WESTCHESTER MATRIMONIAL - Key Persons

AnnMarie Popovic began her legal career in New York while pursuing her degree in English Literature at Mercy College, where she was also on a full athletic scholarship for Track and Field. Ms. Popovic graduated Summa Cum Laude with a B.S. in English Literature. After college, she was hired by The DeIorio Law Firm, LLP, a renowned commercial litigation firm in Westchester County. During her tenure there, AnnMarie ascended the ranks from administrative assistant to senior paralegal while managing her own caseloads and specializing in breach of contract litigation, as well as mergers and acquisitions for a multi-national propane company. After working in the legal field for a few years, AnnMarie was "bit by the bug" and decided to pursue a legal education. She was accepted into Pace Law School and completed her degree in September, 2015. She has taken and passed the New York Law Exam, and will be taking the Multistate Professional Responsibility Exam and Uniform Bar Examination in February of 2021. AnnMarie has worked for reputable national law firms during her legal career and is highly specialized in litigation. She has been with Ressler & Associates since its inception in 2016, and has narrowed her focus exclusively on Matrimonial and Family Law. AnnMarie's legal career has afforded her the opportunity to work within the Eastern and Southern District Courts, the Appellate Court for the Second Circuit, as well as Westchester, New York, Bronx, Queens, Kings, Putnam, Orange and Dutchess County Supreme Courts as well as Supreme Courts. Currently, AnnMarie is Senior Paralegal at Ressler & Associates and manages an individual caseload wherein she plays an integral role in strategizing, case management, motion practice, settlement discussions and trial preparation. She also supports the Partner and Associates of the firm. Besides her love for the practice of law, AnnMarie is an avid mountain biker and road cyclist, as well as a competitive runner.

Ms. Ressler's practice is 100% dedicated to the areas of matrimonial and family law. She appears in Supreme Court and Family Court in Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, Bronx, Staten Island, Westchester, Rockland, Long Island, Putnam and Orange Counties. Ms. Ressler was admitted to the New York State Bar in February of 2003 and graduated from New York Law School in 2002. Prior to attending New York Law School, Ms. Ressler graduated with an Award of Distinction from York University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Ms. Ressler serves an Attorney for Children in Westchester and Putnam Counties. Her prior work history includes serving as a law clerk for the Honorable Jacqueline W. Silbermann who served as the Statewide Administrative Judge for Matrimonial Matters. She served as an intern at Lawyers for Children. She practiced at the Manhattan law firm of Mayerson Stutman, LLP (presently Mayerson, Abramowitz & Kahn, LLP) and she practiced in the Westchester law firm of DelBello, Donnellan, Weingarten, Wise & Wiederkehr, LLP. Ms. Ressler's memberships include the Women's Bar Association of the State of New York; the Westchester Women's Bar Association; New York County Lawyer's Association; Westchester County Bar Association; The New York City Bar Association; The New York State Bar Association; The American Bar Association and Justice Brandeis Westchester Law Society

Job Titles:

• Founding Member of the American Academy of Certified Financial Litigators

Kiersten M. Schramek returns to Ressler & Associates, where she first began her legal career, as an Associate Attorney. Ms. Schramek is admitted to practice in the Courts of New York State, the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and the United States District Court for the Southern and Eastern Districts. She graduated cum laude from Pace University School of Law, where she received her Juris Doctorate degree. Ms. Schramek primarily focuses her practice in the areas of matrimonial and family law. In 2017, she had the privilege of orally arguing a Hague Convention matter before the United States District Court for the Southern District and the United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit. In addition to representing clients in family court, in uncontested divorces, and in divorce mediation, Ms. Schramek represents high net worth individuals involving extensive financial discovery in complex divorce actions. Prior to rejoining Ressler & Associates, Ms. Schramek led the Litigation Department of The Law Firm of William G. Sayegh, P.C. Her practice areas at the firm included matrimonial and family law litigation, criminal defense (including Driving While Intoxicated and Vehicle and Traffic offenses), and civil litigation. Ms. Schramek was also previously associated with a large litigation firm serving the entire metropolitan area defending general liability litigation. She has defended property owners, tenants, general contractors, subcontractors, and construction managers arising from civil liability including claims arising out of New York State Labor Law 200, 240(1), and 241(6), construction accidents, premises liability, as well as defending manufacturers in products liability claims. Ms. Schramek is a Founding Member of The American Academy of Certified Financial Litigators. She is published in both the Pace International Law Review and Albany Law Review Journals. She is a member of the American Bar Association, New York State Bar Association, Westchester Women's Bar Association, and Putnam County Bar Association. Ms. Schramek prides herself on her steadfast work ethic and zealous advocacy for her clients.

