Top Family Lawyers Near Me in LOS ANGELES Area

Working with me is your opportunity to learn what many individuals have come to believe.. Born to immigrant parents, I'm a native of LA County and I understand what it's like to be American and I can understand what it's like to be different.. My goal is to provide exceptional service with an eye to providing access to justice for everyone.  I strive to provide my clients with not just an excellent advocate but, also, a dependable friend.

We are a Los Angeles boutique law firm that focuses its attention on the areas of landlord/tenant law and family law. We have successfully helped thousands of clients during difficult times and we can help you too.. When you retain our services you can be sure that we will give you the personal attention that you deserve. Let us bring you our breadth of experience when you are in need of legal services.. We strive to make our services affordable to clients of every economic means. We sincerely believe that quality legal help should be available to all. If you have a legal problem, do not hesitate to contact us to take advantage of our payment plans that will give you immediate legal help at an affordable rate.. At the moment our relationship begins, we will find out what is important to YOU, whether legally or personally, and devise a course of action to meet those goals and will fight hard to represent you with a plan that serves YOUR best interests.. If you have legal problems outside of our expertise you can still call us. We can refer you to other competent attorneys who may be able to help you.

Taylor B. Wallin is a Certified Family Law Specialist with over 15 years of experience. Taylor is a skilled litigator equipped with the legal sophistication necessary to handle issues ranging from international child custody disputes to complex financial matters, including jointly owned businesses. Taylor is a keen negotiator and strategist, constantly working towards a fair settlement whenever possible. However, if settlement is not reached within a reasonable time frame, Taylor employs a well-designed strategy to bring the case to trial. During Trial, Taylor clearly articulates the client’s story to the Judge with passion and an organized presentation of testimony and evidence.. Taylor’s practice encompasses a diverse range of complicated family law issues. She has extensive experience litigating high conflict child custody matters and has prevailed for both mothers and fathers in interstate and international child custody relocation cases. In cases involving complex financial matters, Taylor works effectively with forensic accountants and expert witnesses, recovering hundreds of thousands of dollars on behalf of her clients. She regularly handles cases involving the establishment or modification of child or spousal support, same sex marriages, obtaining and defending domestic violence restraining orders, contempt trials, dividing royalties for BMI/ASCAP, Hague proceedings, and jointly owned businesses in a cost-efficient manner.. Taylor’s calm, collected manner in the courtroom, and her exceptional knowledge of the law provides her clients with confidence during what can be one of the most difficult times in their lives. She is known for her professionalism and is dedicated to ensuring her clients are informed and understand the strategy for their case throughout their time working together.

Suzy S. Marjanian is an attorney at KMFM, where she practices in the areas of family law and personal injury.. Ms. Marjanian majored in Political Science with an emphasis in Law and Society at California State University Northridge with a Bachelor of Arts degree. Ms. Marjanian earned her Juris Doctorate from the University of West Los Angeles School of Law where she graduated magna cum laude and was the speaking Salutatorian of the graduating class.. During law school, Ms. Marjanian worked at a family law firm assisting several busy lawyers.  Ms. Marjanian received 12 Witkin Awards for Academic Excellence while in law school.   Ms. Marjanian was also a student mentor assisting students with substantive law courses and a Legal Writing Teaching Assistant.  Currently, Ms. Marjanian is also a Professor at the University of West Los Angeles, School of Law where she teaches Legal Writing.. Ms Marjanian was admitted to practice law in 2016 in the State of California. Ms. Marjanian is also an active member of the San Fernando Valley Bar Association, Los Angeles County Bar Association, California Young Lawyers Association and the Armenian Bar Association.

Steven A. Mindel, a Certified Family Law Specialist* since 1998, is the Managing Partner of the 16 attorney Los Angeles based law firm Feinberg, Mindel, Brandt & Klein, LLP, and heads the firm's Business Transactions Department. Mr. Mindel’s practice focuses on pre and post marital agreements, complex child custody disputes, business valuations and support determination.. Mr. Mindel is a member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association Family Law Section, and is the Chair of the State and Local Bar Liaison Executive Committee. He is also a member of the Beverly Hills Bar Association Family Law Section.   Mr. Mindel was appointed and served a two year term on the California State Bar Family Law Section Executive Committee ("FLEXCOM".) He also served as an Advisor to FLEXCOM for four additional years.. Mr. Mindel previously served on the Governing Board of Directors of Los Angeles Free Clinic where he received two special recognition awards for his volunteerism. And also serves on the Levitt & Quinn Family Law Center Advisory Council. He is a lifetime member of the UCLA Alumni Association.. Mr. Mindel was named to the Super Lawyers list from 2004 through 2012, and was named one of Southern California's Top 100 lawyers from 2007 through 2012. Mr. Mindel was featured on the cover of the Super Lawyers insert in the 2009 issue of Los Angeles Magazine, as well as in an article titled, "The Man Who Would De-Fang Divorce," in the 2009 Super Lawyers Magazine.  He has an AV rating with Martindale-Hubbell.. * Certified Family Law Specialist - State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization

