LORI MACRAE VITALE was born April 21, 1970 in Ft. Walton
Beach, Florida. As the daughter of an Air Force officer, she has lived in a
variety of places. After graduating from high school in Wichita Falls, Texas,
she attended the University of Texas at Austin. In 1992, she completed her
undergraduate education at Randolph Macon Woman’s College in Lynchburg, Virginia
where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations with a
minor in Philosophy and German. In 1995, she received her law degree from Wake
Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and became licensed to
practice law in the State of North Carolina and in the U.S. District Court in
the Middle and Eastern Districts of North Carolina. In 1996, she moved to
Raleigh, North Carolina, and joined the firm of Cheshire & Parker (now Cheshire,
Parker, Schneider, Bryan & Vitale) where she has focused her career on the
practice of family law. In 2001, she was certified by the North Carolina State
Bar as a Specialist in the practice of Family Law. Lori has served as an
arbitrator, mediator and is a trained Parent Coordinator and collaborative
lawyer.
Professional Recognition and Involvement:
Lori was selected to be included in the
Best Lawyers in America
(2007-present), is a Fellow in the
American Academy of Matrimonial
Lawyers (2007 to the present), has been named “Legal Elite” by Business
North Carolina and “Outstanding Young Lawyer” by North Carolina’s Super Lawyer
publication. In 2010-2011 she will serve as Vice-Chair of the Family Law Section
of the North Carolina Bar Association. Since 2007, she has proudly served as
Chair of the Wake County Bar Association Professionalism Committee
(2007-present). In 2009, she received a President’s Award of Excellence for her
service in this role. In addition, she recently served as Chair of the Family
Law Continuing Legal Education Committee of the North Carolina Bar Association
(2007-2010), has served as a council member of the North Carolina Bar
Association Family Law Section (2002-2004; 2006-2010), and was elected to serve
on the Board of Directors for the Tenth Judicial District Bar Association
(2006–2008). She is a Mediator for the Tenth Judicial District Fee Dispute
Committee, and a course planner and presenter for family law legal education
seminars (1999-present). She has served on the North Carolina Bar Association’s
Family Law Legislative Committee (2006-2007) and is former Chair of the Family
Law Section’s Equitable Distribution Committee (2000-2004). Lori is a member of
the North Carolina Bar Association and the American Bar Association.
Speeches and Seminars:
As a member of the Family Law Continuing Legal Education Committee since 1999,
Lori has planned a variety of seminars including: “Deal or No Deal? Attacking
and Enforcing Agreements, Orders and Awards,” (NCBA, September 2009), “How Do
You Mend A Broken Heart” (NCBA, Family Law Annual Conference, 2008), “Death and
Divorce in North Carolina” (NCBA, September 2006); “Perils and Pitfalls in
Alternative Dispute Resolution” (NCBA, September 2005); “Family Law In Bush’s
America” (Family Law Specialist Seminar July 2005); “Hot Topics in Family Law:
Evidentiary Issues in Child Custody” Cases (NCBA, September 2004);“What About
the Children?” (NCBA, September 2002).
In addition, she has been a lecturer and author on a variety of family law and
professionalism issues, including: Professionalism Roundtable Discussion (NCBA
Family Law Intensive Program (2009-2010); Wake County Bar Association
Professionalism Roundtable Discussion, (2005-2007); “Recent Developments in
Professional Responsibility” (Wake Forest University, October 2006); “Broaching
the Alternative Dispute Resolution Subject with Clients” (NCBA, September 2005);
"Interstate Child Support" (Wake Forest University, October 2001); "Enforcing
Your Order and Judgment Through Contempt and Proper Filing of Judgments" (NCATL,
September 2001); "Parol Evidence" (NCBA, May 2001); "Legal Traps in Bankruptcy,
Real Property and Domestic Violence" (NCBA, November 2000); "Post Trial
Practice" (Wake Forest University, October 2000); "Child Support, Domestic
Violence and Ex Parte Contact" (NCATL, January 1999).