Top Best Family Lawyers | 14650 Available

Tara L. Whitaker is a family law and divorce attorney with a practice located in downtown Birmingham.  Tara is known for her dedication to her clients, her hard work and her professionalism both in and out of the courtroom.  Tara is further known for her adaptive nature as a fierce competitor to obtain the best possible result for her clients.  Tara is a savvy negotiator and a quick thinker, which helps her have such a competitive edge in fighting for her client’s rights.  Although Tara may be fierce in the courtroom, she develops a trusting relationship with her clients and goes the extra mile in making sure her client not only feels comfortable in speaking with her, but also ensuring that each client is treated as a top priority.  Tara understands that family law related matters, such as divorce, child custody, visitation, alimony, etc. are very sensitive in nature and her goal is to not only achieve the best result possible, but to also relieve some of the stress her clients may be experiencing.

Michael A. Anderson concentrates his law practice in the broad area of Matrimonial law. This includes emphasis in original divorce actions, as well as, post-divorce actions of contempt, modifications, and appellate work.. Mr. Anderson understands that while divorce matters are inherently unpleasant and emotional, it is important for clients to fully understand how the process works so that they may make the best decisions for themselves and their children as their case is either negotiated for settlement or ultimately litigated before the court.. Mr. Anderson’s focus and philosophy revolves around case preparation. Whether it be preparing the case and client for mediation, for deposition or trial, the ultimate success will reflect that preparation.

David Dworakowski is the founding partner of Quinn & Dworakowski, focusing exclusively on family law. He is one of only two attorneys in Orange County to hold dual certification by the State Bar of California as both a Certified Family Law Specialist and a Certified Appellate Law Specialist—a rare distinction that underscores his expertise in handling the most complex family law and appellate matters.. David has successfully tried more than 350 cases and authored more than 150 appeals and writs in both state and federal courts. His exceptional advocacy has earned him recognition as a Super Lawyer for over 15 consecutive years, as well as honors such as Top 100 Trial Lawyer in America and Best Lawyer in Orange County. He is also highly rated by AVVO for client satisfaction.. A graduate of Temple University School of Law, where he served on the Law Review, David combines academic rigor with decades of courtroom experience. Beyond his practice, he serves as a lecturer at Chapman University School of Law and as a Board Member of Mardan School in Irvine, a school for special needs kids, making David uniquely qualified to handle custody cases invloving children with special needs.. Born in Buffalo, he is a lifelong Buffalo Bills fan and now resides in Laguna Beach with his wife, Anita, and their five children. David is also an active member of Saddleback Church.

Attorney Brian A. Bayati is the founder of Bayati Law Group.  Brian is a graduate of the University of California, Hastings College of the Law.  During law school, Brian was a judicial extern to the United States Court of Appeals (9th Circuit), and was active as a public service mediator.. Prior to founding Bayati Law Group, Brian was legal counsel for a national corporation; and, thereafter, member of a prominent Los Angeles based civil litigation firm with numerous offices throughout California and various other states. Prior to committing his practice exclusively to litigation of family law issues, Brian's practice involved litigation of complex civil lawsuits.. Brian's numerous involvements and affiliations within the legal community include, but are not limited to, being an active member of and member of the Board of Directors of the Orange County Bar Association, member of the State Bar of California Family Law Executive Committee, member of the Orange County Bar Association Lawyer Referral and Information Service committee, an active member of the Orange County Society of Fellows, an arbitrator for the Orange County Bar Association's fee dispute arbitration program, and a graduate of the Orange County Bar Association College of Trial Advocacy.. Brian's practice at Bayati Law Group is focused exclusively on family law litigation.  Brian incorporates into his legal practice his experience in real estate, finance, and asset valuation to add practicality to various legal strategies, which can otherwise turn into ineffective approaches to dispute resolution.. Brian has various legal industry recognitions, which include, but are not limited to, being named amongst Orange County's top family law attorneys by OC Metro Magazine in 2009, 2010 and again in 2014. In 2015, the American Society of Legal Advocates selected Brian as one of the "Top 40 Under 40" family law attorneys in the State of California. In 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015, Brian was named a "Rising Star" by Super Lawyer Magazine (a yearly recognition bestowed upon up to 2.5% of the attorneys in a specific legal practice in Southern California). In 2016 through 2022, Brian was named a "Super Lawyer" by Super Lawyer Magazine (only 5% of attorneys in Southern California are selected to Super Lawyers).  In 2014, the National Academy of Family Law Attorneys recognized Brian as one of the "Top 10 Under 40" family law attorneys in Southern California. In 2019, 2020 and 2021, the American Institute of Family Law Attorneys recognized Brian as a "10 Best" family law attorney in the State of California for "Exceptional and Outstanding Client Service".