Stephen Chen is a Certified Family Law Specialist ("CFLS"), has been selected as a top rated Family Law attorney in Los Angeles, California and is a Super Lawyers Rising Star for 2018 through 2023.  Furthermore, Stephen was recognized as a top 100 Super Lawyers Rising Star across all areas of law for 2021 through 2023. Additionally, Stephen was selected as a Super Lawyer for 2024 and 2025.. During his time practicing Family Law, Stephen's primary goal has always been to achieve the best possible results for his clients while also being as cost efficient as possible in his approach.. Stephen graduated from Loyola Law School, where he found his passion for Family Law.  Prior to law school, Stephen attended the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) where he graduated with a B.A. in Political Science.

Stacy Feinberg is the head of the family law department at Cypress, LLP where she represents clients engaged in high-stakes divorce proceedings involving complex property issues and/or custody disputes.  Stacy brings nearly a decade of sophisticated family law experience to the firm in the areas of asset division, spousal support, same sex divorce and child custody matters, parenting issues and post judgment modification.  She offers mediation services, working with both spouses to help them through the dissolution process and find common ground for settlement.  Stacy also practices in the area of pre-nuptial, post-nuptial, and cohabitation agreements. Stacy works with each client to hand-craft an agreement, making sure they understand the agreement and how it impacts their rights under California law.. Prior to joining Cypress, Stacy practiced family law at Oates, Knezevitch, Gardenswartz & Kelly PC, a prominent Aspen, Colorado law firm where she handled divorce litigation involving division of assets of high net worth individuals, complex business valuations, drug and alcohol related custody concerns and child support/spousal support contempt issues. Before that, Stacy was an associate at the Los Angeles law firm Christensen, Glaser, et. al., where she practiced business litigation.. Stacy is a member of the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles. She received her J.D. in 2003 from UCLA School of Law and her undergraduate degree in 2000 from the University of Pennsylvania where she graduated with honors. She is licensed to practice in both California and Colorado. For 2013, Stacy was recognized by Super Lawyers as a Rising Star for Family Law.. Stacy lives with her husband and family in the Venice neighborhood of Los Angeles.  She is originally from Philadelphia.

Selected as "Super Lawyer" 2008-2019 with 42 Years of Experience. Top-Rated Criminal Defense Attorney. Former LA Prosecutor. Client's Choice Winner 2014. Recipient, American Jurisprudence Award. Rated AV by Martindale-Hubbel.. Phil Israels was born in 1948 and raised in California’s Central Valley where he still has family. After graduating from the University of California at Berkeley where he was a member for Zeta Beta Tau fraternity and studied Economics, he continued his education at the University of San Francisco, School of Law where he received the prestigious American Jurisprudence Award.. Upon graduation in 1975 and passing the bar in his first attempt, he was hired by the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office, where he worked for almost four years as a prosecutor gaining extensive trial experience. Since 1979, he has been a criminal defense attorney. He sees his role as the protector of the accused. However, his prosecutorial experience has helped him understand the mindset of his adversaries both in the trial court and in negotiations.. Although he has much trial experience his background, skills, and contacts has often allowed him to obtain favorable results without the extra expense associated with trial. As a defense attorney, he has successfully handled cases ranging from accusations of driving under the influence, murder, sexual misconduct, domestic violence, and complicated white collar cases. As a prosecutor, he worked in all of the branch offices including West Los Angeles, Van Nuys, San Fernando, San Pedro and downtown (Criminal Courts Building, Bauchet Street and Metro). As a defense attorney, he has practiced in all the major courts in Southern California and has successfully defended clients in the Los Angeles Criminal Courts Building, Metro, Van Nuys, San Fernando, Torrance, Pomona, Ventura, Airport Court, and Citrus, among other courthouses.. When requested he has traveled across the country to represent his clients. As a defense counsel, he has also gained extensive experience in the Juvenile Courts including Sylmar, Inglewood, Los Padrinos, and Easklake. He is a Board Certified Specialist in the field of Criminal Law, a designation which puts him among approximately one percent of those attorneys who refer to themselves as criminal lawyers in the State of California.. Mr. Israels has been named “Super Lawyer” by the Los Angeles Magazine, an honor which he has received several times. He is often referred cases by Judges, other attorneys, prosecutors and previous clients. In 2008 he was joined in his practice by his nephew, Sam Israels, also a former prosecutor with extensive trial experience and many contacts in the criminal courts. His clients appreciate the team approach and are happy to know that they can rely both on Phil and Sam when the need arises. In his spare time he enjoys sports including skiing, swimming and softball.

