Elissa Da Costa-Waldman MCIArb

Since her call to the Bar in 1990, Elissa has become an established practitioner in her chosen fields.  Using a creative and innovative approach to finding solutions to client’s financial matters on divorce, Elissa is committed to Non Court Dispute Resolution in all its forms and is a qualified mediator, collaborative lawyer and Family Law Arbitrator, able to arbitrate both financial and children disputes.  She is also an evaluator in private FDRs.

Elissa prides herself on having an ‘inclusive practice’ demonstrating approachability and sensitivity in dealing with alternative family structures.  Indeed, in addition to her practice in Matrimonial Finance, Elissa is also an expert in cohabitation claims of both heterosexual and homosexual partners.  She is able to draft cohabitation agreements at the beginning of the cohabitation relationship as well as a ‘separation agreement’ in the event of relationship breakdown. Elissa is a fearless litigator when necessary, representing former cohabitants in court to deal with their property disputes where the parties have been unable to reach agreement.  Elissa writes the Trust Law chapter in Resolution’s Cohabitation Claims book, the third edition of which is due for publication in Spring 2025.

Elissa undertakes private child law matters including contact and residence disputes and relocation cases, domestic or international. 

Elissa’s practice now encompasses Court of Protection work in which she represents family members who care for either vulnerable young adults or elderly relatives unable to manage their own financial affairs.  Elissa regularly advises family members in such cases, who are often in dispute with each other or local authorities.   

Elissa is content to travel for work as well as conduct conferences and non-court dispute resolution remotely. In her limited free time, she is a formidable Scrabble player, card player, budding novel writer but most importantly grandma to the ‘Magnificent 7’, her brood of grandchildren.