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Biography
Maria Cognetti brings more than forty years of dedicated legal experience to Mette Attorneys at Law, specializing in complex family law and domestic relations matters. Widely recognized as one of Pennsylvania’s premier matrimonial litigators and negotiators, her practice centers on handling high-conflict and high-asset divorces for business owners, executives, and high-net-worth individuals.
She focuses on innovative solutions for property division, business valuations, and complex agreements, with a practice covering high-asset divorce, custody, and mediation.
As a Diplomate of the American College of Family Trial Lawyers (limited to 100 top practitioners), she is a top-tier litigator and negotiator, resolving most cases out of court.
Maria holds leadership roles in family law, including as a past President of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML), and is a frequent CLE lecturer. She is consistently ranked by The Best Lawyers in America and Pennsylvania Super Lawyers.
Practices & Industries
Education
- University of Pittsburgh School of Law, J.D., 1978
- Franklin & Marshall College, B.A., 1975
Professional
- American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML)
- National President, 2013–2014
- Fellow, 1988–present
- Pennsylvania Chapter, AAML
- Past President; Board of Managers
- American College of Family Trial Lawyers (ACFTL)
- Diplomate, 2012–present
- Pennsylvania Bar Association
- Past Chair, Family Law Section; Member, 1978–present
- Dauphin, Cumberland, and Franklin County Bar Associations
- Extensive leadership roles including Past Chair, Member, Board of Directors, and Inn of Court Master
- Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC)
- Member, 2010–present; Co-founder of Joint Custody Conference
- PA Supreme Court Disciplinary Board & Rules Committee
- Senior Hearing Member; Former Chair, 2009–2016
- Joint State Government Commission Advisory Committee on Domestic Relations Law
- Chairman of Custody Subcommittee; Member, 1996–present
Court Admissions
- Pennsylvania Bar
- U.S. District Court
- Middle District of PA
- Western District of PA
- U.S. Supreme Court
Awards & Recognition
- Fellow of the Year – American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML), 2011
- Special Achievement Award – Pennsylvania Bar Association, 2011
- Presidential Service Award – Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC), 2011
- AV Preeminent® Peer Review Rating (5.0 out of 5.0) – Martindale-Hubbell
- Family Lawyer of the Year (Central PA) – Best Lawyers, 2010 and 2015
- Women of Influence – Central Penn Business Journal, 2014
- The Best Lawyers in America©
- Pennsylvania Super Lawyers (Consecutive years since 2005)
- Select Lawyer™ – Susquehanna Style Magazine, 2016
- Reader’s Choice Best Lawyer – Harrisburg Magazine, 2012–2016