Ms. Shepard graduated from UCLA, where she majored in political science with a business specialization. She earned her Juris Doctor degree, cum laude, from Whittier Law School, where she was a member of the Law Review, a Dean's List honoree and a fellow in the Center for Children's Rights where she received a scholarship.. Additionally, Ms. Shepard served as on the Whittier Law School Trial Advocacy Honors Board while competing in national competitions. She has prior legal experience as a certified litigation law clerk with the Orange County Office of the District Attorney. In her spare time, Ms. Shepard volunteers with the Pediatric Cancer Research Foundation and enjoys exercising, reading, cooking, travel and spending time with her family and friends.. Courtney Shepard is an aggressive and passionate advocate for her clients. She exclusively practices family law and has been declared a Certified Family Law Specialist by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization.. She has successfully litigated cases involving issues of child custody, child support, same sex marriages, spousal support, and attorney fees, and recently completed a nationally-recognized Trial Advocacy program which focused extensively on the litigation of child custody, support and complex business matters.

I  was born and raised in southern California. I graduated from Brigham Young University (B.A., History, 2000) and Western State University College of Law (J.D., 2004, Scholarly Merit). All through law school, I worked as a law clerk for my father, Barry J. Wishart, who had practiced family law since 1982. As such, I have been in the business for more than 13 years and have been trained by one of the elite attorneys in the county.. I have been married for more than fifteen years.  I also have eight children. I am a member of the Orange County Bar Association, the Family Law Section, and the J. Reuben Clark Law Society. In 2006, I was elected and appointed to the Executive Committee of the Orange County Bar Association's Family Law Section, where I served until 2009. In 2013, I was appointed as a member of the State Bar Family Law Section Executive Committee (FLEXCOMM), Orange County Standing Committee.. I have authored several articles on the subject of family law which have been published at , an online magazine or e-zine. I volunteer time and am featured as an "Expert" of the "Divorce Support Center" (), a non profit organization that helps individuals and families in crisis.. My practice is exclusively dedicated to Family Law.  I currently accept cases in Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Los Angeles counties.

My name is Cameron Fernandez. I have been certified by the State Bar of California, Board of Legal Specialization, as a Certified Family Law Specialist. In fact, I am a second-generation Certified Family Law Specialist. I work hard to protect my clients' rights, and advance their causes.. In addition to my professional success, I am a proud family man.  My wife and I have been married for almost 17 years and have blessed with 5 fantastic children.  We enjoy sports, the beach and traveling.  I work hard as a family law attorney in order to provide for my family.  As ironic as it is being a divorce lawyer, I am absolutely pro-marriage and pro-family.   We are very active in our church and do our best to be good Christians.. I enjoy most sports, but love playing baseball, basketball and surfing.  Once a year my dad, my brother and I travel around the country and play in hardball tournaments in various major league stadiums.  I play basketball one evening a week and surf as often as I'm able to squeeze it into my schedule.. I have been practicing family law as an attorney for over 10 years. That said, I began working in a family law firm before I started law school. I was fortunate enough to work in a family law firm all through law school, and to be mentored by my mother, another Certified Family Law Specialist, which enabled me to obtain years of practical and substantive legal experience before I began practicing law.. If you believe you need a family law attorney, I invite you to schedule a consultation to meet or speak with me.  I am always happy to help and give you my best advice.

