Elaine S. Buck - About Us

Elaine S. Buck

Elaine Sayers Buck has been practicing law in Ohio since 1982 and is certified by the Ohio State Bar Association as a Family Relations Law Specialist. Her areas of practice include family law/domestic relations, adoption, and wills/probate, primarily in Franklin and surrounding counties. She works with two area adoption agencies in adoption finalization, birth-parent representation, and guardian ad litem matters. Before entering private practice, Elaine practiced school law with Ohio School Boards Association.

Elaine is a graduate of Brown University, with an honors degree in Semiotics within the Department of English. She received a law degree from the Ohio State University (now Moritz) College of Law. While experienced in litigation, Elaine is trained in mediation and in collaborative law and is keenly interested in settlement models and alternative dispute resolution. She was a pioneer in Central Ohio as to use private judging for uncontested termination of marriage.

Elaine presently serves as President and Trustee of the Collaborative Divorce Professionals, Inc.; she is also a member of the International Association of Collaborative Professionals. She is a fellow of the Ohio State Bar Association Foundation and a committee member of the Pilot Parenting Coordinators of Franklin County, as well as the Columbus Bar Association Family Law and Probate Law Committees. Elaine has served as presenter for the Ohio State Bar Association and the Ohio Council of School Board Attorneys with respect to such topics as family law, alternative dispute resolution, and collaborative law. She has served as moderator for the Center of New Directions Divorce/Dissolution Program and is a former Board Chairman of Northwest Counseling Services.

Elaine has been active in her native community of Upper Arlington, having served on numerous boards and committees and having been a founding board member and past board chairman of the Upper Arlington Education Foundation. She has also served on the Board of Trustees of the Upper Arlington Leadership Program and continues to present to program participants regarding Upper Arlington history. Elaine also remains active in Brown University alumni affairs, having served as Area Coordinator for the Brown Alumni Schools Committee for many years and having conducted countless interviews of student applicants.

Elaine presently resides in Upper Arlington with her husband and two children. She particularly enjoys music and art, swimming and tennis, and outdoor activities at a family farm.

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Linda Sheppard

Linda Sheppard joined the Law Offices of Elaine Buck in 2006. Her areas of practice include family law/domestic relations, adoption, wills/probate and school law. She also practices juvenile law and serves as Guardian ad Litem. A trained mediator, she is interested in settlement models, mediation structures and collaborative law.

Linda is a member of the Family Law Committee and Juvenile Law Committee of the Columbus Bar Association as well as the Collaborative Divorce Professionals, Inc., Women Lawyers of Franklin County and the Ohio State Bar Association.

A Capital Law School graduate with a concentration in Children and Family Law, Linda taught school in Columbus Public Schools as well as in the Otterbein College Theatre Department and The Ohio State University Education Department.

Linda is very active in the arts in Columbus. She sings with Ohio Village Singers and has traveled with the group to Japan and Russia. She has acted with Contemporary American Theatre Company and written and acted with Women At Play.

Linda lives in Hilliard, Ohio with her husband David Franklin and their dog, Molly.

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Mary Beth Hamilton

Mary Beth Hamilton holds 19 years of law firm experience and has served as legal assistant to Elaine for 5 ½ years. She has formerly been associated with the Franklin County Court System and several prominent law firms. Mary Beth frequently assists with client matters, drafts documents with Elaine's supervision, files documents and coordinates hearings at court, and prepares discovery responses. She is a registered paralegal of the Franklin County Probate Court and has received training in probate procedures. She is a registered notary and member of the Ohio State Bar Association Legal Professionals Committee.