LEWIS & ANDERSON, PLLC, is a general civil law firm that has been providing legal services in the Chapel Hill-Durham area since 1978. We are recognized for our work in the area broadly known as "family law," which deals with the legal issues surrounding the transfers of assets, income, debts, and children arising out of a power shift in the family occasioned by either death, divorce, incapacity, or remarriage. We handle all the legal aspects of such issues, including (i) guardianship, (ii) estate planning, (iii) the drafting of wills, trusts, and powers of attorney, (iv) the drafting and negotiation of premarital agreements, postnuptial agreements, and separation agreements, (v) the negotiation and mediation of custody and support disputes, (vi) the division and distribution of retirement accounts, deferred compensation plans and pensions, and (vii) the resolution of complex property settlements, including issues of business and professional valuations. We seek to resolve most of our cases through negotiation and mediation, but we have extensive litigation experience and we stand ready to use the compulsory powers of the courts if necessary, to represent our clients zealously in court when efforts at out-of-court resolution fail. We have extensive experience in handling the litigation side of will disputes, incompetency proceedings, divorce actions, restraining orders, and equitable distribution, alimony and custody trials. Our first commitment is to serving our clients' legal needs and helping them identify and achieve their goals. We also understand, however, our professional obligations in the broader context of the law as an essential instrument of an ordered and progressive society. We are mindful of our duty to work through the law to balance complex and competing interests, resolve conflict, protect and vindicate rights, provide guidance through crisis, and enable planning and peace of mind.