Top Best Family Lawyers | 17785 Available

Attorney Fernando M. Luna was born and raised in Santa Monica, California.  He graduated from the University of West Los Angeles the first in his class and is currently the founding attorney at the Law Office of Fernando M. Luna in Pasadena.  In addition to running his private practice, he volunteers his work for domestic violence projects in Los Angeles and is passionate about helping his community.

I have been a Trial Attorney for more than 22 years focusing my practice on personal injury, family law and criminal defense.  I pride myself on getting to know my clients and their needs.  I am a strong advocate for my clients and believe in keeping them informed at every stage of their case.  I was born and raised in the Modesto area and am familiar with the common issues of our community and its people.  I am here to help you through the legal process.. Admissions:

Lauren B. Franzella is an associate attorney in the Modesto office of Borton Petrini, LLP.  Lauren received her undergraduate degree from California State University, Fresno in 2006 with a Bachelor of Science Degree in agricultural economics.  She received her Juris Doctorate from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law in 2010, graduating with distinction and a concentration in criminal justice.. Lauren practices family law in Stanislaus County, San Joaquin County, Alameda County and Contra Costa County.  She represents clients in all aspects of family law including dissolution, child custody, child support, spousal support, property division and domestic violence restraining orders.  Having spent time prior to law school teaching elementary and high school students, Lauren brings a unique outlook to matters involving children.. Lauren is married to Michael and they have twins, a boy and a girl.  Lauren and Mike are avid San Francisco Giants fans and escape to San Francisco every chance they get.

We have provided exceptional service to our clients since 2000. Diane M. Hartog has provided services in traditional litigation and the collaborative approach to divorce and family law matters.  Ms. Hartog has been practicing law in San Bernardino County for 20 years, and has one of the best reputations in Southern California.. Ms. Hartog is knowledgeable and friendly and strives to provide superb legal services to her clientele.. Located in Rancho Cucamonga, attorney Hartog appears in court in San Bernardino Central, Victorville, Riverside, Hemet, Pomona and other courts in Los Angeles County.

I have been practicing family law since 1997. I am a member of the American Bar Association, the California Bar Association, and the Sonoma County Bar Association. Prior to commencing practice in Sonoma County, I worked with the Marin Family Law Center assisting clients in need of family law services who had limited incomes.. Currently, I serve as a volunteer panelist for the Sonoma County Courts and conduct Settlement Conferences for contested Family Law matters. I have served as President and Director of Sonoma County Women in Law and was a member of the Sonoma County Family Law Best Practices Committee.. In addition to training in collaborative law and completing the San Francisco Bar Mediation training, I have been appointed by the Sonoma County Superior Court to serve as a private judge yielding another perspective to any family law matter.. I have skillfully litigated hundreds of cases and, in addition to providing legal services in the courtroom, I provide inspired mediation services to assist families in settling their own disputes with expertise, respect and compassion.

Elizabeth Yang is the President and Founder of Yang Law Offices. She has been practicing law since 2007 and specializes in Intellectual Property Law, including Patents (Applications & Litigation), Copyrights (Applications & Litigation) and Trademarks (Applications & Litigation).  Ms. Yang also specializes in Traffic Citations, Family Law (Child custody & Child Support) & is a certified Mediator. Her IP practice is primarily focused on Intellectual Property litigation at the Federal District and before the United States Patent and Trademark Office. Ms. Yang’s practice also includes complex business litigation, patent prosecution and trademark prosecution.  Prior to founding Yang Law Offices, Ms. Yang practiced law at Howrey LLP and Novak Druce Connolly Bove & Quigg LLP, both large international Intellectual Property law firms where her practice primarily focused on a variety of technologies, including electronics, hardware, software, variable data printers, fingerprinting sensors, data packet processing, network security systems, microprocessors, and automated telephonic systems along with IP Litigation.  Ms. Yang is also experienced in drafting patent validity opinion letters, requests for reexamination, intellectual property licensing agreements and trademark consent agreements.. Elizabeth has extensive experience dealing with issues involving child custody, child support, alimony, asset division, pre-nuptial agreements and post-nuptial agreements. Being a mother of two young children , she understands and can relate to clients who are also undergoing emotional divorces. She has represented family law clients both efficiently and compassionately at various stages of litigation and trial. Elizabeth also earned her mediation certification in 2015 with the Los Angeles County Bar Association (LACBA) and has assisted many combative litigants in resolving their issues through mediation and alternate dispute resolution.. Prior to practicing law, Ms. Yang worked for Raytheon Company as an electrical engineer designing radar systems.  She has also interned at NASA – Jet Propulsion Lab, working as a team member on the main control unit of the Mars Exploration Rover.

As a dedicated family law Attorney, I work hard to ensure families in the Salt Lake Community are provided legal services they can rely on, in conjunction with emotional support and strong advocacy while navigating our ever-changing, and complex legal system.