Sally was born in New York’s South Bronx and is of Puerto Rican descent. Ms. Castellanos was later raised in West Nyack, New York, a Hudson River community just north of New York City. Sally has a passion for movies and all things Disney, as her father was an over 40 year employee for the Walt Disney Company.. Ms Castellanos attended New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts to study Film and Television Production. Upon graduating from New York University, Ms Castellanos began her career working in the entertainment industry and held a number of positions with companies such as Home Box Office, Inc., Warner Bros. Feature Animation, DMX Music, and John Blair Entertainment.. Sally later pursued her law degree at Suffolk University School of Law in Boston, Massachusetts. After relocating to Los Angeles, she completed her law degree at Pepperdine University School of Law in Malibu and obtained her Juris Doctor Degree in 1997.. After graduating from law school, Sally continued a career in entertainment working in the legal affairs division of Twentieth Century Fox Television and DMX Music, Inc. She also held a number of production office intern positions and was a script reader with production companies such as Robert Redford’s Wildwood Enterprises and Wendy Finerman Productions.. In 2000, Ms Castellanos joined Castellanos & Associates, APLC, alongside her husband and managing partner, Edwin J. Castellanos. Sally is a named shareholder in the law firm of Castellanos & Associates, APLC. Sally actively manages all aspects of the firm’s on-line marketing and web presence. In addition, as a result of her own experience with infertility, after the birth of her two daughters Ms. Castellanos began turning her focus in law practice to adoption and family formation law.. Today, Sally practices almost exclusively in the area of adoption, stepparent adoption, independent adoption, and adult adoption. While she devotes much of her time to raising two young daughters, she brings a unique and deeply personal perspective to our firm. Sally understands the unique challenges faced by those families exploring the process of adoption and other family building options and she limits her practice so she can provide couples the respect and attention they deserve while dealing with sensitive family formation issues.. Sally has also performed pro bono work through Public Counsel’s Adoption Project. Currently, Ms. Castellanos focuses her practice to help families dealing with infertility challenges by giving them the support and respect they need on their journey towards building a family.. Sally Castellanos practices exclusively in the area of adoption and family formation law and will meet with prospective adoptive parents by appointment. Weekend appointments may be arranged in advance. Ms. Castellanos is a member of RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association and the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.. If you need assistance with a divorce, child custody or another family law concern, contact a divorce and family law attorney from our office today to schedule your free initial consultation.

Ruth Dayan Eget, Esq. is a tireless advocate for her clients and their families. She has extensive experience in the family law field and provides comprehensive strategies to resolve all family law matters including: dissolution, characterization and division of assets, spousal support, child support, child custody, paternity matters, domestic violence, pre- and post-nuptial agreements. Her ability to assess and anticipate various scenarios allows her to devise specific and imaginative strategies to help clients reach their goals, protect their rights, and avoid future litigation. Ruth is known for her empathetic yet firm approach to what are often tumultuous times in her clients’ lives.

