Desert Center Family Lawyers

Hoang-Anh (Anh) Zapien is an accomplished attorney who focuses on guiding and supporting her clients during the court process. Anh prides herself on being an advocate for her clients and their children. As a knowledgeable and effective family law attorney, Ms. Zapien has assisted clients in various family law matters and has extensive experience in litigation, but prides herself on her ability to mediate issues before clients are required to go through a trial. Her comprehensive education in politics, business, and the law has equipped her with the knowledge necessary to be an advocate for her clients both in the...

With each individual case, Catherine A. Schwartz brings the knowledge of over twenty years of experience practicing family law and criminal defense in California. Ms. Schwartz's undergraduate studies were in sociology at Philadelphia Christian College. She graduated with a B.S degree in law and a JD at Western State University College of Law, San Diego, in 1991. After passing the California State Bar in 1991, Ms. Schwartz practiced family law, juvenile dependency, and juvenile delinquency law in both San Diego and Riverside, CA. She has been involved in the areas of family law and criminal defense for the past 20...

Although our whole firm prides itself on being "warriors in court," I believe that I have a calling to spread the word to folks that there are alternatives to going to court. There are alternatives like mediation, collaborative law and cooperative law. People in our firm, and myself, had to take extra training, often at substantial expense and in other states, to be able to offer those alternative dispute methods for our clients. Now I have hobbies of "spreading the word" about those alternatives. I appear on TV, often with other members of our firm....

Maria Estela De Orduna, known as "Estela," is a distinguished Family Law Attorney licensed in California since 2006. With nearly two decades of experience, she is recognized for her expertise in handling family law matters, including international cases involving asset division, enforcement of foreign custody, and support orders. Estela has volunteered her expertise to assist the U.S. Department of State’s International Parental Abduction Unit on occasion. Estela is highly skilled in strategic planning for divorce cases, focusing on property division, disclosure requirements, and custody and visitation matters. She has extensive experience addressing jurisdictional challenges in divorce and child custody...

Andy Cook is here to help you! With a great courtroom presence (he used to be a professional announcer) and strong writing skills, Andy is able to get your message across to the many family law judges in San Diego County.

Andy Cook handles family law matters exclusively. He has one associate attorney and has run his own practice in the Bankers Hill area of San Diego, located about a mile from the main San Diego Family Law Court, for over 23 years. Andy has been Certified as a Family Law Specialist by the State Bar...

Michele B. Brown is an attorney licensed in the State of California and the United States District Court for the Southern District. She is a Certified Specialist in Family Law and the head of the Procopio Family Law Group. Ms. Brown has been practicing family law for approximately 25 years. She handles complex family law matters, including dissolution of marriage actions with business valuations, income analysis and financial litigation, custody, move-away and psychological evaluations, as well as pre-marital agreements, post-marital agreements, post judgment matters and enforcement actions. Ms. Brown cares deeply about the law and her clients....

B. Robert Farzad is the managing partner of Farzad & Ochoa Family Law Attorneys, LLP. Farzad & Ochoa is a premier divorce and family law firm with offices in Orange County, Los Angeles and San Diego. The firm represents husbands and wives in complex or high conflict cases, including those that include complex financial and/or child custody issues. Mr. Farzad is a respected divorce attorney. He has presented seminars for the Orange County Bar Association and Continuing Education for the Bar (CEB). His work is featured in Orange County Lawyer Magazine, The Huffington Post, Yahoo Parenting and more. B. Robert Farzad is a...

Jeremy N. Roark brings over a decade of exclusive expertise in family law within the Inland Empire. His practice covers diverse facets of divorce cases, including child custody and support, asset division, spousal support, custody jurisdiction, and matters involving domestic violence and restraining orders. Certified as a Certified Family Law Specialist (CFLS) by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization, Jeremy stands out for his demonstrated excellence in the field. He is also honored as the recipient of the Terry D. Bridges Outstanding Attorney Award from the Leo A. Deegan Inn of Court Board of Directors and Members. As a...

Christopher R. Abernathy provides advice and counsel to clients throughout the state of California. The focus of Mr. Abernathy’s practice is Family Law. Mr. Abernathy is a skilled litigator and negotiator with many years of experience Born and raised in California, Mr. Abernathy attended California State University, Chico, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in 1994. He then was awarded his Juris Doctor in 1998 from Western State College of Law in Irvine. Mr. Abernathy has been in private practice for his entire career, and he is admitted to practice before all California state courts.

