Cassandra Strunk
Associate Attorney
Some clients want their day in court and others want to have control over their case rather than letting a judge decide. I enjoy being an advocate for my client in any situation. I am a compassionate attorney who will work diligently on your case. While I am not afraid to be an aggressive litigator for my clients, I think it is also my job to educate my clients on the legal system. I encourage my clients to sit down with me and determine together what a win looks like in their case and how to best get them to that point.
I was born and raised in South Hill, Virginia. I am the youngest of three children. I am fortunate to have been raised by parents who have enjoyed a long marriage together and am glad to have that wonderful example for my own marriage. However, I have had many friends and relatives impacted by divorce and domestic violence. I experienced and saw how difficult those situations were for everyone involved.
When I was volunteering with Mecklenburg Department of Social Services, I decided that I wanted to go into law. On my last day of the internship, I was allowed to witness a forensic interview. The mother allowed me to watch the interview take place from another room. Slowly, the interviewer was able to obtain information that the child had been abused by another family member. The mother started crying beside me. She was obviously upset for her child, and she did not know what this information meant for the future. The mother and biological father were not together. Did this mean that the biological father could try to get primary custody? Would the court blame the mother? I realized that I had no answers. I had no idea what the future held for this family. I decided I wanted to go into law and specifically family law. I believe that family is the basic foundation in a person’s life, and I want to be there for my clients when it seems like that foundation is shaken.
I went on to graduate from the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia with a Bachelor of Arts degree, and I graduated with honors from the University of Tennessee College of Law with my Juris Doctorate. At graduation, I received nine awards related to my academic and volunteer achievements. I am most proud of the recognition I received from the Tennessee Supreme Court for dedicating over four hundred and forty six hours in pro bono services. I enjoyed giving my time to the local community, and I bring that same dedication and hard work to my clients.
I am thankful that I am surrounded by people that share the same passion as I do. My husband, who is a product of divorced parents, supports me in my devotion to my clients, and being an attorney at the McIlveen Family Law Firm means that I am surrounded by people that are willing to go the extra mile for our clients. I strive to give my clients that same feeling of support. I have dedicated my life to family law and want my clients to feel comforted that they do not have to handle these situations on their own.
Awards
- 2016 Avvo Clients’ Choice Award
- Law Student For Justice 2013-2014 presented by Tennessee Supreme Court
- CALI Excellence for the Future Award- Domestic Violence ClinicThe Center for Computer- Assisted Legal Instruction 2014
- Gold Level Achievement for Services in Pro Bono Work-University of Tennessee College of Law 2014
- Certificate of Appreciation for Contributions in Advocacy Clinic-University of Tennessee College of Law 2014
- Certificate of Appreciation for Contributions in DV Clinic-University of Tennessee College of Law-2014
- Outstanding Achievement in Pretrial Litigation-University of Tennessee College of Law-2014
- Outstanding Achievement in Trial Practice-University of Tennessee College of Law 2014
- Graduated with Honors-University of Tennessee College of Law 2014
- CALI Excellence for the Future Award- Elder LawThe Center for Computer-Assisted Legal Instruction 2014
- Equal Justice Foundation Fellowship Recipient
Memberships and Affiliations
- North Carolina Bar Association
- North Carolina Bar Association, Family Law Section
- North Carolina Bar Association, Young Lawyers Division
- Charlotte Women’s Bar Association
- North Carolina State Bar
- Gaston County Bar
- American Bar Association
- Charlotte Chamber of Commerce
Education
- University of Tennessee College of Law
- College of William and Mary