Our Someone 2 know - is known by many in northern Nevada.
Marilyn York is a men's right's family lawyer. She handles contentious divorce battles, and never shies away from being tough.
But there are other sides to her you may have never noticed.
A typical day at the law offices of Marilyn D. York in Reno is busy. The warm home-like setting, with a full female staff, is quite and inviting.
The Marilyn York most people are familiar with is the one we see in TV commercials –that highlight her acerbic wit.
The ads promote men's rights and, more often than not, garner this busy divorce lawyer, plenty of critics;
"It's usually women and they usually hate me,” explains York. “And they think I eat babies, murder women and hate women and that's not even remotely what I am or who I am."
She is a daughter, a wife, a mom, a friend and a business owner...and not least of all - a fierce advocate for those she considers the underdog;
"Men are not wired for emotional warfare; men are not used to being the underdog - anywhere, especially in family court."
Most who employ her services would agree.
"There's a level of depth to her and a kindness I wasn't expecting,” client Alan Hall shares, “She cares about people deeply."
The fight, Marilyn says, is for the children caught in the custody battle.
"...And these kids need both parents,” Marilyn says. “I’m not going in there taking kids from good moms. Good luck - I'd lose. I'm not Houdini."
York recently began writing an advice column for the Reno Gazette-Journal; she also handles dozens of pro-bono cases every year and volunteers as board president for Nevada Youth Empowerment Project.
"Or N-YEP as we affectionately call it. It’s a housing program homeless girls ages 18 to 23, we have a home up by UNR - we house 15 at a time."
As for her business, where Marilyn has ten female employees on staff;
"The service we provide is really important for the community and for dads in general, so I have no intention of going anywhere as far as being a lawyer"
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One of the annual fundraisers for the Nevada Youth Empowerment Project - NYEP - is coming up at the end of the month; the seventh annual fall festival is being held at Bartley Ranch on Sept 28th.
The NYEP website –
NYEP on Facebook -
