Name: Debra Marino

Born: Brooklyn, N.Y.; January 14, 1970

Current residence: Orange

Legal specialty: Matrimonial Litigation

Interests: Member of the Orange Board of Education. In 2010, I co-founded, together with my husband, the charitable organization in Orange known as SOaRINg, which aims to assist Orange residents in financial need.

Education: B.A. in history with a minor in French from Boston University in 1992; J.D., Quinnipiac College School of Law, Hamden in 1995.

First job: Law clerk for William B. Lewis at Stamford Superior Court. Later she was an associate with a firm in Westport, where she became involved with family law and became focused on matrimonial litigation.

Why chose specialty: "I love being in court. There are so many different issues that come up on a day-to-day basis. Each family that you deal with is unique. The different issues that arrive legally vary from case to case. I also like being a member of the Family Bar Association; it's a small, close-knit group. You get a personal relationship with a lot of different attorneys, and the judges get to know you. If you enjoy being a trial attorney, it's really the best field to be in; you're in court constantly. I find it very rewarding. But you either love it or you don't. Some practitioners hate it. For me, it's very enjoyable."

Most memorable case: Roth v. Weston in 2000, the landmark grandparents litigation. "This was a case that I tried when I was a young practitioner. It was a long trial with a lot of legal issues involved. I knew that we were dealing with a case that was going to go up to theSupreme Court because there were so many different issues about the statutes. I litigated the case against a well-established litigation attorney. For me, it was a golden opportunity to jump into trial work. I didn't handle the appeal, but ultimately it went up to the Supreme Court, where the case made law. The court invalided [sic] the statute. I knew getting into this case it was going to change the law of the state. Accomplishing that is my biggest achievement so far."

What would do instead of practicing law: Broadcast journalism.

Personal motto: "Love what you do. If you don't love what you do, it's not worth doing it. Family comes first, no matter what."...