Supervising Attorney
Holly Groh brings a wealth of family law experience and a well-honed skill set to her role as supervising attorney at Breeden Law.
Originally from Arizona, Holly is a graduate of Azusa Pacific University and Campbell Law School. She has practiced family law in the Triangle for over a decade and built a strong reputation as a truly kind human who really cares about her clients.
Holly believes in building a relationship with each of her clients, learning what matters most to them, and developing a case strategy based on those priorities. She brings a formidable skillset as both a negotiator and a litigator to her role at Breeden Law, and we’ve never worked with anyone who prepared more thoroughly or worked harder for her clients than Holly does. We’re proud to have her on our team as both an attorney and a mentor.
When she isn’t practicing law, you can often find Holly channeling her inner college athlete by leading an adult softball team, watching her kids as a proud softball parent, or cheering for her daughter’s field hockey team.
If she’s not on a ballfield, she is probably reading a good book, playing with her super energetic Australian Shepherd, or indulging in her secret vice – Bravo TV shows. She recently celebrated a milestone birthday with a trip to Costa Rica, and she counts that as one of her favorite vacations so far.
Associate Attorney
Ashley Schwartz went to law school with one goal: to become a family lawyer.
A quick study and a strong advocate for clients, Ashley has a passion for helping our clients create the stable, peaceful homes that they deserve. She is quick to credit the strong women in her life, including her mother and mother-in-law, with helping her achieve her goals, and she is passing that grit and determination along to her daughter.
Outside of her work, Ashley loves to explore the world (especially by hiking) with her family and friends. Some of her favorite trips include Rome, Yellowstone, and Hawaii, but wherever she travels, Ashley believes that the company makes the trip.
Associate Attorney
Hunter is pursuing a career in family law because he knows that the divorce process is stressful, and he wants to provide his clients with a sense of comfort and the knowledge that someone is going to be right there to walk them through this challenging time and to fight for them to get the best outcome possible.
Hunter completed his undergraduate degree at East Carolina University and his law degree at Campbell, and he sought out opportunities in family law throughout his education. When he applied to work at Breeden Law, Hunter had perhaps the deepest family law background of any new graduate we have interviewed, and his combination of experience and compassion for clients who are going through stressful legal cases was evident from our first meeting.
When he is not in the office or preparing his cases, you can probably find Hunter hanging out with family and friends, playing pickleball, cooking, or reading.
His favorite books and movies are the Harry Potter series, and his favorite trip so far was to Costa Rica. He roots for the Pittsburgh Steelers, making him a fan group of one in the office, but he shares the firm love of dogs – especially for his Springer English Spaniel/Chihuahua mix named Smudge.
Associate Attorney
Chance Bartenfield loves being a family lawyer because he can offer people relief from stressful circumstances and a chance to improve their quality of life.
A North Carolina Triad native, Chance completed his undergraduate degree at UNC-Greensboro and graduated from Elon School of Law. While in law school, he won a pro bono service award and served as president of People Not Property, which transcribes deeds of sale from the 1700s and 1800s for the University of North Carolina System’s use.
When he is not in the office, Chance enjoys playing chess and video games, watching the news, listening to music, and rooting for underdogs in sports on television.
He and his wife enjoy traveling together, most recently to Europe, and Chance’s favorite place to visit is Rocky Mountain National Park in Colorado. His cats, Constituent and Cricket, keep life interesting.
Associate Attorney
Ben Hartell knew when he graduated from law school that he wanted to use his education to serve real people, not corporations or governments.
A graduate of The University of Louisville and of Campbell Law School, the common thread of Ben’s professional life is that he uses his time, talents, and energy to help people who are going through a hard time and do not know what to do next.
First as a rescue swimmer in the U.S. Navy, and now as a family lawyer, Ben excels at helping people replace fear and anxiety with a clear plan to achieve an optimal outcome, and he finds doing so to be the most personally satisfying part of his work.
Ever an optimist, Ben is a dedicated Carolina Panthers fan. His reading and movie preferences balance each other out intellectually, with a classic of literature holding his favorite book spot (Siddhartha by Hermann Hess) and a 1980s cult classic anchoring the favorite movie place (Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure).
When he is not practicing law, you can usually find Ben hanging out with his family or engaging in some form of exercise, whether it’s biking, swimming, working out, or running while pushing his daughter in a stroller.
Associate Attorney
Caitlin practices family law because she is passionate about using her skills to bring peace and clarity to clients during a stressful time.
Fluent in Spanish, with a minor in Portuguese, Caitlin feels strongly about giving every client access to the legal system to protect their best interests.
