - 1985

Attorney, Robert W. Farrell

Associations

1995 - Present

State Bar of Georgia, Family Law Section

Member

1994 - Present

State Bar of Georgia

Member

1981 - Present

United States District Court for the Eastern District of New York

Member

1979 - Present

New York State Bar Association

Member

1979 - Present

Supreme Court of New York

Member

1979 - Present

Supreme Court of New York, Appellate Division, Second Judicial Department

Member

1979 - Present

Court of Appeals for New York

Member

Education

1979

University of Toledo College of Law

JD - Juris Doctor

1975

George Washington University

BA - Bachelor of Arts

Speaking Engagements

2018

Family Law Workshop in Superior Court of Fulton County

Filing for Divorce in Fulton County Family Division

2017

Newstalk 1160 a.m. - Atlanta Divorce Team Radio 10 Ways to Make Sure You Lose Your Custody Case

Languages

English

Avvo Rating

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