About Marie I.
Marie I. Crossley built her legal grounding in classrooms and courtrooms. She earned a B.A. in political science, English literature and Spanish from Washington & Jefferson College in 1994. Four years later she added a J.D. from Villanova University School of Law. Those academic choices signaled an interest in law that blends careful reading, persuasive advocacy and attention to people.
Her earliest professional steps put that interest into practice. In 2001 she clerked for two judges on the Family Court of the State of Delaware, the Honorable Alison Whitmer Tumas and the Honorable William L. Chapman. The clerkships offered close exposure to family law procedure and the challenges judges face when deciding custody, support and protection matters. The work that year shaped how she approached litigation and client counseling in the years that followed.
In 2002 Crossley joined Rahaim & Saints, LLP as an associate family law lawyer. She handled contested hearings and prepared pleadings, and took on the day-to-day work that family law firms rely on. Her role broadened over time. By 2008 she had become a partner at Rahaim & Saints, LLP. The promotion reflected a shift into leadership responsibilities: supervising associates, managing client matters and participating in firm decision-making.
In 2013 Crossley moved to MacElree Harvey, Ltd as a partner. The transition marked another phase in her career, carrying forward courtroom experience and firm leadership into a larger practice setting. Across roles, she worked on divorce proceedings, child custody disputes, support calculations and post-judgment enforcement. Her background in both trial court procedure and private practice informed how she prepared cases for hearing and explained options to clients.
Colleagues describe Crossley as pragmatic in the courtroom and exacting in legal drafting. She has handled both contested litigation and negotiated settlements. That mix matters in family law, where clients sometimes need aggressive advocacy and at other times benefit from pragmatic resolution. Her earlier clerkship remains a touchstone; it taught her how judges think and what they expect in filings and oral argument.
Outside of litigation, Crossley’s undergraduate studies in Spanish and literature add tools for client communication and document review. She brings those skills to domestic relations matters that often require clear explanation of legal processes and careful attention to detail. She currently practices at MacElree Harvey, Ltd, focusing on family law matters.