While she was an undergraduate at The University of Florida, Caitlin served as president of the Gators Against Human Trafficking, foreshadowing her commitment to using the legal system to protect all people as an attorney.
After graduating from Nova Southeastern University, Shepard Broad College of Law, Caitlin moved from Florida to North Carolina for career opportunities and to be near family.
That geographic move didn’t change her sports allegiance, though ~ Caitlin still roots for the Gators as a fan base of one in our office.
When she is not in the office, Caitlin enjoys spending time with her family and with her Yorkie, Scoobie Doo, listening to Taylor Swift’s music (ask her about The Eras Tour), serving at church, making sourdough bread, and exploring all that North Carolina has to offer.
She describes herself as a museum nerd, so Washington, D.C. is a favorite destination, but she also loves Cancun for a fun vacation. Depending on the day, you might find her reading Jane Eyre or watching “Princess Diaries” on the beach, or visiting the Smithsonian museums.
Associate Attorney
Melissa Gustafson chose to become a family attorney for the opportunity to help families achieve good outcomes and to establish healthy co-parenting that supports child development.
The field of family law combines many of her personal and professional interests and allows her to apply her talents to serve children and families.
A graduate of Lehigh University and Duke University School of Law, Melissa went to law school with the specific goal of becoming a family lawyer who would offer advice and guidance during an emotionally charged and often confusing, uncertain time in clients’ lives.
She brings a strong background in child development, recognition for exceptional pro bono work as a Guardian ad Litem (GAL) and through The Innocence Project, and experience as a clerk to the North Carolina Supreme Court to her work at Breeden Law.
When she is not in the office, you can find Melissa hanging out with her dog Picasso (known as Pistachio when he is being extra nutty), taking care of her houseplants, visiting local farms and businesses, and volunteering at her local animal shelter.
While she isn’t a big sports fan, Beth hopes to convert her to the Blue Devil Life in the near future. Melissa counts a study abroad in Sweden as a favorite experience and looks forward to more travel in the future.
Associate Attorney
Jillian Noble became a family lawyer because her passion is helping people feel more in control during a challenging time in their lives. She particularly enjoys helping families resolve custody issues to create arrangements that serve children’s long-term best interests.
After graduating from UNC-Wilmington and Elon University School of Law, Jillian moved to Raleigh to begin her family law career.
When she is not at work, Jillian enjoys spending time with friends and family, rooting for the Pittsburgh Steelers, and visiting Wrightsville Beach. She lists “Billy Madison” and “White Chicks” as two of her favorite movies.
Her best four-legged buddy is her Boxer named Bean. Bean’s favorite activity is going to the dog park, unless there are Goldendoodles there ~ he is deathly afraid of Goldendoodles.
Client Care
Amanda Opperman is a New Jersey native who loves life in the South – but still roots for the New York Yankees and the Philadelphia Eagles.
Amanda brings her background and experience working in a medical setting to her role as the client care manager at Breeden Law. From consultation to case conclusion, Amanda is great at clarifying legal language and processes for our clients, and she works hard behind the scenes to make the client experience the best that it can be.
When she isn’t at work, Amanda loves being a wife and a mom to two teenagers, as well as a dog mom to a trio of spoiled pooches named Suzie, Reece, and Roxy. She also enjoys working in her garden, cooking, and reading – especially books by Michael Connelly.
Paralegal
Jamie Glover is a born-and-raised North Carolina native, an NC State graduate, and a key member of our legal team.
With years of experience as a family law paralegal and personal experience with some of the issues that our clients face, Jamie is a dynamo who works hard on behalf of every client because she truly cares about every case.
When she is not in our office, Jamie is likely to be working remotely from her Lake Gaston home, spending time with her husband, hanging out with family and friends, rooting for the Wolfpack, and enjoying all of the nature therapy and fun that lake life has to offer.
Paralegal
Nickie brings an outstanding work ethic, empathy that comes from both professional and firsthand family law experience, and a passion to do whatever it takes to obtain the best possible outcome for our clients to her career as a family law paralegal.
After graduating a semester early from East Carolina University, Nickie began working as a paralegal and never looked back. She excels as a member of the Breeden Law legal team by helping clients navigate some of the most uncertain times of their lives, and she loves hearing clients’ gratitude when they reach the other side of their legal matters and can enjoy a more stable, positive future.
Outside of her career, you can find Nickie doing something active – enjoying the ocean with family and friends in Atlantic Beach or traveling to St. Martin and St. Thomas when it is warm, or skiing when it is cold. She also loves going to the park with her son, reading mystery and thriller novels, and binge-watching Netflix.