Roslyn Soudry is a distinguished matrimonial and family law attorney in Offit Kurman's Los Angeles office, with decades of experience representing high-profile individuals, including celebrities, professional athletes, business leaders, and other high-net-worth clients. Known for her sharp legal insight, creative problem-solving, and unwavering discretion, Roslyn has earned a reputation as a trusted advisor in handling the most complex and sensitive family law matters.. Her practice spans all aspects of family law, including paternity, child custody, dissolution of marriages and domestic partnerships, prenuptial and post-marital agreements, and post-judgment issues. Equally skilled in litigation and negotiation, Roslyn tailors her approach to each client's needs, whether advocating in court or facilitating discreet resolutions behind the scenes. Her skill in managing high-profile, contentious disputes has made her a sought-after attorney for individuals in the public eye, particularly in cases that attract media attention. Roslyn's representation in high-profile cases has included interviews with major outlets such as The Today Show, People Magazine, The Daily Journal, and USA Today.. Deeply committed to her clients, Roslyn ensures they feel heard and supported throughout the legal process. She understands the unique challenges faced by individuals with public profiles and prioritizes protecting their privacy while securing the best outcomes for their families. Beyond legal strategy, Roslyn emphasizes compassion and understanding, recognizing the deep emotional stakes involved in family law matters. Her goal is not just to resolve disputes but to help clients navigate challenging transitions with dignity and care. This empathetic approach has earned her the trust of clients, leading to strong, long-lasting relationships, with many returning to her for counsel on post-judgment matters.. Roslyn also works extensively with international clients, leveraging her fluency in French to assist individuals navigating cross-border family law issues. Her ability to communicate in French has allowed her to serve a diverse, global clientele, addressing the complex legal challenges faced by international families in high-stakes custody disputes, divorce settlements, and asset divisions.. A leader in her field, Roslyn founded and served as president of the Southern California Family Law Inn of Court, where she has mentored young lawyers and fostered collaboration among legal professionals. She is also deeply involved in bar associations, including leadership roles within the Los Angeles County Bar Association's Family Law Section and active participation in key committees such as the Legislative Committee and the Task Force on Child Custody Evaluations.. In addition to her work with the Los Angeles County Bar Association, Roslyn has played key roles within the Beverly Hills Bar Association, where she has chaired major committees and organized flagship events. Her leadership and dedication to the legal field have earned her multiple awards, reflecting her lasting impact on the family law community.

Robert Eisfelder has practiced law for over thirty years. He specializes in Family law matters of all sorts, including dissolution and division of major property, spousal support, child support and custody disputes and pre/post nuptial contractual issues for estates of significant value. He is well respected within the legal community and known for his tenacity and strength in litigation and trial. While his firm is boutique in size he serves as "Of Counsel" to Stanley K. Jacobs and they share office resources, staff and consult on tactics and strategy, having been colleagues for many years.. Mr. Eisfelder's practice is on the cutting edge of his field. He is frequently called upon for trial of cases when matters are incapable of settlement or when issues arise for which there is no precedent. Mr. Eisfelder is dedicated to achieving his client's objectives with the understanding that every case is unique. Whether he is analyzing complex financial or contentious custodial issues, devising strategies to move a case to a favorable resolution or preparing a case for a full blown trial, Mr. Eisfelder delivers legal and professional services expeditiously with focus on real-world solutions for the best of his clients.. Mr. Eisfelder maintains a "boutique" firm structure specifically designed to maximize personal care and attention for each and every one of his clients. Once he agrees to accept a case for representation Mr. Eisfelder, along with his long time staff handle ever aspect of a case until it is resolved. Moreover, because of the size of the firm, you can always reach Mr. Eisfelder or his representative, to determine the exact status of your case.

Robert de la Madrid, Esq. has been a member of the State Bar of California since December 1996. After being admitted by the Supreme Court of California to practice in the Federal District Courts of the Central District of California in 1997, he handles cases in the areas of Immigration, Criminal Defense and Family Law.. He received his Juris Doctor degree from the University of San Diego of Law in June 1996 and his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1992 from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. He is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association and the Los Angeles County Bar Association, where he is also a member of the Immigration Law Section.

Prior to forming Lavinsky Law, Alexandra Lavinsky was a litigator at the Law Offices of Ronald A. Litz (2007- 2012, 2003-2005) a general civil litigation firm with an emphasis on Family Law. As an associate, she was involved in all aspects of the practice and had the advantage of working directly with Mr. Litz, a pillar in the Southern California family law community. Prior to that, she practiced law as a defense attorney at the law firm of Ford, Walker, Haggerty and Behar (2005-2007) where she handled cases from the pre-litigation stages through trial, arbitration, and mediation and learned how insurance companies evaluate and analyze cases for settlement or trial.. Alexandra Lavinsky’s strong litigation background, knowledge, and understanding of the law enables her to successfully handle all family law situations from high asset property division to complex child custody matters. She has both the experience and competency to tell you where you stand and the likely outcome of your legal dispute. She is known in the legal community as a fighter who protects her clients’ rights and works tirelessly on behalf of her clients. She prides herself on the quality of her work and the personal service she provides to each and every client. She empowers her clients through knowledge so that they too understand the legal process in which they are or may become involved. Through this understanding, the client can have meaningful input in determining the best course of action for her/his particular case.