Nikoo N. Berenji is a legal luminary at Berenji & Associates, possessing over a decade of experience in high-stakes legal cases, having represented major corporations and individual defendants in state and federal courts in Los Angeles. Her educational journey started at UCLA and culminated in a full scholarship to Berkeley Law School, consistently ranked among the nation's top law schools. Nikoo embarked on her legal career as a federal judicial extern for the Honorable Judge S. James Otero, followed by an associate attorney role at Latham & Watkins LLP, a globally recognized law firm. At Berenji & Associates, Nikoo passionately channels...

Alphonse focuses on providing excellent client service and aggressive advocacy to clients in Family Law matters. Alphonse is a Certified Specialist in Family Law (CFLS) by the California State Bar Board of Legal Specialization.

Alphonse graduated with a B.A. in Rhetoric with Honors and English Literature from U.C. Berkeley, where he gave the Commencement Address for the Rhetoric Department. He also received the honor of Distinction in General Scholarship. He graduated with a J.D. from U.C. Hastings in San Francisco with a concentration in Civil Litigation and was awarded for the best student in Trial Advocacy II by the CACI Institute.

Alphonse...

I am experienced trial attorney committed to serving your specific needs at affordable flat rates. I am known as a workaholic so I can be reached almost anytime on my cell at 909-354-9478. I look forward to hearing from you!

Providing high quality legal representation to a wide range of clients throughout the greater Los Angeles area since 1993. I offer reasonable and highly competitive hourly rates where applicable. Prenuptial Agreements and Qualified Domestic Relations Orders (QDRO) are expertly prepared for one flat fee. The best interests of the children are the focus of the courts and of my law practice. Once your family law matter has resolved, you will not be abandoned. If modifications of any support, child custody or visitation orders are needed in the future, contact my office to reopen your file.

Charles M. Green is a preeminent California family law and divorce attorney serving the greater Los Angeles area. Founding his law firm in 1998, he is highly experienced law firm with over 23 years of legal experience and a proven track record for success. His family law and divorce firm has the advanced legal skills you deserve to represent you for all legal issues within the purview of California family law court system. Our practice areas include, but are not limited to: divorce, child custody, property and asset division, domestic violence, spousal support (alimony), judgement modifications, prenuptial agreements, and...

Daniel has had substantial court experience in trying a variety of cases in civil and family law. Before bringing his expertise to the South Bay, he was an associate at a Century City civil law firm and handled high profile family law clients in Beverly Hills. His experience also includes exclusive work with Forensic Child Custody Evaluators (730 Evaluations) enabling him the unique opportunity to provide clients with the knowledge for a successful child custody evaluation. He received his Juris Doctorate from Western State University in 2006, graduating with a Witkins recognition for factual investigation, an award given to individuals...

Brinda Gandhi, also known as Brinda Mehta, is the principal attorney at BG Family Law, APC, and a Certified Family Law Specialist (CFLS). With extensive experience in family law, she is dedicated to achieving meaningful outcomes for her clients. Brinda's broad-based knowledge, expertise, and courtroom experience enable her to quickly and adeptly address the unique aspects of each case, ensuring the best possible results for her clients. She is proficient in representing individuals in California and has significant experience with international divorce and custody issues. Licensed as an attorney in both India and California, Brinda provides seamless advice to clients with...

Jonathan T. Little is an attorney with Minyard Morris family law firm in Newport Beach, California. He is a Certified Specialist in Family Law by The State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. Mr. Little has more than 17 years of legal experience, and he provides outstanding representation, advice and support to clients throughout Orange County who are going through a divorce or other family law issues. "One must love what they do to truly excel at it! Passion is key. As a divorce lawyer, I love what I do because I get the incredible opportunity to work alongside people to...

Named top 10% of Lawyers in California - Lawyers of Distinction 2017 Client's Choice Award - Avvo.com 2014 SuperLawyers 2019, 2020 and 2021

As the managing attorney at the Center for Mediated Divorce, Irvine lawyer Judy Williams compassionately helps people resolve their issues in a divorce without having to go to court. Since 1996, she has been practicing as an attorney. Ms. Williams previously served as president and board member of the Orange County Women Lawyers Association. For a number of years, she was a Panel Attorney for the Orange County Juvenile Dependency Court. Attorney Williams presently maintains a 9.4 Superb Avvo Rating. Contact her firm today to arrange for a consultation.

Ms. Charbonneau is a highly regarded Orange County family law practitioner and was a founding partner in one of Orange County’s premier law firms. Ms. Charbonneau is well known for her uncanny ability to get to the heart of a case and get it resolved. While compassionate and understanding, she is tenacious in her resolve to get divorcing couples to focus on common ground to reach a fair and responsible resolution. She is very skilled in dealing with the range of emotions that go with a divorce and is able to relate to the parties like few...

