At The Manely Firm, an international family law practice with six offices in Georgia and one in London, a diverse team of international women attorneys is reshaping the landscape of family law.
With different backgrounds and cultures, these women bring fresh perspectives to their practice – both in their relationships with clients and with one another.
Among the women attorneys, paralegals and staff at Manely, Dina Khismatulina is the only female partner, offering a unique perspective to cases involving international custody battles and other cross-border family legal disputes. Her cultural background and personal experiences, as well as the international outlook of other female employees at the firm, exemplify how diverse women are enhancing the practice of family law in Georgia and beyond.
Cultural Sensitivity in International Family Law
Women make up a significant portion of family law practitioners in the United States, a trend that aligns with other areas of law that involve more direct client interaction and counseling, such as estate planning and immigration law.
But the presence of female attorneys in international family law makes a difference in cases that require cultural sensitivity, says Ms. Khismatulina, who has been recognized by Georgia Super Lawyers as one of the 2024 Top 50 Women Attorneys.
A native of Siberia, Russia, Ms. Khismatulina practiced corporate law in her home country before relocating to Atlanta and earning an additional Master of Laws degree at Emory University School of Law. Fluent in English and Russian, her background and international legal expertise equips her to handle family law cases with cross-cultural elements.
Other female attorneys at The Manely Firm – many of whom are foreign-born or have international heritage – agree that cultural diversity among women at the firm is a unique asset.
“Different insights into what the family dynamic looks like for different cultures is the best asset about The Manely Firm,” asserts Renee Richardson, an attorney in the practice who hails from the U.S. Virgin Islands.
A Manely Firm paralegal who was born in the country of Georgia but grew up in Ukraine and speaks four languages, Ketevan Mamuliia, says that Manely attorneys understand clients’ perspectives and needs more comprehensively and empathetically because of their various cultural backgrounds.
“Clients benefit from a richer pool of ideas and solutions, tailored to fit a global and multicultural context,” she notes. “While the pursuit of justice is a common goal across cultures, the strategies to achieve it can vary significantly. By understanding and integrating different approaches, we can develop more nuanced and effective strategies for our clients.”
This cultural sensitivity is particularly valuable in cases involving the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, a multilateral treaty that aims to protect children from international abduction by a parent or guardian. In these cases, an attorney’s ability to navigate different legal systems and collaborate with foreign consulates is essential, Ms. Khismatulina says.
Serving as a court-appointed guardian ad litum for the Atlanta Volunteer Lawyers Foundation (AVLF), Ms. Khismatulina experiences “eye-opening” visits to clients’ homes, where family structures and customs are “completely different.”
“I do what’s best for the client, but my focus is the children,” she says. “That’s one reason I work for Manely – our clients and our attorneys are from all over the world, and we are all very different in how we approach our own families and our clients. But we all try to do our best and comply with our ethical obligations to meet clients’ goals in high-conflict situations.”
Almost every case that the Manely Firm takes has an international element. “You have to be open-minded,” Ms. Khismatulina says. “Different cultures have different traditions. I learn something every day.”
Ms. Khismatulina will become the chair of the Atlanta Bar Association’s International Law section in June after serving as vice-president for one year. The international section is a diverse group, with members hailing from around the globe. “It is interesting to see how people work together to approach problems. I love working in this diverse community and being part of it,” she says.
Balancing Professionalism and Caregiving
Some of the Manely Firm’s women attorneys are mothers and caregivers. Balancing professional responsibilities with family life gives them invaluable insights into the challenges their clients face.
Ms. Khismatulina, for example, is married and has two children. “It’s the concept of caring for someone else other than yourself. It makes a great difference,” she says of her ability to empathize with clients.
However, she notes that effectiveness as a family law attorney is not due to any stereotypical notions of women being more emotional or sensitive. In her own case, Ms. Khismatulina’s strength lies in her serious, straightforward and pragmatic approach to her work—qualities deeply influenced by her Russian background, she explains.
Communication and Negotiation Strategies
International women attorneys at The Manely Firm bring diverse communication styles and innovative negotiation tactics to their cases, including a focus on preparation, flexibility and fairness.
While some studies suggest that women attorneys have distinct approaches to negotiating cases, Ms. Khismatulina advises taking this with a grain of salt, as attorneys of all genders study negotiation tactics. If women are pushy, however, they can sometimes be perceived negatively, she adds.
“In negotiations in court, the winner is not who is screaming louder or pointing fingers. If you are prepared and know your client, you will persevere. Being flexible and reasonable goes a long way because judges have low tolerance for nonsense fighting that bottlenecks the courts and hinders the system,” she says.
By prioritizing long-term well-being over temporary victories, especially in international custody disputes, good family law attorneys help clients focus on the future welfare of their children and themselves, she notes.
The international women at The Manely Firm foster open communication that strengthens the attorney-client relationship. This type of trust is crucial for navigating family law cases, Ms. Khismatulina adds.
Empowering Women in Law
Networking and mentoring are important in Manely female attorneys’ professional development. Ms. Khismatulina’s relationships with female colleagues, for example, have played a big role in shaping her perspective on family law – and life.
“I learn every day from my colleagues how they handle the stress of being attorneys and caregivers and trying to grow personally and professionally by going to networking events and training – all while being a wife, mother and daughter,” she says.
She cites Manely estate and probate attorney Cherish De la Cruz, a second-generation Filipino-Canadian who is a mother of three, as a source of networking knowhow.
Other women in the legal profession, including a Fulton County judge who acts as Ms. Khismatulina’s mentor, have been invaluable in her career. They met through a mentorship program of the Georgia BarAssociation.
“The saying, ‘We are here because we are standing on shoulders of other women before us,’ is absolutely true. I asked for a super strong female family law attorney as a mentor, and she has been a role model,” Ms. Khismatulina says. “She told me I should volunteer and get involved in the community, and now I tell my mentees the same. It makes a big difference.”
The late Georgia Court of Appeals Senior Judge Dorothy Toth Beasley, who Ms. Khismatulina met through the American Society of International Law Women’s International Law Interest Group (WILIG), was another mentor who taught her the value of connecting with others who are passionate about international law, as great collaboration and opportunities often arise through personal connections.
Participating in networking events like a women’s series organized by international chambers of commerce in Atlanta provides opportunities for Manely female attorneys to stay connected with the community and continuously improve their practices.
Ms. Khismatulina, who served as co-chair of the Gwinnett County Bar Association Family Law Section for three years, actively mentors younger attorneys, sharing insights and strategies to help them navigate the legal field and the nuances of international family law. This type of comradery among female attorneys within Manely and in the broader community provides support and empowerment for women in the ever-evolving field of international family law.
“The shared values across cultures—such as integrity, respect, and commitment to justice—create a cohesive and supportive work environment. The diverse ways in which these values are expressed enrich our interactions and broaden our horizons,” Ms. Mamuliia says.
“The inclusion of women from various nationalities and cultures is not just a matter of representation; it is a vital component of our firm’s success.”
Editor’s note: This article is provided as part of The Manely Firm’s annual sponsorship of Global Atlanta.