Meet Melenni
Melenni Balbach, North Carolina Family Law Attorney
I'm Melenni Balbach, a North Carolina family law attorney and legal family planner. From pre-birth to death, and every stage in between.
I started my career litigating high-conflict family law cases in North Carolina. I sat across from heartbroken spouses, terrified parents, and clients who walked into court thinking the legal system would offer fairness, clarity, or even closure. It rarely did.
In traditional family law litigation, everyone loses something. Not just emotionally, but financially, mentally, and relationally. I've seen judges make life-changing decisions in under five minutes. I've watched entire retirement accounts drain into legal fees. And I've represented good people who were simply trying to survive a process that treated their family like a case number.
After years of that work, I realized: litigation isn't the only way, and it's almost never the best way.
But I also discovered something else: my most meaningful work spans the entire arc of family life.
Before a baby is even born, I'm helping intended parents secure pre-birth orders in North Carolina. I'm drafting surrogacy agreements, sperm donor contracts, egg donor agreements, and embryo donation agreements that protect families building their futures through assisted reproductive technology (ART). I'm working with same-sex couples, LGBTQ+ families, single parents by choice, and anyone whose path to parenthood doesn't fit the traditional mold. As a North Carolina ART attorney, I help families navigate the legal complexities of surrogacy and donor arrangements when state law doesn't make it easy.
When couples are ready to commit, I'm creating prenuptial agreements and postnuptial agreements that set them up for success. Not planning for failure, but planning for clarity.
As families grow and change, I'm handling collaborative divorces in North Carolina that prioritize dignity over destruction, drafting co-parenting agreements and separation agreements, and helping people navigate divorce without scorched-earth litigation.
And throughout it all, from the moment someone becomes a parent to the moment they're planning what happens after they're gone, I'm creating comprehensive estate plans for North Carolina families. Wills that reflect actual family structures. Powers of attorney for healthcare and finances. Guardianship designations for kids. Living wills that take the burden of impossible decisions off your loved ones.
From pre-birth to death. That's the work I do.
North Carolina's laws haven't caught up with how modern families actually look. We have zero comprehensive surrogacy laws. We haven't adopted the Uniform Parentage Act. Our family law statutes are stuck in the past while families are living in the present.
So I navigate the gaps. I craft creative legal solutions for surrogacy, ART, LGBTQ+ family planning, and non-traditional family structures. I make sure families, all kinds of families, have the protection they need even when North Carolina law doesn't make it easy.
That's why we built Balbach & Davenport Legal.
We're a virtual North Carolina law firm for people at every stage of family life. Whether you're building a family through assisted reproductive technology, getting married, raising kids, going through divorce, co-parenting outside traditional structures, or planning your estate, we're your legal family planner.
We work with LGBTQ+ couples, straight couples, single parents, blended families, polyamorous partnerships, chosen families, everyone. Because all families deserve comprehensive legal protection, and all families deserve a North Carolina attorney who sees them, respects them, and fights for them.
My approach is simple: legal support should feel empowering, not punitive.
It should be straightforward, values-aligned, and tailored to your actual life, not just your paperwork. Whether we're securing your parental rights before your baby is born with a pre-birth order, negotiating a collaborative divorce that prioritizes your kids, drafting a surrogacy contract that protects everyone involved, or making sure your estate plan reflects your chosen family, my goal is to bring strategy, stability, and simplicity into the process.
This work isn't about fighting in court. It's about helping people build, protect, and transition through every chapter of family life with their dignity, finances, and future intact.
At Balbach & Davenport Legal, we don't discriminate. We celebrate all families in all their beautiful diversity.
Your North Carolina legal family planner for every stage of life, from pre-birth to death, and everything in between.
What I Handle:
Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) & Surrogacy Law
Surrogacy agreements, gestational carrier contracts, sperm donor agreements, egg donor contracts, embryo donation agreements, and pre-birth orders for intended parents in North Carolina. I work with LGBTQ+ families, single parents by choice, and all families building their future through assisted reproduction.
Prenuptial & Postnuptial Agreements
Marriage contracts that create clarity, not conflict. Flat-fee prenuptial agreements and postnuptial agreements for couples in North Carolina who want to protect their assets, define expectations, and start their marriage with honest communication.
Collaborative Divorce & Separation Agreements
Out-of-court divorce solutions through collaborative family law. I help North Carolina couples navigate separation and divorce with dignity, focusing on negotiated outcomes instead of courtroom battles. Includes separation agreements, parenting plans, and co-parenting arrangements.
Estate Planning
Wills, healthcare powers of attorney, financial powers of attorney, living wills, and advance directives for North Carolina families. Your estate plan should reflect your actual family, whether that's a same-sex spouse, chosen family, blended family, or non-traditional structure.
Non-Traditional Family Planning
Legal support for LGBTQ+ couples, polyamorous partnerships, co-parenting arrangements outside of marriage, and chosen families. If your family doesn't fit the traditional mold, I help you build legal protection that reflects your reality.
Professional Credentials & Memberships:
2026 Super Lawyers Rising Star
Member of the Family Law Institute of the National LGBTQ+ Bar Association
Member of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM)
Member of the American Bar Association (ABA) Assisted Reproductive Technologies Committee
Member of the North Carolina Bar Association Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity (SOGI) Committee
Academic Fellow, Elon University School of Law
Member of the Trial Advocacy Board, Elon University School of Law
Recipient of the 2020 North Carolina Advocates for Justice Appellate and Trial Achievement Award
2020 Member of the North Carolina Advocates for Justice for Courtroom Advocacy
Why Work With Me:
I'm One of the Only ART-Focused Attorneys on the North Carolina Coast
If you're building your family through surrogacy, egg donation, sperm donation, or embryo donation, I help you navigate North Carolina's legal gaps with creative solutions and comprehensive contracts.
Flat-Fee Pricing
No surprise bills. Prenuptial agreements, separation agreements, surrogacy contracts, and estate planning services are all flat-fee. You know the cost before we start.
Virtual Services Across North Carolina
Consultations, document review, and legal support happen online. You don't have to drive to Wilmington or take time off work. Book your consultation, choose your time, and meet with me from wherever you are.
LGBTQ+ Family Law Experience
I work with same-sex couples, LGBTQ+ families, and non-traditional family structures every day. Your family deserves an attorney who sees you, understands the legal challenges you face, and fights for your rights.
Collaborative Approach Over Litigation
I keep you out of court whenever possible. Collaborative divorce, alternative dispute resolution, and proactive planning mean less stress, lower costs, and better outcomes for everyone involved.
Get to Know Me:
I'm a North Carolina native with pink hair who believes in jeans and t-shirt lawyering. Legal help shouldn't require a law degree to understand. It shouldn't be intimidating, confusing, or financially draining. And it definitely shouldn't make you feel like just another case number.
I built Balbach & Davenport Legal to serve real people navigating real life transitions. Whether you're an LGBTQ+ couple trying to secure parental rights, a single parent by choice working with a sperm donor, a couple planning a prenup before marriage, or someone who just needs a will that actually reflects their chosen family, I'm here for it.
All families deserve legal protection. All families deserve respect. And all families deserve an attorney who gets it.
Ready to Talk?
Book your 30-minute consultation and let's figure out what you need. Phone call with video available upon request. Choose your date, time, and attorney directly through our scheduling link.
Questions? Email me at melenni@balbachdavenportlegal.com or call 910.701.0236