I have been an attorney since 2010, starting in criminal law.  When I started doing domestic relations, family law, I found my true passion.  I enjoy helping people in transition to move on to brighter futures, and I especially love working for good parents.

Ashley advocates for outcomes that enable families to make the smoothest possible transition during an otherwise stressful time of life. She is committed to seeking peaceful resolutions while also zealously advocating for her clients. Whether her clients are going through a divorce, a child custody dispute, financial disputes, or any other family law matter, it is Ashley’s goal that each of her clients feels as though their issue is resolved with dignity.. While not all cases can be resolved outside of the courtroom, Ashley is an advocate for alternative methods of resolving disputes, when possible.  Ashley feels that alternatives to litigation, including mediation, arbitration, and collaborative law, provide great options for clients who desire a less adversarial and more timely resolution of their dispute.  When circumstances necessitate traditional litigation, however, Ashley is the strong and dedicated advocate that her clients need.

Since graduating from University of Wyoming, College of Law in 2011, Liz has been practicing law in Northeastern Colorado. Liz has represented clients in family law cases since 2011. Liz also has experience handling other types of matters that allow her to better represent her clients in their family law cases. These include the following areas of law: bankruptcy, criminal, and protection orders. Liz also focused on tax and water law while in law school, which allows her to better assist her clients with divorce matters that involve complex financial issues.. Liz is a member of the Weld County Bar Association and Colorado Bar Association. Liz is passionate about providing legal services to the less fortunate. She regularly volunteers at events and clinics aimed at providing free legal counsel for the community. She also serves as the president of the Weld County Legal Services Board.

Tabitha was born in San Diego, California and lived there until she was 12. She then moved to Billings, Montana where she received her Bachelors of Science in Human Service and a Associates in Chemical Dependency Rehabilitation from Montana State University, Billings. After graduating from college Tabitha went to work for the the Billings Family Drug Court treatment team, and was a case manager for the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families. Tabitha’s experience with the family drug court is what lead Tabitha to attend law school. She wanted the opportunity to help individuals on more of a personal level by working to resolve some of the legal issues they were facing.. While attending law school Tabitha was awarded the Certificate of Service for her Pro-Bono work. Tabitha has worked in several public offices in Maricopa County including the Maricopa County Public Defender’s Office, Arizona Attorney General’s Office, Arizona Department of Liquor.. Additionally, Tabitha has worked for several private law firms in the valley. Tabitha’s first job was at a high volume firm which focused primarily on criminal defense and family law. Subsequently, Tabitha worked for the Harding Firm and MyAZLawyers where she focused her practice on family law. Tabitha had the opportunity to work in the courtroom appearing at resolution management conferences, temporary order hearings, child support hearings, enforcement hearings and trials.. After working in private law firms, Tabitha had the opportunity to work as a Staff Attorney for the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community. While working for the Salt River Pima-Mariocpa Indian Community, Tabitha focused primarily on family law. Her practice included divorce, custody, establishment of paternity, parenting time, and child support. She also worked with step parents to complete severance of parental rights and adoptions. She also worked on complex Indian Child Welfare cases. Further, Tabitha worked with clients to resolve consumer credit issues and worked with insurance companies to resolve car accident payments. She had the opportunity to complete over a hundred cases while with the Salt River-Pima Maricopa Indian Community.. Tabitha is licensed by the Arizona Supreme Court and the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community Court.. In her spare time Tabitha enjoys volunteering in the community, attending Suns games, and taking her dogs to the dog park.

Every divorce, custody, or family dispute is challenging and emotional for the individuals involved. Through compassion and communication, Nicole’s personalized approach seeks to reduce her clients’ stress, while assisting in formulating her clients’ priorities and achieving her clients’ goals through settlement or litigation.. Nicole’s extensive experience as a family law gives her a unique and significant perspective that she applies to her practice, and to her work as a mediator and court-appointed parenting coordinator. Nicole believes in settlement as a potential vehicle to accomplish her clients’ goals. However, when negotiation and compromise are not viable, Nicole zealously protects and advocates for her clients in Court.. Even before becoming an attorney, Nicole’s strong desire to serve families and protect children was evident. Nicole worked as a case specialist for Child Protective Services (CPS) which is now the Department of Children’s Services (DCS) and for Sojourner Center (a domestic violence shelter) as an advocate.. Following a position managing the legal department of a local non-profit organization, Nicole practiced family law as an associate attorney and later a partner at three boutique family law firms in Phoenix  which handled complex divorce and custody cases. After working with Launi Jones-Sheldon for six years, Nicole and Launi continued their partnership and opened the law firm of Sheldon & Stoutner.. Nicole was honored to be appointed as a full-time judicial officer in the Maricopa County Superior Court in August of 2020 and served on the bench for a year before deciding to resume private practice. This experience, along with Nicole’s position as a divorce and paternity mediator for the Maricopa County Superior Court, provide her with valuable experience and insight about the workings of the court and judges’ decision-making processes.. Over the years, Nicole has received numerous awards and recognition related to her work as a family law attorney. She was invited to teach a course on family law as a an adjunct law professor at a local law school. On a regular basis, Nicole authors articles and presents Continuing Legal Education seminars through and for the Arizona State Bar, the Maricopa County Bar, the Arizona Chapter of the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts and the Arizona Supreme Court Committee on the Impact of Domestic Violence. Topics include family law trial techniques and advocacy, current case law, mental health issues in the family court, autism and the family court, serving minority clients, orders of protection, multi-jurisdictional custody and support issues, and cultural competency.. Nicole is appointed to serve as a judge pro tem for the Maricopa County Superior Court and conducts Alternative Dispute Resolution Conferences, as well as private mediations. She is a trained Parenting Coordinator and appears on the Maricopa County Superior Court Mental Health Roster.. In her spare time, Nicole enjoys reading, skiing, travel, sporting events, and most importantly spending time with her family.. Nicole speaks both Spanish and Italian.

