Her credentials and professional accomplishments speak volumes about her past and also allude to a flourishing future: former assistant district attorney; a voracious reader, writer and “arguer” with a deep understanding of various aspects of U.S. law, including family law and criminal defense; a seasoned trial attorney with an innate will to win for her clients or otherwise help them meet their goals; and leader of a thriving legal practice for 17 years—and counting—in the heart of Bucks County.
Simply put, few local attorneys are as capable or as accomplished as Carla V. Risoldi in their ability to help individuals and families through a difficult time.
Since 1994 Risoldi has been offering dedicated legal representation and personalized service to Pennsylvania and New Jersey clients who are enduring a personal problem, whether it’s a divorce, personal injury, auto accident, DUI arrest, criminal charge, etc. Although she is perfectly capable of handling multiple kinds of cases, she spends the bulk of her time and energy helping clients find resolution, peace of mind and, most importantly, results in divorce and custody-support issues.
“The best piece of advice I can offer is actually two-fold,” says Risoldi, whose firm has offices in Buckingham and Langhorne. “First, as I tell all my clients, do not do anything hasty that you will later regret; it is best to keep your cool and plan to compile the proof you will need to properly handle your case and regret any rash decisions that can come back to bite you later.
“Secondly and most importantly,” she continues, “it is imperative to obtain good legal advice. In these days of ‘free’ advice from friends or on the Internet, the fact is that every case is different, and once you make a bad deal in your divorce it can be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to get out of it. I am amazed at the misinformation out there that people come to my office and tell me they heard about, just complete falsehoods—for example, that there is no alimony in Pennsylvania, which is just not so.”
Clearly, Risoldi has a deep understanding of the emotions her clients experience during a divorce, and she treats each new case she takes on with respect and empathy. She thoroughly informs clients of each step of the process to make sure they understand their specific legal situation so they can make the best possible decision for themselves and their families going forward.
The Best Results
Risoldi’s education is as impressive as her accomplished professional career. She earned her undergraduate degree from University of Pennsylvania, graduating magna cum laude and elected to Phi Beta Kappa, and then went on to gain a degree in law from Fordham University’s School of Law.
While she was still in school, Risoldi spent a summer working for the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, then headed by Ronald D. Castille, the current chief justice of Pennsylvania. This experience instilled in her what she refers to as a “true love of the law.”
“I think that the best thing I did out of law school was to become an assistant district attorney in Bucks County,” she says. “It is a great training ground, both in preparing a large volume of cases for trial, gaining trial experience and learning your way among the people and places where you will practice. Also, it is important to be able to see both sides of an issue so that you can anticipate where the other side is coming from and plan accordingly.”
But her education goes well beyond honors and diplomas. It began in her formative years, while growing up in an educated household that encouraged open debate.
“I was inspired to become an attorney for various reasons,” she says. “First, personally, I always enjoyed to read, write and argue. My father would love to start conversations around the dinner table that would involve politics or other issues of the day, and he encouraged a thoughtful debate on the topics. I remember discussing Nixon and Watergate, the Vietnam War, Regan Republicans, Truman Democrats, labor unions and the like.
“Secondly,” she continues, “the world was changing, with women’s and civil rights creating conflicting issues with regard to criminal defenses, affirmative action, workplace issues and the like, that were not always so clear cut and created very interesting legal issues that made headlines during the time I was growing up. It was hard not to notice these things and have an opinion on them. By the time I went to law school, just about half of my class were women, which was very encouraging.”
Her firm, Risoldi Law Offices LLC, has been serving clients in Pennsylvania and New Jersey since 1994, and in that time she has earned a distinguished record based on an aggressive but fair approach to each case, always with her clients’ future interests in mind.
“We strive to accomplish the best results in the best manner,” she says. “The best thing an attorney can do is differentiate between advising the client and fighting for the client. We always try to amicably resolve our cases, after the preparation is done and we know where the case stands.
“That said,” she continues, “if amicable resolution is impossible due to the actions of the other side after we have recommended a reasonable settlement position, we use that same thoughtful preparation to fight for the client. We always try to be efficient and competent and do our very best in every case.”
The firm must be doing something right—many things, in fact—because the practice continues to grow, with most of its cases coming from referrals by past clients.
Risoldi Law Offices LLC has two locations in Bucks County. The Langhorne office, which is located at 1508 Trenton Road (at the corner of Trenton and Durham Roads), and can be reached by calling 215-741-3700. The Buckingham office, which is located at the corner of Rtes. 413 and 202, can be reached by calling 215-794-9300. For more information, visit the firm’s website at www.RisoldiLawOffices.com.
