Global Family Law Services

Christopher R. Reynolds

Christopher R. Reynolds

Contact Me

Practice Areas

  • Family Law/International Family Law
  • Divorce/Interantional Divorce and Child Custody
  • Dissolution
  • Child Support
  • Spousal Support
  • Property Division
  • Parental Rights and Responsibilities
  • Dividing Complex Marital Estates
  • Evaluating business and partnership interests for division in divorce
  • Researching and analyzing records to identify misappropriated or hidden marital assets
  • Drafting, interpreting, and evaluating the enforceability of prenuptial agreements
  • Crafting tailored temporary and permanent spousal and child support plans
  • Allocating parental rights and responsibilities
  • Issues concerning parental relocation
  • Custody matters involving psychological expert testimony
  • Domestic violence matters
  • Handling post-decree issues of enforcement and non-disclosed or omitted assets

Certified Legal Specialties

  • OSBA Certified Specialist in Family Relations Law

Biography

Christopher Reynolds was drawn to the domestic relations practice in 2005 while finishing his first year in law school. His practice involves all aspects of family law, and he enjoys finding creative solutions to thorny problems.

Chris has a distinct skillset of looking at factual and legal issues from varying angles to ensure that the concerns of his clients are addressed in the most effective manner possible—whether regarding asset division, support, parenting disputes, pre- and postnuptial agreements, appeals, or more complex substantive and procedural matters. Chris’ experience extends to representing parents (both from the United States and from overseas) in international custody matters, including relocations, transnational parenting situations, and international child-abduction cases implicating the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction. Chris is experienced, at both the trial and appellate level, in federal litigation of abduction matters, including involvement twice in cases before the Supreme Court of the United States.

Prior to practicing law, Chris worked for over seven years in inpatient psychiatry, four years of which he worked as a clinical social worker. His clinical practice included substantial experience with diagnostic assessment, individual, group, and marital therapy, all aspects of crisis intervention, as well as experience in outpatient therapy settings. Chris is a Licensed Master’s Social Worker in Michigan. Bringing a wealth of professional experience dealing with interpersonal and family dynamics, Chris strives to aid and support his clients in navigating their often difficult, changing relationships.

Since 2010, Chris has taught various Family Law courses as an Adjunct Professor of Law at Case Western Reserve University School of Law. He previously served on the Executive Committee of the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association’s Family Law Section from 2009 to 2012, and as the Section’s Co-Chair for the 2011-2012 term. Chris has been named to the Best Lawyers list since 2017 and earned the distinction of being named the 2022 Best Lawyers “Lawyer of the Year” for family law in Cleveland. Chris has been a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers since 2017 and named to the Super Lawyers list since 2019.

Outside of work, Chris enjoys spending time with his family, reading, and tinkering on a host of various projects and interests. Chris loves rock climbing (gym, sport, and traditional), foraging for mushrooms, camping, fishing, and many other outdoor activities.

Education

  • Cleveland State University, Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, Cleveland, Ohio
    • J.D. - 2007
    • Honors: summa cum laude
    • Honors: Second in Class
  • Wayne State University
    • Master of Social Work with Concentration in Clinical Social Work - 2000
  • Wayne State University
    • B.A. - 1998
    • Honors: Psi Chi National Honor Society in Psychology
    • Major: Psychology

Bar Admissions

  • Ohio
  • U.S. District Court Northern District of Ohio
  • Supreme Court of the United States of America

Published Works

  • Defining “Habitual Residence” in the Hague Convention, Family Lawyer Magazine, May 6, 2020
  • Filling the Gaps with Public Policy: The Application of the Hague Convention Protocol in US Courts in the Absence of a Co-Signing State, INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF LAW, POLICY AND THE FAMILY 2014 (Oxford University)

Representative Cases

  • Arimitsu v. Cook, 141 S.Ct. 1514 (2021) Docket No 20-864: certiorari denied
  • Monasky v. Taglieri, 589 US_2020
  • Monasky v. Taglieri, U.S., No. 18-935, certiorari granted June 10, 2019.
  • Taglieri v. Monasky, 907 F.3d 404 (6th Cir. 2018) (en banc), cert. pending, No. 18-935 (U.S. Jan. 18, 2019).
  • Taglieri v. Monasky, No. 16-4128, 2018 U.S. App. LEXIS 5408 (6th Cir. Mar. 2, 2018) (en banc).
  • Taglieri v. Monasky, No. 16-4128, (6th Cir. argued May 3, 2017).
  • Taglieri v. Monasky, No. 16A557, (U.S. dismissed December 9, 2016). Motion to Stay Denied by Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan.
  • Taglieri v. Monasky, No. 1:15-CV-00947, 2016 WL 8135530, (N.D. Ohio Jan. 25, 2016).
  • Dobos v. Dobos, No. 1:08cv307, 2009 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 127474 (S.D. Ohio Jul. 9, 2009)
  • Roche v. Hartz, 783 F. Supp.2d 995 (N.D. Ohio 2011)

Honors

  • Super Lawyers “Rising Star” (2009, 2012, 2013, 2015 – 2017)
  • Super Lawyers (2019 – 2025)
  • 2022 Lawyer of the Year (Family Law – Cleveland)
  • Best Lawyers (2017 – 2024)
  • Fellow, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers

Classes & Seminars

  • Adjunct Professor, School of Law, Case Western Reserve University

Professional Associations

  • Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association (Former Executive Committee Member and Co-Chair)
  • Chambers and Partners, Chambers Global Practice Guide, Family Law 2024, Contributor