Court Admissions:

United States District Court, Central District of California, May 30, 2007
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, October 26, 2009
United States District Court, Southern District of California, November 16, 2009
United States Tax Court, November 19, 2009
United States Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, January 10, 2010
United States District Court, Eastern District of California, June 3, 2010
United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims, July 13, 2010
United States Court of International Trade, January 2, 2014
United States Court of Appeals For The Federal Circuit, June 30, 2015
United States Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals, May 3, 2017
United States...

Stephen W. Penn is a Certified Family Law Specialist who has been in private practice since 1991. He received a Bachelor of Science from California State University, Los Angeles and his law degree from Glendale College of Law. He also holds a Master of Business Administration from Pepperdine University, Master of Science in Taxation from Golden Gate University and Master of Arts from John F. Kennedy University in Counseling Psychology.

Prior to commencing his legal career, Mr. Penn served as Vice Chancellor of the West Valley-Mission Community College District and Director of Finance and Chief Business Officer of California State University...

Magdalena Chattopadhya practices all areas of family law, providing comprehensive legal representation for matters related to divorce, separation, child custody/support, paternity, retraining orders, and more. As a Certified Family Law Specialist, she is hands-on with her clients from the initial consultation all the way to negotiations, trials, and even appeals when necessary. Ms. Chattopadhya focuses on the big picture – the long-term impact of a case on her clients’ lives. As a certified mediator, she strives to help parties move forward from a conflict in an amicable and dignified manner. She is dedicated to pursuing the best possible result, no...

Michelle Tidalgo, a founding partner of Morgan Tidalgo Sukhodrev & Azzolino LLP and a Certified Family Law Specialist, is an experienced trial lawyer who practices family law exclusively, focusing on diverse financial issues including business valuation, property division and child and spousal support. Ms. Tidalgo also represents clients in difficult custody disputes. Before the founding of Morgan Duffy-Smith & Tidalgo LLP in 2008, she spent part of her career practicing civil litigation and handling cases involving claims of unfair competition, breach of contract, fraud, trade secret misappropriation and employment law with a management orientation. Ms. Tidalgo began to practice family...

Jennifer is certified as a Family Law Specialist by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. She earned a B.A. in Law and Society from the University of California at Santa Barbara and her law degree from Santa Clara University. Jennifer is a member of the Association of Certified Family Law Specialists, and member of the Santa Clara County Bar Association and is a member of the Family Law Executive Committee of the Santa Clara County Bar Association. Jennifer has lectured at multiple seminars for the Santa Clara County Bar Association, and Santa Clara University School of Law,...

Traci is certified as a Family Law Specialist by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. She graduated from Santa Clara University in 2000 and was admitted to the bar in December of that year. During her tenure at Santa Clara, she was the Sr. Technical Editor of the Computer Technology Law Journal and received a Certificate of Excellence in Legal Research and Writing. After graduation, Traci was recruited by a top corporate law firm. She worked at Gray Cary (now DLA Piper) from 2000 - 2002 as a securities and corporate transactional attorney. She was involved in...

For over 8 years Mrs. Bansmer has been practicing law and providing legal services in the areas of Divorce and Family Law. She has a degree in economics and psychology from the University of California-Davis. She received her Juris Doctor from the University of Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. She founded Bansmer Law with the strong conviction that clients deserve practical advice with sound legal counsel. At Bansmer Law, compassionate and aggressive legal representation is implemented to produce winning results.

Alexander R. Ginzburg is an experienced Family Law, Elder Law, Probate and Estate Planning Attorney at Ginzburg & Bronshteyn, APC. His practice areas include Trust Litigation, Conservatorships, Divorces & Annulments, Asset division, High profile and high net worth matters, Spousal & Child Support, Child Custody, Prenuptial Agreements and Pre-divorce financial planning. Mr. Ginzburg guides clients through the legal process with an individualized plan of action and quality legal representation. He is dedicated to providing intelligent, aggressive, compassionate and affordable advocacy focused on achieving the best possible results. In 1986, Mr. Ginzburg obtained a B.S. Degree in Electrical Engineering from the University...

Gillett Law has served clients throughout California for over a decade.  Mr. Gillett and his staff understand that any legal issue, whether it be a family issue, a problem at school, a brush with the law or a chance to grow your business, can be a difficult time in one’s life.  That is why the firm takes every effort to understand who you are, where you are coming from and what actions need to be taken to serve your interest.   Mr. Gillett has a broad caseload and resume to match.  Throughout his practice he has been committed to...

