Carla Schiff Donnelly


Phone: 412-261-9900
Fax: 412-261-7100
Email Us cdonnelly@gha-lawfirm.com

Carla Schiff Donnelly has been practicing family law for more than 20 years.  An experienced Pittsburgh Divorce Attorney, she joined Gentile, Horoho & Avalli, P.C. in 2013, and was named a Principal of the firm in 2016.  She focuses her practice on divorce litigation, with an emphasis on high-asset divorce issues.  Ms. Donnelly also specializes in preparing and negotiating prenuptial and postnuptial agreements and is trained in Collaborative Law, Mediation, and Parent Coordination.

Ms. Donnelly is committed to protecting children in custody cases and has been appointed by family court judges to serves as a guardian ad litem.  She also concentrates her practice on and complex custody cases, including interstate and Hague Convention custody cases.  She is a participant in the Children’s Issues Sub-Committee of the Family Law Section of the Allegheny County Bar Association and the Children’s Rights Committee of the Pennsylvania Bar Association (PBA).

Ms. Donnelly approaches family law cases with a win-win mindset.  She has represented clients in more than 100 mediations. When an amicable resolution is not possible, however, she is an experienced and skilled litigator.  Ms. Donnelly prides herself on being caring, creative, thorough and tenacious.

Ms. Donnelly is a certified mediator and can serve as the neutral to assist parties in reaching a win-win solution.  Ms. Donnelly meets with clients at our Downtown Pittsburgh and Wexford Offices.

Ms. Donnelly handles cases in Allegheny, Butler, Lawrence, Beaver, Westmoreland, Washington and other surrounding Counties.

Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Donnelly practiced family law for more than 12 years at Stern and Edlin, P.C., a leading domestic relations firm in Atlanta, Georgia.   She served on the board of the Visions Anew Institute, a nonprofit organization in the Atlanta area whose mission is to assist individuals through the divorce process with information, integrity, and dignity.

Ms. Donnelly resides in Franklin Park with her husband, daughter and rescue dog.  She loves being a soccer mom.

 


More About Carla

In my free time I am proud soccer mom.  I love spending time with my husband and daughter and taking my dog on walks.  I enjoy riding my Peloton, although you will not see me anywhere near the top of the leaderboard!  My daughter and I cook and deliver lasagnas for Lasagna Love.

Associations & Affiliations

  • Pennsylvania Bar Association
    • Family Law Section
    • Commission on Women in the Profession, Co-Chair
    • House of Delegates (2015-2016)
  • Allegheny County Bar Association
    • Family Law Section, Council Member 2018-2021
    • Children’s Rights Committee
    • Women in the Law Division
  • Georgia Bar Association (inactive)

Awards, Honors, & Publications

  • Lynnette Norton Award, 2021, PBA Commission on Women in the Profession
  • Best Family Law Attorneys in Pennsylvania by the American Institute of Family Law Attorneys
  • Family Law Attorney of the Year 2018 – Western Pennsylvania, 3rd annual Influential Businesswoman Awards
  • Rated AV Preeminent –a peer ranking indicating the highest level of professional excellence
  • Martindale-Hubbell Bar Register of Preeminent Women Lawyers 2013 Edition
  • Rising Star by Super Lawyers Magazine (multiple years)
  • One of “Georgia’s Legal Elite” by Georgia Trend Magazine

Publications

When Custody of the Grandkids is at Issue, The Pennsylvania Lawyer Magazine, November/December 2014 (initial publication revised on GHA website May 2017);

Divorce: Should I Stay or Should I Go? The Huffington Post, July 24, 2013;

Don’t Get Stuck With the Wrong Lawyer: 6 Steps to Avoid the Most Common Divorce Mistake, The Huffington Post, September 30, 2013;

5 Custody Myths Separating Parents Should Know, The Huffington Post, June 5, 2014;

Cheating Spouse? 5 Things You Need to Do Now, The Huffington Post, July 24, 2014;

7 Tips for Helping a Friend Through Divorce, The Huffington Post, December 14, 2015.

Art of the Deal- Your Divorce Mediation Questions Answered, Pitt Family Law Blog, August 3, 2017;

Back-To-School Tips For Divorcing Parents, The Huffington Post, August 9, 2017.

Five Reasons to be Thankful for Divorce, The Huffington Post, November 20, 2017.

Courts Admitted

  • Georgia
  • Pennsylvania
  • Supreme Court of Pennsylvania

Education

  • Emory School of Law J.D., 1995
  • Lehigh University B.A., 1990