Top Family Lawyers in ZIP 91301 | 4 available

Originally from New York, I moved to California in 1983.  After finishing High School in Woodland Hills, I attended California State University, Fullerton, where I obtained a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice with a minor in Sociology.  Thereafter, I obtained my J.D. from University of La Verne, College of Law, and have been in practice ever since.. I started my legal career working for others, until opening my own firm.  Now, the primary focus of my practice is all aspects of Family Law, from nuts to bolts.  In addition, I serve as the family law mediator for the Superior Court of the County of Los Angeles, in the Van Nuys, San Fernando and Pasadena Branch courts.. It is my goal to acheive the best possible results for my clients and in the process, assuring that the children are not used as "pawns", or bargaining chips to accomplish a goal or agenda of either party.

Ms. Gardner-Pawlak has been practicing family law for twenty-five years and has extensive trial experience in all aspects of family law matters including, child custody and visitation, child support, spousal support, division of property, premarital agreements, and domestic violence restraining orders. Melanie is extremely adept at strategizing and litigating matters involving complex compensation, including business ownership and valuation, as well as highly contested child custody disputes for both divorce and paternity matters.. In 2024, Ms. Gardner-Pawlak was selected to the Southern California Super Lawyers list, her primary practice area is Family Law. Each year, no more than five percent of the lawyers in the state are selected by the research team at Super Lawyers to receive this honor. Super Lawyers, part of Thomson Reuters, is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The annual selections are made using a patented multiphase process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, an independent research evaluation of candidates and peer reviews by practice area.. At The Reape-Rickett Law Firm, our mission is to provide family law legal services that are second to none. We conduct ourselves in accordance with the highest ethical standards and are committed to providing quality services. Each firm member takes special care to understand the unique and individual concerns of our clients. Our team approach to each case ensures efficient and timely responses to simple or complex issues. We empower our clients with knowledge and information, enabling them to make reasoned and results-oriented decisions.

Alan Shifman is California's only Certified Family Law Specialist, Certified Public Accountant and Registered Investment Advisor which enables him to handle complex financial issues other family law attorneys may not understand.