Michael E. Bertin

Main Line Family Law Attorney

Michael co-chairs Obermayer’s Family Law Group. He focuses his practice on child custody, child support, and divorce, including the negotiation and litigation of domestic relations cases, divorce, custody, support, alimony, property distribution, prenuptial agreements and related issues. He represents clients in the Philadelphia region, the Main Line, Montgomery, Delaware, Bucks, and Chester counties, and throughout Pennsylvania.  He maintains offices in Philadelphia, PA and in West Conshohocken, PA located in the heart of the Main Line.

Michael is an in-demand lawyer across the state.  He has widespread appeal to clients of all economic levels.  From the wealthiest of clients with complex financial matters and large estates, to the basic divorce, Michael devotes his energy to understanding the client as a person and achieving for him or her the best possible results.  When it comes to child custody cases, Michael has literally written the book. Michael is the author of the book titled Pennsylvania Child Custody Law, Practice, and Procedure. This book is used by judges and lawyers across the state who refer to the book on a regular basis.  With respect to child/spousal support cases, Michael has recently won the most important high income child support case in Pennsylvania in decades.  This case resulted in a unanimous decision from the Pennsylvania Supreme Court which has changed support law in Pennsylvania forever.  Most importantly, Michael empathizes with his clients and provides them with the guidance that they need.

In his free time, Michael enjoys spending time with his family, coaching his son’s travel soccer team and, as a season ticket holder for over 20 years, attending Philadelphia Eagles games. As the former captain of his high school’s varsity swim team, Michael also takes a keen interest in all swimming related topics.

Michael has successfully handled numerous divorce and family law cases involving multi-million dollar marital estates. Some of Michael’s notable cases include:

• Changing high income child support law in Pennsylvania by arguing and winning a high income child support case in June 2018 before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, on behalf of a father who earned in excess of $15 Million ($15,000,000.00) during the year in question. As a result of Michael’s efforts, the State of Pennsylvania now calculates high income child support based on the reasonable needs of the children, and not only on a percentage of the parents’ income;
• Successfully obtaining sole legal and physical custody of a child for an out-of-state parent;
• After a long and protracted trial, obtaining the court’s permission to allow a client to relocate out-of-state with her child; and
• Successfully handling multiple prenuptial agreements for individuals having a net worth in excess of $200 Million ($200,000,000.00).

Michael, who has written over 100 articles in well-known legal publications, co-authored the book on Pennsylvania child custody law. His book, Pennsylvania Child Custody Law, Practice, and Procedure, consists of carefully condensed law and forms that keeps attorneys and the courts current on all areas of Pennsylvania child custody law.

Throughout his career, Michael has been recognized and honored by his peers and the legal community for his outstanding work. His recognitions include:

• Being selected by Best Lawyers® as the 2021 Family Law “Lawyer of the Year” in the Philadelphia region.
• Being selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America©, regarded as a definitive guide to legal excellence in the region, every year from 2015 to present;
• Being named to the Pennsylvania Super Lawyers® list from 2014-2023 and their Rising Stars list from 2006-2014, as seen in both Philadelphia Magazine and Pennsylvania Super Lawyers magazine. Only 5 percent of Pennsylvania attorneys receive this honor each year;
• Serving statewide as a member of the Pennsylvania Joint State Government Commission Domestic Relations Advisory Committee;
• Being admitted as a Fellow to the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML);
• Receiving an AV ® preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell, indicating his preeminent legal ability and very high ethical standards;
• Receiving a 2011 Pennsylvania Bar Association Special Achievement Award for his contributions and work with the PBA Family Law Section to enact new custody legislation;
• Being listed as one of the Greater Philadelphia Region’s Ten Leaders in Divorce Law, by the Ten Leaders Cooperative. Members of the Ten Leaders are selected after a lengthy research of the marketplace – leading professionals referring other leading professionals, with input from peers inside and outside of a geographical coverage area as well as inside and outside a specialty; and
• Being chosen as one of 35 Pennsylvania attorneys selected by The Legal Intelligencer and Pennsylvania Law Weekly as a “2007 Lawyer on the Fast Track,” an honor recognizing the future leaders of Pennsylvania’s legal community;
• Being selected as a Five-Star Attorney and Top Attorney by Suburban Life Magazine.

Michael is a former Chair of the Family Law Section of the Pennsylvania Bar Association, and a former chair and member of its Procedural Rules Committee, Legislative Committee, and Program Committee. Michael is a former Chair of the Family Law Section of the Philadelphia Bar Association and the current co-chair of its Custody Committee. Michael currently serves as President-Elect Of Pennsylvania Chapter Of American Academy Of Matrimonial Lawyers after his terms as Vice President, and Secretary of the chapter, where he is also a member of its Board of Managers (the governing body). Michael also serves as chair of Obermayer’s Pro Bono Committee.

In civic life, Michael is a member of the Advisory Board for the Volunteers for the Indigent Program. He also coaches his son’s travel soccer team.

Awards Won*

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