Messerli | Kramer: Debele, Gary A. is a distinguished family law practice led by attorney Gary A. Debele, who specializes in a uniquely broad and sophisticated range of family law matters. With decades of experience and memberships in prestigious organizations including the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, the International Academy of Family Law Attorneys, and the Academy of Adoption and Assisted Reproduction Attorneys, the firm stands out for its deep expertise in complex, high-stakes, and often interdisciplinary family cases that many practitioners avoid.
Gary Debele’s practice is characterized by a comprehensive, client-centered approach that integrates family law with issues involving business valuation, estate planning, juvenile court, tribal law, and international jurisdictions. He is highly regarded for his work in interstate and international family disputes, complex adoptions, assisted reproduction, and cases involving the Indian Child Welfare Act. The firm serves a diverse clientele, including individuals with closely held family enterprises, same-sex couples, tribal members, and clients navigating multi-jurisdictional or appellate family matters. His certification as a mediator and collaborative law professional further allows clients to pursue resolution through non-adversarial methods when preferred.
Services Offered
- Divorce
- Child Custody
- Parentage
- Family Formation
- Adoption (including stepparent, relative, interstate, international, contested, and adult adoptions)
- Assisted Reproduction and Surrogacy Law (donor contracts, gestational carrier agreements, traditional surrogate contracts, parentage establishment)
- Juvenile & Child Protection (child welfare matters, termination of parental rights, maltreatment appeals)
- Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) Cases
- Tribal Court Practice (family law, child welfare, conservatorships, guardianships)
- Family Law Appeals (state, tribal, and federal appellate courts)
- Mediation & Collaborative Law
- Prenuptial, Postnuptial, and Cohabitation Agreements
- Estate Planning for Small to Moderate Estates (wills, guardianship provisions for children, health care declarations, powers of attorney)
- Third-Party Custody
- Business Valuation in Divorce
- International Family Law (Hague Convention matters, jurisdictional disputes)
- High-Conflict Litigation
Admitted to practice in Minnesota, Wisconsin, multiple U.S. federal courts, and several tribal courts including Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux and Prairie Island Mdewakanton Dakota, Gary Debele is a highly decorated attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in America, Super Lawyers, and other peer-review accolades. He is also involved in drafting and stakeholder committees for uniform family law acts and frequently lectures and publishes on cutting-edge topics in family law.