People are more budget-conscious than ever. A current trend in the legal market is a demand for low cost and unbundled legal services.. Thomas Sands takes prides itself on providing a large firm experience for our clients while providing affordable legal services found in smaller law firms. This combination allows for effective strong legal services while not putting the client in a position to choose whether or not the legal services will put them in a life or death financial situation.. A client should never have to choose between paying for a lawyer and having their day in court.

Over five decades and in a confidential setting, co-founding partner Daniel Jaffe has established himself as the sought-after attorney for high-profile celebrity and professional clients and their spouses with the most sensitive and complicated family law matters. His experience and success in and out of the courtroom have earned him the well-placed trust of many well known clients who seek his advice and skills when making critical, emotional and financial transitions in their lives. Dan combines a deep familiarity of the law with an innovative and discreet approach to achieve positive outcomes for his clients.. Dan’s talents have been recognized by satisfied clients as well as by his peers in the legal community who frequently ask him to speak or write educational pieces on family law topics. He has recently been a guest speaker for the California CPA Foundation on Cross Over Issues in Estate Planning and Family Law. He has spoken on and has also recently been published in the Los Angeles Daily Journal on foreign tax issues. Likewise, the State Bar of California has certified him as a specialist in family law and he has been recognized for legal excellence in the field of family law by a variety of authorities, including the California State Bar Journal, Town and Country Magazine, and the Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers.. In addition, the American College of Family Trial Lawyers, an organization limited to the top 100 divorce lawyers in the U.S., has named him a Diplomate, which is one of the industry’s most distinguished honors.. He is also a member of the International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. The Best Lawyers in America named Dan the ‘Best Family Law Lawyer of the Year’ in 2009. He was named ‘Family Lawyer of the Year’ for 2014 by the Southern California Chapter of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers.

Our firm has over 30 years experience representing men and women in litigated and mediated family law matters including divorce, paternity, and child custody. Telephone consultations available.

Omid Nosrati dedicates his practice to helping clients work in an environment that is free of discrimination and harassment and to seek justice when their rights have been violated. To see client reviews of Omid Nosrati, please visit under the Client Testimonials page.

Nigel is the Principal Attorney at The Law Offices of Nigel Burns, which he founded in in 2005. Nigel has over 15 years’ experience as an attorney and graduated from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles. Nigel is a zealous and conscientious advocate who puts his clients first always. Besides Nigel's dedication to his law practice, Mr. Burns is a loving husband and proud father of five beautiful children. Nigel, originally from Ireland enjoys spending time with his famliy, coaching his son's basketball team, watching boxing and representing boxers and reading History.. Nigel is also part owner of a Social Bar and Kitchen in Montrose, Ca.

My practice is devoted to assisting families and individual family members.  My priority is to guide clients through the trauma of family law matters and when possible de-escalate the variety of issues involved in any divorce or custody matter.  When the other party, however, is not willing to resolve matters reasonably, no one will advocate more.

My goal as an attorney is to help people with their legal matters so that they can focus on their life, work and family.  Divorce is especially difficult becuause it is so personal and touches a person at their core.  I focus on acheiving my client's legal goals through cooperation and mediation rather than litigation.  Keeping your matter out of court saves you time, money and, most importantly, heart ache.. I am a graduate of UCSB, where I majored in Religious Studies and Linguistics and Concord Law School, where I earned my J.D.  I am a wife and mother of 3 and I understand that nothing is more important than family.  I always keep that at the forefront of my mind.

Ms. Terry has been in private practice her entire legal career. She is committed to being accessible to her clients and providing them with comprehensive legal representation that they can trust. Ms. Terry is admitted to practice law before the United States Supreme Court, the California Supreme Court and the Central District of California.. Ms. Terry received her Bachelor’s of Arts Degree in Political Science from California State University, Long Beach, and received her Juris Doctorate degree from the University of LaVerne, College of Law. While attending ULV College of Law, Ms. Terry was a finalist in the ULV Appellate Advocacy Moot Court Competition, a semi-finalist in the ULV Honors Moot Court Competition and she is the 2000-2001 Western Region Champion of the nationally renowned Frederick Douglas Moot Court Competition. Ms. Terry served as President of the LaVerne chapter of the National Black Law Students Association during the 2000-2001 academic year.. She is a Past President of the Black Women Lawyers Association of Los Angeles, Inc., and is actively involved in other professional organizations. In her leisure time, Ms. Terry enjoys yoga, walking, spending time with her beloved mother, family and friends.