JAMES R. SCHMILLEN, an Arizona native, obtained his Bachelor of Science degree, magna cum laude, from the University of Arizona in 1998, with a double major in Accounting and Finance.  While at the University of Arizona, Jim was named to the Dean’s List, was a member of the University of Arizona Honors Program, and served as a Teaching Assistant for multiple tax law courses.  He received his J.D. in 2001 from the Arizona State University College of Law, graduating cum laude.  During law school, Jim was a Pedrick Scholar, recipient of the CALI Award for Academic Excellence, and earned Honors in Legal Method and Writing.  Jim was also a Legal Method and Writing Teaching Assistant and a member of the Arizona State Law Journal.  Jim was honored with the Arizona State University College of Law Pro Bono Distinction for his service as President of the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program, assisting in the preparation of hundreds of tax returns for low income taxpayers.. Jim began practicing law at a complex commercial litigation law firm in 1998.   After three years in private practice, Jim took a position as in-house counsel and executive for a private, family owned group of companies that employed up to 2,200 individuals and provided construction related products and services throughout Arizona and Nevada.  While serving in this position, Jim held a leadership role as well as having responsibility for all aspects of corporate representation.  Jim was able to practice family law on a pro bono basis, helping individuals that could not afford representation.  After serving in this role for nearly seven years, Jim had the opportunity to pursue his dream of opening his own law firm in 2011.  Jim primarily focuses his practice on family law and civil litigation.  Jim is a regular volunteer with Family Legal Assistance Program (FLAP) and was awarded Attorney of the Month for February 2015 through the Volunteer Lawyers Program and designated as a 2015 Top Pro Bono Attorney in Arizona by the Arizona Foundation for Legal Services & Education. Jim was elected to the Board of Directors for the Maricopa County Bar Association Family Law Section in 2016.. Aside from his professional endeavors, Jim enjoys being active and spends his free time doing anything that involves being outdoors – including golfing, scuba diving, snow skiing/snowboarding, hiking, trail riding, boating, camping, fishing and travelling.

For over the last 26 years, I have practiced extensively in all areas of family law including divorce, complex asset and debt division, child custody, parenting time, support, spousal maintenance, and paternity.  I am licensed in the State of Minnesota and Federal Court.  I believe in thorough preparation for my cases and active involvement with my clients.  I am a strong advocate for my client’s position.  I am also a member of the Dakota County Bar Associations.  I have volunteered with several organizations, including the Tubman/Chrysalis Center and the Ramsey County Volunteer Mediation Program.  I have over twenty-four years of litigation and alternative dispute resolution experience.  I am also a mediator and Qualified Neutral under Rule 114 of the Minnesota General Rules of Practice and am also on the provider list of the Ramsey County Financial Early Neutral Evaluation Panel.

Bill is a Certified Family Law Specialist, certified by the Board of Legal Specialization of the State Bar of California. More important than the title, though, Bill has the proven ability to litigate aggressively when necessary and engineering settlements when possible. He has been described by judges, fellow attorneys and his clients as "high octane", "an attorney with an encyclopedic knowledge of the law", and "a genuine nice guy who fights when he needs to but prefers settlements when it benefits his client.". Bill graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Indiana University with a degree in East Asian Languages and Culture. After several years of working in Japan, he attended law school at the University of California Hastings College of Law.. In the two decades since Bill was admitted to the California Bar, he has appeared in the Superior courts of Northern and Southern California while handling every issue involved in family law and divorce cases. Bill has expertise in complex matters involving high-value assets, management of business entities and intellectual property during the dissolution process, fiduciary duties, high-earner spousal and child support, and custody of children (including interstate and international custody disputes).. "Proper analysis and planning at every phase of a case is crucial. It can make all the difference in how well a case proceeds, whether a reasonable settlement can be reached or whether success is achieved at trial in the rare circumstance when a case actually goes all the way to a trial." - Bill Woodcock. Bill is currently a partner and head of the litigation department at Nader & Woodcock