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Norma C. Izzo

Partner

T 602.333.5483
F 602.333.5431
phxfamilylawteam@spencerfane.com


Norma Izzo helps clients assess complex family law matters and develops successful legal strategies, using her mediation training and experience to seek beneficial resolutions while also leveraging her significant courtroom experience to advocate for her clients in trial. She concentrates her practice in the area of family law and domestic relations matters, including asset division, business dissolution, collaborative divorce, mediation, arbitration, parent coordination, child custody and child support, and spousal maintenance, frequently for high net worth individuals in family court settings domestically, interstate, and internationally.

With more than 16 years of experience in family law litigation, Norma brings a determined and intelligent approach to her cases.

Norma regularly serves as a parenting coordinator, mediator, and arbitrator at all levels of complexity. She is also trained in collaborative divorce, a process that allows separating parties to work with their attorneys and financial and mental health professionals during a dissolution. As a result of her considerable training and experience in alternative dispute resolution, Norma also serves as a civil/business mediator and arbitrator.

Currently a member of the Family Law Executive Council for the State Bar of Arizona, Norma also previously served as the President of the Maricopa County Bar Association and President of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, Arizona Chapter.

Highlights of Norma’s experience include:

  • Works with divorcing parties in relation to custody and parenting time, legal decision-making, and support issues.
  • Routinely advises parents on complicated co-parenting concerns including relocation, domestic violence, substance abuse, and behavioral health dynamics.
  • Advocates for third-party rights including in loco parentis and grandparental visitation.
  • Serves as counsel in a significant number of cases in which marital estates exceed $50 million.
  • Routinely litigates asset-heavy cases that require dissolution/reorganization of business entities held by divorcing parties.
  • Routinely serves as a private mediator, court-appointed parenting coordinator, and arbitrator in divorce proceedings.
  • Routinely serves as counsel and advocate in the formal collaborative divorce process.
  • Serves as counsel for parties entering prenuptial agreements, postnuptial agreements, and co-habitation agreements.
  • Serves as lead family law counsel in multistate-cases and in international divorce proceedings, including cases that have parallel proceedings in Italy, Mexico, Spain, and other foreign countries.
  • Routinely litigates cases that involve the use of the Hague Convention, the international body of law governing multi-country divorces.

Presentations and Publications

Articles and Media

Presentations

  • Presenter, “Redressing Financial Exploitation of the Elderly in Late-Life Romance,” Strafford Webinar, November 9, 2021
  • Presenter, “Family Court Judicial Forum,” National Business Institute, April 2020 and May 2021
  • Presenter, “Advanced Family Law,” State Bar of Arizona, November 15, 2019
  • Presenter, “Legal Ethics,” Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, Arizona Chapter, January 2019
  • Presenter, “Nicaise and Paul E. v. Courtney F. Decisions,” Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, Arizona Chapter, January 2019
  • Presenter, “Improving Outcomes for Family Law Cases,” Court Leadership Conference, October 2018
  • Presenter, “Alternative Dispute Resolution Techniques for Family Law Matters,” Spanish Association of Family Law Attorneys, March 2014
  • Presenter, “Collaborative Divorce — The Peaceful Power of a Team,” Scottsdale Mustang Public Library ‘Ask a Lawyer Series,’ August and October 2013
  • Presenter, “Advanced Family Law Practice for Paralegals: Handling Financial Issues at a Higher Level,” Halfmoon Seminars, March 2013
  • Presenter, “Legal Decision-making and Parenting Time: Big Deal or Hyperbole?” Maricopa County Bar Association, January 2013
  • Presenter, “Sense and Sensibility — The Critical Interplay of Lawyers & Coaches in Collaboration,” International Academy of Collaborative Professionals (October 2012)
  • Presenter, “ADR and Collaborative Law in the Family Law Context,” Phoenix College of Law, May 2012
  • Presenter, “The Culture of Divorce is Changing,” Maricopa County Bar Association, June 2011 and September 2012
  • Presenter, “Updates in Family Law,” State Bar of Arizona, Advanced Family Law, April 2010
  • Presenter, “Assisting with Child Custody Issues,” National Business Institute, Arizona Family Law Practice for Paralegals, February 2010
  • Presenter, “Alternative Dispute Resolution in All Areas of Law,” NALS of Phoenix, July 2009

Community Involvement

  • Women’s Metropolitan Arts Council (WoMAC)
  • Family Lawyers Assistance Project
    • Volunteer Attorney
  • Arizona State University, Lodestar Mediation Clinic
    • Volunteer Attorney (2006-present)
    • Teaching Assistant (2004-2005)
  • Maricopa County Justice Court
    • Mediator (2003-2005)

Memberships

  • State Bar of Arizona
    • Certified Family Law Specialist, Board of Legal Specialization
    • Member at Large, Family Law Executive Council (2021-2024)
    • Member, Family Law Section
    • Member, Alternative Dispute Resolution Section
    • Former Member, Family Law Practice and Procedure Committee
    • Former Member, CLE Committee
  • Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, Arizona Chapter
    • Board of Directors
      • Immediate Past President (January 2021-December 2021)
      • President (January 2019-December 2020)
      • President-Elect (2016-2018)
      • Chapter Council Representative (2018)
  • Maricopa County Bar Association (MCBA)
    • Board of Directors
      • Past President (2018)
      • President (2017)
      • President-Elect (2016)
      • Treasurer (2015)
      • Secretary (2014)
      • Member (2012-present)
      • Director, Executive Committee, Family Law Section (2007-2012)
  • Collaborative Divorce Professionals of Arizona
    • Member (2007-2016)
    • President (2007-2016)
  • Association of Conflict Resolution

Distinctions

  • Certified Family Law Specialist, Board of Legal Specialization, State Bar of Arizona
  • Trained, Collaborative Divorce, 2007
  • Top Lawyer — Family Law, Phoenix magazine, 2022
  • Best Lawyers in America, Collaborative Law: Family Law, 2018-2023; Family Law, 2023; Family Law Arbitration, 2018-2023; Family Law Mediation, 2018-2022
  • Best of Our Valley — Best Divorce Attorney, Arizona Foothills magazine,“ 2017, 2019-2021
  • Southwest Super Lawyers, Family Law, 2020-2022
  • “Top 100 Lawyers for 2021,” AZ Big Media, 2021
  • Az Business Leaders — Alternative Dispute Resolution, Arizona Business Leaders magazine, 2020
  • Southwest Super Lawyers Rising Stars, Family Law and Alternative Dispute Resolution, 2014-2017, 2019
  • 18th Annual Outstanding Women in Business,” Phoenix Business Journal, 2019
  • The Best Lawyers in America, Phoenix “Lawyer of the Year,” Family Law Arbitration, 2019
  • “Most Influential Women in Arizona,” Az Business Magazine, 2018
  • “Who’s Who in Business,” Az Business Magazine, 2016
  • “Arizona’s Top Mediators,” Az Business Magazine, 2015
  • “Arizona Business Top Lawyers: Family Law,” Az Business Magazine, April 26, 2014
  • S. Attorney General Honors Program (2005-2006)
  • AV-Preeminent Rating, Martindale-Hubbell

Contact Norma Izzo at 602.333.5483 or phxfamilylawteam@spencerfane.com.