Ms. Lu received her law degree in 2010 from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles, where she was a Sayre Macneil Scholar, elected to the Order of the Coif, and served as the Senior Technical Editor of the Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review.

Ms. Bennett has practiced law in California for nearly 40 years and has been a Certified Family Law Specialist for 30 years. She has a close familiarity with all family law issues, including complex issues. She is an aggressive, experienced trial attorney and is widely known throughout the Los Angeles metropolitan area. Ms. Bennett is a member of the Executive Committee of the Family Law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association, and frequently lectures at Continuing Legal Education courses, seminars, conferences, and symposia on a range of family law issues, particularly as they relate to domestic partners and the rights of LGBT parents and families. Ms. Bennett has published numerous papers, practice guide chapters, and articles for a variety of publications and publishers. Most recently, she co-authored two practice guide chapters with the managing partner of the firm, Jeffrey W. Erdman, on the advantages and disadvantages of formal registration with the state of California as domestic partners, and on the availability of and procedures for obtaining protective orders with regard to discovery and exchange of financial information in family law matters. She is also the author of a series of articles entitled "Separate Is Not Equal: Dissolution and Domestic Partners," for The Witness Chair, a quarterly publication of the Litigation Section of the California Society of Certified Public Accountants.

Ms. Allred is an attorney and partner with Allred, Maroko & Goldberg. She has been practicing law for over Forty years.. Her law firm, Allred, Maroko & Goldberg, handles cases involving employment discrimination including sex, race, and physical handicap discrimination, sexual harassment, and wrongful termination; family law including divorce and custody disputes; and civil rights and civil litigation.. She has won countless honors for pioneering legal work on behalf of women's rights and rights for minorities discriminated against because of gender, race, age, sexual orientation, or physical condition.. An active feminist, Ms. Allred founded and is currently serving as president of the Women's Equal Rights Legal Defense and Education Fund (WERLDEF). Ms. Allred was a talk show host on KABC TalkRadio in Los Angeles for 14 years and is a columnist for the legal newspaper The Daily Journal. Recently USA Today selected her as one of the twenty-five most important radio talk show hosts in America. She has thrice been nominated for an Emmy for her television commentaries on KABC-TV.. Articles by or about Ms. Allred have appeared in publications such as Time Magazine, the New York Times, Ms. Magazine, The American Lawyer, the Daily News, the Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times, the Herald Examiner and the London Times . In July 1990 Los Angeles Magazine named her "one of the 30 Most Powerful People in Los Angeles" and in 1994 "One of the 50 Most Interesting People in Los Angeles." Time Magazine called her "one of the nation's most effective advocates of family rights and feminist causes.". In 1985 Ms. Allred received the President's Award from the National Association of Women Lawyers. In 1986 she was honored with a commendation by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors for her "exceptional record of achievement." She also received a commendation from Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley "for her many outstanding contributions to the justice system.". In June 1986, at a White House luncheon, President Ronald Reagan presented her with the "1986 President's Volunteer Action Award" for outstanding volunteerism in response to her development of an innovative child support amnesty program in California.. Ms. Allred is also the only individual in the nation to win the "1986 Public Service Award" from the National Association of Federal Investigators and she was voted one of 1987's "Best Lawyers in America" by the attorneys who had won that honor in 1986. She was honored again by her peers in 1991, named one of the best lawyers in America.. Every year since 2004 she has be named a Southern California "SuperLawyer" by Law & Politics and Los Angeles Magazine.  In addition, she has been recognized by LawDragon magazine as one of the top 500 plaintiff's lawyers in America.. Ms. Allred was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and earned her BA with honors in English from the University of Pennsylvania. She earned her MA from New York University and her JD cum laude from Loyola University Law. She was also awarded an Honorary JD from the University of West Los Angeles School of Law. In addition to her work as an attorney, Ms. Allred has held California life credentials in secondary school education and supervision. She taught in public schools for six-and-one-half years and was a lecturer at the University of Southern California for several years.. Ms. Allred has two grandchildren, Sarah and Sam, and her daughter Lisa is an attorney who anchors a daily show on Court TV