Vincent Gorski practices in the areas of bankruptcy, family law, and business law. He is a certified bankruptcy specialist by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. He handles routine and complex bankruptcy, family law/divorce, and business matters. He serves as a Chapter 7 bankruptcy trustee for the Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of California.

For all your criminal, DUI and white collar crime needs, call B. Scott Winkler, The Shafter Lawyer!
661-746-0235

Born and raised in Bakersfield, CA. I studied Finance and Political Science @ CSUF & CSUB, receiving a degree in both fields. I attended law school at California Pacific School of Law. I have been practicing Criminal Law for 17 years, with offices in Bakersfield & Shafter CA. Specializing in Criminal Law, DUI trials, Family Law and Personal Injury. I am blessed to call Bakersfield my home, and coming from a hard working family where money was only necessary to pay bills, I...

At Richard Ross Associates, it is our goal to aggressively protect the rights of our clients while maintaining a friendly, approachable attitude. With more than 30 years of legal experience, You can trust Richard Ross to fight for your best interests. Attorney Ross received his Bachelor of Science degree from the University of California at Los Angeles and his Juris Doctorate at San Fernando Valley College of Law. He is a member of the State Bar of California. This exceptional Westlake Village divorce lawyer provides quality, professional legal representation to clients in the Thousand Oaks area.

Rozanna M. Velen is a co-founder of The Law Offices of Korol and Velen. She is an attorney licensed to practice before all of the Courts of the State of California, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and the United States District Court for the Central District of California. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from University of California at Los Angeles in 1988 and her Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School in 1992. Ms. Velen is a member of the California State Bar Association, Los Angeles County Bar Association, and...

Sahar Maknouni is an enthusiastic attorney specializing in family law, committed to zealously representing her clients. With unwavering dedication, Sahar passionately advocates for her clients, understanding the emotional complexities inherent in family legal disputes. She is wholeheartedly devoted to guiding her clients through the legal process, making sure it's as stress-free as possible. Her approach is rooted in putting her clients at the center, striving for results by employing meticulous analysis and strategic expertise in every intricate legal case to achieve the most favorable outcomes. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Law with a minor in Management at California...

Andrew Marcellino is a seasoned lawyer who has represented many clients throughout Santa Clara County in the trial and mediation process. He fights for his clients in the courtroom, but emphasizes negotiation and mediation as alternatives whenever possible. He does this to save his clients time, money and emotional stress, and to help them retain control over their legal results.

We assist family law clients in matters of domestic violence, divorce, custody and visitation, child support, restraining orders, property division, modifications of court orders, paternity matters, and other issues related to family law. We also provide experienced representation in criminal...

Gina Azzolino is a Partner at MTSA and a Certified Family Law Specialist with the State Bar of California. She has practiced family law exclusively since 2005.

Ms. Azzolino has significant experience in all areas of family law, including child custody and visitation, child support (including high-earner disputes), spousal support, domestic violence and restraining orders, date of separation disputes, breach of fiduciary duty claims, set-aside of premarital agreements, property division, reimbursement claims, business valuations and other complex financial issues. Ms. Azzolino works closely and regularly with forensic accountants on complicated financial issues as well as with mental health professionals...

Lorilee DeSantis is an attorney whose passion for helping families protect their loved ones and their assets shines through to all who work with her. Lorilee’s clients often comment that her ability to deeply listen and understand their concerns makes it very easy for them to talk to her about difficult subjects. Her clients also appreciate that Lorilee explains complex legal concepts in ways that are easy to digest so that clients fully understand their legal options. Lorilee’s dedication to helping people with family-oriented legal issues stems from personal experiences. When Lorilee was growing up, she saw...

Nancy M. Martinez is a California native. She grew up in Los Angeles and moved to the San Francisco Bay Area to attend college. Nancy is a native Spanish speaker. In her spare time, Nancy enjoys photography, traveling, cooking, and spending time with her family.

Ms. Martinez attended the University of California-Berkeley where she earned a bachelor’s degree in U.S. History. After Cal, Ms. Martinez worked as a paralegal for several years in the areas of business litigation, antitrust, class-actions, and intellectual property.

Ms. Martinez attended the University of San Francisco, School of Law where she earned a Certificate of Concentration...

Indy Colbath is a licensed California attorney who has focused the entirety of her legal career on family law issues, including: divorce, annulment, child custody, child support, spousal support, property division, and domestic violence restraining orders. Indy has a breadth of courtroom experience she relies upon when assessing her clients’ family law matters, as well as strong relationships with the local legal community and bench. Indy has effectively represented her clients in an array of complex family law litigation, many of which involving high net worth individuals. Even though Indy has a passion for courtroom advocacy, she understands that every...