Vikki Ziegler is an American lawyer and author. Her book The Pre-marital Planner: A Complete Legal Guide to a Perfect Marriage was published in 2012, and from 2014 to 2016 she was the focus of the reality television show Untying the Knot. She practices matrimonial law and is a founding partner in the firm Ziegler and Zemsky LLC. As a business person, she has founded several divorce related websites.
Vikki Ziegler | |
|---|---|
| Born | |
| Education | JD |
| Alma mater | Quinnipiac University School of Law University of Rhode Island |
| Occupation(s) | Divorce attorney and author |
| Works | The Pre-marital Planner: A Complete Legal Guide to a Perfect Marriage |
| Television | Untying the Knot |
| Board member of | Supreme Court of New Jersey to the District XI Ethics Committee for Passaic County |
| Awards | Outstanding Podcast award from the 41st Annual Gracie Awards |
Early life
editVikki Ziegler was born in Manhattan and raised in Wayne, New Jersey by South African parents. Ziegler's parents divorced in 1985 when she was twelve years old, and reportedly, she argued for (and convinced) her parents to seek joint custody during the proceedings. The experience gave her the motivation to become a divorce attorney herself when she became an adult. She attended the Gloria Frances School of Performing Arts and graduated from Wayne Hills High School in 1990. She worked as a fashion model while attending university, and graduated from the University of Rhode Island, where she studied Spanish, Sociology, and Political Science, as well as Quinnipiac University School of Law, after first attending Bridgeport Law. Following law school, she clerked for Justice Michael A. Diamond of the Family Division of the Superior Court in Passaic County.[1][2][3][4]
Legal career
editAs a lawyer, Ziegler worked for Walder, Hayden & Brogan during the mid-2000s,[1] where among other cases she was the attorney for the divorce of Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee Michael Strahan.[5] Ziegler is now a founding partner and attorney with the firm Ziegler and Zemsky, a law firm specializing in marital law.[6] She is also an adjunct professor at Fordham Law School, where she teaches about prenuptial agreements[7] and same-sex marriage.[8] Ziegler is barred in New York, New Jersey, and Washington D.C.[9] She was also appointed to the Supreme Court of New Jersey to the District XI Ethics Committee for Passaic County.[10]
Television
editEarly in her career she appeared as a commentator on E!,[11] MSNBC,[12] CNN, Fox Business Network, and Fox News during discussions of celebrity divorce cases.[1] She has also appeared on daytime television shows such as Dr. Drew[13] and The Wendy Williams Show,[3][14] as well as the 30 for 30 film "Broke" on ESPN.[9] In 2014 she began hosting the Bravo reality television show Untying the Knot.[2] The six half-hour episodes track Ziegler handling divorce cases, and includes her consultations with appraisal experts Mark and Michael Millea when items require auctioning.[3] The series was renewed in November 2014, and expanded to a full hour format for the second season.[15]
Writings
editIn 2008, she began work on a guide for divorce entitled The All Star Divorce.[1] She then published the book The Pre-marital Planner: A Complete Legal Guide to a Perfect Marriage in 2012,[8][16] which includes the discussion of how to approach a prenuptial agreement as a couple before marriage.[17][18] The All Star Divorce is slated to be her second non-fiction book.[9]
Other businesses
editZiegler is the founded of DivorceDating.com, a match-making website for divorcees, and a celebrity gossip website HookupsAndBreakups.com. Both were developed as a part of an effort to life "the stigma of divorce".[1] She is also the creator of the "Lavish by Vikki Ziegler" brand of hair perfume.[19]
Recognition
editZiegler was named one of the 40 lawyers under 40 by the New Jersey Law Journal in 2006.[1] In 2016 she received the Outstanding Podcast award at the 41st Annual Gracie Award.[20]
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f "Vikki Ziegler". NJ.com. 22 June 2008.
- ^ a b Winters, Debra. "Former Wayne, current Little Falls resident helps couples 'untie the knot' on Bravo". North Jersey News.
- ^ a b c ROHAN, VIRGINIA. "North Jersey attorney Vikki Ziegler helps couples divorce on new Bravo show". North Jersey News.
- ^ "Vikki Ziegler: Understanding Why She's the 'Legal' Hustler". Parle Magazine. December 2012.
- ^ "Strahan's ex to auction Montclair mansion". NJ.com. 2 May 2007.
- ^ Carmichael, Cody (20 August 2016). "The Top Ten Richest Lawyers of 2017 - The Gazette Review". Gazette Review.
- ^ "Bravo's "Untying the Knot" Premieres Wednesday, June 4". Comcast Spotlight.
- ^ a b "'Untying the Knot': New reality show stars NJ divorce attorney". NJ.com. 8 May 2014.
- ^ a b c "Vikki Ziegler - Understanding Why She's The 'Legal' Hustler - Parle Magazine — The Online Voice of Urban Entertainment". Parle Magazine. 13 December 2012.
- ^ "Volunteers in Attorney Ethics System Conclude Terms of Service". New Jersey State Judiciary.
- ^ "Janet Jackson and Wissam al Mana Split: What's at Stake?". E!. 11 April 2017.
- ^ "Divorce Decisions". MSNBC.
- ^ "Breakup broker: Bravo's 'Untying the Knot' stars Livingston divorce lawyer". NJ.com. 3 June 2014.
- ^ Stockly, Ed (14 December 2016). "Thursday's TV highlights: 'The Big Bang Theory' on CBS". LA Times.
- ^ Team, The Deadline (21 November 2014). "Bravo Renews 'Untying The Knot' For Second Season". Deadline.
- ^ Shattuck, Kathryn (4 June 2014). "What's on Wednesday". The New York Times.
- ^ Carol Pepper; Camilla Webster (2012). The Seven Pearls of Financial Wisdom: A Woman's Guide to Enjoying Wealth and Power. St. Martin's Press. ISBN 978-1-250-00832-9.
- ^ "Pre-Marital Planning for Newly Engaged Couples". CBS. January 2, 2013.
- ^ "Vikki Ziegler of 'Untying the Knot' Making Hair Perfume". 2 Paragraphs.
- ^ "Ridgefield Playhouse to host event for women". News times. 16 August 2016.