LEAH RAMIREZ (HAUSER)

Leah Ramirez, Principal (She/Her/Hers)

Leah’s international and interstate family law practice includes:

• Divorce, marital property, and financial support for cross border matters

• Foreign assets, including real estate, pensions, and retirement interests

• Relocation throughout the United States or abroad

• Child abduction under the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction

• Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (UCCJEA)

• Uniform Interstate Family Support Act (UIFSA)

Leah Ramirez is a Principal of Markham Law Firm. She represents clients in domestic, interstate, and international family law matters. Leah is barred in Maryland, the District of Columbia, and Florida. She routinely coordinates with local counsel in complex international or interstate matters.

Leah is a highly skilled and strong advocate for her clients. She has the professional fortitude to strategically handle complex and high intensity family matters. She provides clients strategic advice.

International and cross border family law is a unique practice area that requires a qualified attorney to navigate. Leah is one of a small number of family law attorneys in the Greater Washington Metropolitan area who focuses on the international components of separating families.

• Jurisdiction, domicile, and forum disputes

• Recognition and enforcement of foreign orders

• Entry/exit border removal safeguards

• International service of process

• Authentication of documents

Leah has familiarity with common law and civil law jurisdictions and their differences. She has experience with countries located in Europe, South and Central America, Asia, and the Middle East. Leah has handled international child abduction cases to or from countries that are parties to the Hague Convention and non-Hague countries.

Leah is experienced in handling complex family law appeals. Leah’s appellate practice includes:

• Representing parties and amici in federal and state appellate courts nationwide, including Maryland and the District of Columbia

• Filing an Amicus Brief in the Supreme Court of the United States on behalf of the Child Abduction Lawyers Association (United Kingdom), in the matter of Golan v. Saada, Docket No. 20-1034

• Participating in several published appellate opinions from the Maryland appellate courts, the Fourth Circuit, the District of Columbia Circuit, and other federal circuits

Leah’s domestic family law practice includes:

• Divorce, marital property, and financial support, including high net worth matters

• Custody involving disputes between parents or third parties and high conflict matters

• Marital settlement agreements, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements

• Financial expert matters involving business interests and forensic accounting

• Civil protection orders and intimate partner/domestic violence

• Child protective services (CINA)

• Guardianships

• Alternative dispute resolution (mediation, arbitration)

• Family law emergencies

Leah has extensive litigation experience in federal and state trial and appellate courts.  She handles cases in the District of Columbia and throughout Maryland, including Baltimore County where she formerly served as a law clerk. Leah is named on the Baltimore County Circuit Court’s roster to serve as a Best Interest Attorney. In addition to her litigation practice, Leah represents clients in alternative dispute resolution. She is a trained mediator in Maryland.

Bar Admissions: Maryland, Washington D.C., Florida, England & Wales (not acting as a qualified solicitor)

Honors & Awards:

• Fellow, American Bar Foundation. The Fellows comprise a global honorary society of attorneys, judges, law faculty, and legal scholars whose public and private careers have demonstrated outstanding dedication to the highest principles of the legal profession and to the welfare of their communities. Established in 1955, Fellows support the research of the American Bar Foundation.

• Fellow, Maryland Bar Foundation. Selection as a Fellow is by invitation only and is restricted to outstanding Maryland attorneys and judges.

• Best Lawyers in America®: Selected for inclusion in the area of Family Law (2024)

• The Daily Record’s Leading Women Under 40 Honoree (2022)

• Maryland Super Lawyers® - Rising Stars Edition: Selected for inclusion in the area of Family Law (2021-2024)

• Washington D.C. Super Lawyers® - Rising Stars Edition: Selected for inclusion in the area of Family Law (2019-2023)

• Capital (D.C.) Pro Bono Honor Roll: For work conducted in 2018, 2019, and 2021

• Miles & Stockbridge Pro Bono Advocate Award (2017)

Education: Leah received her law degree from University of Baltimore School of Law (J.D., summa cum laude, 2013), and her undergraduate degree from University of Baltimore (B.A., summa cum laude, 2009). While a student at the University of Baltimore School of Law, Leah was Associate Managing Editor of the University of Baltimore Law Review and member of the Heuisler Honor Society.

Leah served as a judicial law clerk to the Honorable Vicki Ballou-Watts of the Circuit Court for Baltimore County.

Professional Associations/Community Activities: Leah is a member of the Bar Association of Montgomery County, Family Law Section and the Women's Bar Association of Maryland, Montgomery County Chapter, Baltimore County Bar Association, District of Columbia Bar Association, Maryland State Bar Association.

Maryland Immigrant Legal Assistance Project, Volunteer.

Pro Bono Resource Center of Maryland, Board of Directors (2018-2023).

American Bar Association, International Family Law Committee, Vice Chair (2022-present).

National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Law, ABA International Law Section Advisor for the Drafting Committee on Judicial Interview Procedures for Children (2023-present).

Speaking Engagements/CLE: “The 21st Century Migratory Family—Problems and Solutions in the USA,” Gender, Inclusivity and Protecting the 21st Century Family Conference, hosted by The International Centre for Family Law, Policy and Practice in association with The University of Westminster, London (July 3-5, 2019), Presenter and Conference Assistant Rapporteur.

“Cross-Border Family Law: Pinpointing the Right Jurisdiction for your Case,” hosted by the Bar Association of Montgomery County, Maryland (December 14, 2021), Speaker.

“Comparative Law: The top differences to know when working on a Civil Law/Common Law Cross-Border Family Law case,” hosted by the American Bar Association, International Family Law Committee (Feb. 6, 2023), Speaker.

“Assessing Risk of Harm in International Child Abduction and Relocation Cases,” hosted by the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC) in Los Angeles, California (June 2, 2023), Speaker.

"Introduction to The Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction", hosted by the Maryland State Bar Association, 2023 Legal Summit Series (July 11, 2023), Speaker.

“When a Parent Moves Away: Relocation in Custody Cases With or Without Consent,” 9th Annual Educational Conference hosted by the AFCC Maryland Chapter (October 17, 2023), Speaker

“Learning Fundamentals for Your International Family Law Practice: Basics of Family Matters Jurisdiction: Divorce, Finances, Children,” hosted by the American Bar Association, International Family Law Section (March 12, 2024), Speaker.

Court Admissions:

• Supreme Court of the United States

• Court of Appeals of Maryland

• District of Columbia Court of Appeals

• Supreme Court of Florida

• United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit

• United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit

• United States District Court for the District of Columbia

• United States District Court for the District of Maryland

• United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida

• United States District Court for the Middle District of Florida

• United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida

• Various other federal courts nationwide