She also puts her legal skills to good use when answering tough questions about her team loyalties – letting her mom believe that she is a diehard Tar Heel fan while convincing her boyfriend that she loves Duke the way that he does.
One thing that she doesn’t equivocate about, though, is her love for her two rescued pit bull mixes, Lilly and Hallie. Nickie shares that her dogs are polar opposites – Hallie is a go-getter who strives to keep the yard free of all squirrels and cats, while Lilly prefers to sunbathe, lounge, and generally lie around the house.
Executive Assistant
Emmy was born the Dominican Republic, grew up in the DR and in New York, and brings a passion for processes to her work at Breeden Law.
She is a whiz at developing and maintaining the processes that keep us organized, happy, and productive, and her calm, unflappable demeanor is a huge asset to our staff and our clients.
Truly a lifelong learner, when she is not at Breeden Law, you can find Emmy reading multiple books simultaneously and striving to live by her motto: “There is no infinite happiness, but there are infinite opportunities to choose to be.” She also loves spending time with her children and husband, watching Marvel movies, and exploring North Carolina — especially the Outer Banks.
Legal Administrative Assistant
Chelsea brings her education and experience in criminal law and a special interest in advocating for families and children to her role at Breeden Law.
Whether she is making an outstanding first impression or congratulating a client on a successful case conclusion, Chelsea makes sure that the office operates smoothly and efficiently while staying focused on the big picture of serving our clients from their initial consultations to the ends of their cases.
As a certified paralegal with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice, Chelsea maintains her certification and stays on top of changes in the law by pursuing continuing education every year.
When she isn’t at work, Chelsea enjoys spending time with those closest to her – her husband, her kids, and her Australian Shepherd-Black Lab mix and Shih-Tzu pups. Her favorite pastimes are reading, cheering for the Boston Bruins, and taking road trips.
As a military veteran herself and also the spouse of a soldier, she has truly lived and traveled all over the world. Chelsea’s favorite spots include Washington State and Thailand and her list of places that she plans to visit soon includes Scotland, Ireland, and England.
Social Media Coordinator
Raena is passionate about educating people who are facing divorce and child custody cases because she has firsthand experience with both and can relate to their perspective as they search for a guide through the challenges of the legal process.
She brings experience working with some of the most recognizable brands in the world to her role in the firm, and Raena reports that she finds “shining a light on the amazing team members we have at Breeden Law” and educating herself about both client and attorney perspectives on family law engaging and rewarding.
When she is not at work, you can find Raena in her other full-time role as a busy mother of two children, which often means driving one or both of her kids to sports, school functions, extracurricular activities, and play dates and cheering them on in their pursuits. In her rare free time, Raena enjoys reading, crafting, snowboarding, playing games, traveling, watching movies, and hanging out with her adopted cat Juju – on Juju’s terms and only if Juju feels like it.
As a native Coloradan, Raena cheers hard for the Denver Broncos, and she recommends the Black Jewels series by Anne Bishop as her favorite books. So far, Raena’s favorite trip has been to the Eastern Caribbean with her family, and she looks forward to more travel adventures in the future.
Whether she is at the office or at home, helping people reach their potential is the work that Beth really loves.
She sees her role at Breeden Law as working behind the scenes so that our staff members have the tools that they need to deliver a positive client experience and a great value from the first phone call through the conclusion of each case.
Administrative Assistant
Holly Baker loves helping people, detailed paperwork, and being busy, so she fits in perfectly in our office. She wants every visitor to our office to feel comfortable and welcomed, and she values working in an office where helping children is paramount.
Having experienced a high conflict divorce as a young person, Holly knows firsthand how important it is that your lawyer truly cares about your case, and she really enjoys being able to help people who are experiencing family law issues. She is now happily married to her husband of 20 years, who also adopted her son when he was a toddler, and together she and her husband are raising their three children and caring for a host of animals.
When she is not in the office, Holly stays incredibly busy. She oversees her youngest child’s homeschooling, runs a small business that creates hand-braided acorns as ornamentation for North Carolina Highway Patrolmen’s uniform hats from a pattern that she invented, listens to an impressive number of audio books, cares for her three children, three dogs, one cat, and two fish, attends as many Duke football games as she can, and joins her husband on his motorcycle (while contemplating getting one of her own).
As an animal lover, she might not admit to having a favorite dog among her two Chihuahuas and one Doberman, but her 2020 rescue Kitty has definitely been her baby from the first moment that Holly held her.
A business trip to Washington, D.C. ranks high among Holly’s best vacations. She is looking forward to a trip to North Dakota and hopes that she will have time to see Mount Rushmore in South Dakota as well.