Meredith Jeanne Kenyon, Esq. is a graduate of Widener University School of Law (J.D. 2011) and was admitted to practice in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 2011, the State of New Jersey in 2012 and the State of New York in 2015. While receiving her degree, Ms. Kenyon worked as a Certified Legal Intern with the Dauphin County District Attorney's Office in Harrisburg, PA, prosecuting a variety of criminal matters on behalf of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, and was recognized for her pro bono work in that capacity. Ms. Kenyon also interned as a Guardian Ad Litem with The Children's Law Center of Central North Carolina in Winston-Salem, NC. She also volunteered with the Student Animal Legal Defense Fund and was a member of Phi Alpha Delta International Law Fraternity. After graduating from law school, Ms. Kenyon spent one year as an associate attorney practicing civil litigation at J. Craig Currie & Associates, P.C. in Philadelphia, PA. Ms. Kenyon then joined the firm of Novenstern Fabriani & Gaudio, LLP in 2013 where she spent two years handling a variety of divorce, child support and child custody, visitation, spousal maintenance, and equitable distribution matters. Ms. Kenyon then joined the firm of Wilson Elser Moskowitz Edelman & Dicker LLP in 2015 where she spent three years handling a variety of general liability, matrimonial and family law matters. Ms. Kenyon has continued practicing in the areas of matrimonial and family law since joining the firm of Ressler & Associates in July 2018.

Rachel Weiss, Esq. received her Juris Doctorate degree from Hofstra University School of Law in 2013 and was admitted to practice in the State of New Jersey in 2013 and the State of New York in 2014. While in law school, Ms. Weiss interned for Judge Robin Kent of the Nassau County Family Court. She graduated with a Certificate of Excellence in Mediation and was the Managing Editor of Notes and Comments of the Family Court Review; her Note, "Unholy Clergy: Amending State Child Abuse Reporting Statutes to Include Clergy Members as Mandatory Reporters in Child Sex Abuse Cases," was published in the Family Court Review Journal in April 2013. Since graduating law school, Ms. Weiss has focused her career exclusively on matrimonial and family law and commenced the practice of law at the firm Richardson Legal, PLLC in Queens, New York in 2013 where she handled a variety of divorce, custody, child support and all family related matters . She then continued the practice of matrimonial law after joining Collier Halper Newberg & Nolletti, LLP in 2016 where she practiced exclusively in the area of high-net worth divorces. Ms. Weiss has continued her practice in the area of matrimonial and family law and in March 2018, she joined Shalom Task Force, a non-profit organization working exclusively with victims of domestic abuse in the field of matrimonial law. Since joining Ressler & Associates in October 2018, she has continued to practice in the area of matrimonial and family law.

Yokairy Tavarez began her legal career in New York while pursuing her degree in Legal Studies from CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice. She started out handling the Real Estate and Probate / Administrative cases for a general practice law firm and became well-versed with the closing process in New York, and with the Surrogate's Court for several counties therein. After college, she worked with a music corporation in the field of Entertainment Law, before moving on to a Criminal Defense practice and operating within Federal, Circuit and County Courts. In 2008, Ms. Tavarez decided to narrow her focus exclusively on Family Law and became a mediator, certified in Divorce and Child Custody & Visitation Mediation. Currently, Ms. Tavarez is pursuing her Executive Juris Doctor degree with Concord Law School. Combined with her Mediation Certifications, she will continue to serve the legal community and conducting Family Mediations for divorcing or separating clients. Since joining Ressler & Associates in March of 2020, she has continued to provide professional assistance to the attorneys in the area of matrimonial and family law.