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 help them (and their families) through tough emotional times, while resolving their financial and/or custody issues. Seeing people get a fresh start at the end of a case is rewarding. This makes me passionate about my clients and their lives. The faster and more efficient I am, the faster my clients get that fresh start. I am even more dedicated and passionate in Court, (if that is what is necessary), because it means someone or something has blocked a resolution.  These are the motivations that make me tick, not to mention I am also an active dad who is passionate about his kids, and active in his community, plus a fan of outdoor sports.. My credentials and experience match my passion. Board-certified as a specialist in family law by The State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization, I have more than 17 years of legal experience, and I provide outstanding representation, advice and support to my clients throughout Orange County who are going through a divorce or other family law issues.. I am uniquely situated to handle divorce litigation with both business litigation and transactional experience in the first decade of my legal career.  I have achieved considerable success helping my clients make the best-informed financial and custody decisions that will affect their families for years to come, while also aggressively representing them in Court (when the circumstances of their case warrant it).. My early practice was in the banking finance industry in matters of regulatory compliance and securities offerings. Subsequently, before joining Minyard Morris, I practiced state and federal litigation in matters of bad faith insurance, employment and contract disputes, real property litigation, and personal injury actions on both the plaintiff and the defense side. My high-stakes civil-litigation experience, combined with complex securities and financial transaction experience, add unique insight to my advice and recommendations.. I now limits my practice to family law matters in Orange County. My success in family law is measured not only in terms of the number of trials and contested hearings on nearly every focus area in Family Law, but also in the number of successful resolutions leading to stipulated Judgments or Orders. These earned me the designation of a certified specialist in the minimum time permitted by The State Bar (i.e. 5 years), and I has continued to build upon that foundation since.. I have also received several commendations for my pro bono and volunteer work for the poor and disadvantaged, including serving as a Board Member for Community Legal Aid SoCal, volunteering with pro bono legal clinics, and a perennial volunteer for the Constitutional Rights Foundation mock trial competition. On the weekends, I also find time to volunteer with my community in youth sports, including coaching and refereeing.. I earned my Bachelor of Arts degree at Point Loma Nazarene University (summa cum laude) and my Juris Doctorate at American University, Washington College of Law in Washington, D.C. While in D.C., I interned for the U.S. Agency for International Development in the Litigation and Enforcement Division, and also participated in a fellowship in the Office of The Curator of the Supreme Court of the United States. During my undergraduate studies, I studied abroad at the Nizhni-Novgorod State University in Russia, after previously serving as a full-time English teacher for a public school in Moscow. I am admitted to practice before all Superior Courts in the State of California as well as the U.S. District Court for the Southern and Central Districts of California as well as the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit.

With nearly 20 years’ experience, Bethanie L. Fanti is a trusted family law attorney known for her integrity, compassion, and strong advocacy. Her practice covers divorce, child custody and support, spousal support, domestic violence, and juvenile dependency.. As both a stepparent and someone who’s lived through divorce, Bethanie brings deep empathy and practical understanding to her clients. She is especially recognized for her calm, steady presence in emotionally tough custody cases, always prioritizing children’s best interests and family stability.. Bethanie is valued for her clear communication, responsiveness, and commitment to minimizing conflict. She is an active member of the Orange County and Riverside Bar Associations, demonstrating her dedication to both her profession and community.

A veteran attorney with four decades of legal experience, Richard Sullivan is widely regarded as one of the top family law attorneys in the Orange County area. He is compassionate and competent, always dedicated to securing the best possible result for his clients, whether this is accomplished inside or outside of the courtroom. He is a talented litigator with a background in criminal defense, using his experience to better protect his clients’ best interests.. Richard obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree from Southeast Missouri State University and his Juris Doctor degree, with honors, from Western State College of Law. After passing the bar, he began his career as a criminal litigator, where he was able to hone his courtroom skills. In 1996, Richard devoted his practice exclusively to family law and has tried over 15,000 cases in this field.. Richard is a member of the Orange County Bar Association and the Orange County Family Law Section of the State Bar of California. He has been appointed by the Orange County Superior Court to represent minors on a number of occasions and has acted as Special Master to the Court to address litigation in domestic relation actions. He has served as a lecturer, instructor, and panelist for the State Bar of California, Orange County Bar Association, Western State School of Law, and Chapman School of Law.. Richard is an executive committee member of the Orange County Bar Association, Family Law Section, and has served in this role since 2010. He is also a board member of the Orange County Community Service Program – CSP Victim Assistance.

Irvine family lawyer Brian Seastrom works with his clients to assist with divorce, child custody and achieve their overall family law needs. He has been rated AV Preeminent by Martindale-Hubbell and awarded "Super Lawyer" and "Rising Star" for multiple years by Super Lawyers Magazine.

Melinda received her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Philosophy from the University of California at Davis.  While at UC Davis she was actively involved in local non-profits assisting survivors of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault with various legal issues.. She later earned her Juris Doctorate from Whittier Law School in 2009, where she received the 2007 Public Interest Scholarship from the California Bar Association for her continued volunteer work.  While at Whittier law school she served as the President of the Hispanic American Law Student Association while also competing and serving as the Vice President of the Trial Advocacy Honors Board.. While in law school she worked with Amnesty International in their Stop Violence Against Women Project as well as at the District Attorney’s offices in San Diego and Orange County.  Upon graduating from law school she was awarded the Center for Children’s Rights Certificate, Trial and Appellate Practice Certificate, and Criminal Law Certificate due to her courses and active participation in school programs.. Melinda is a member of the Orange County Bar Association, Orange County Hispanic Bar Association, and continues to assist in advocacy and policy development for survivors of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault through her work with the California Partnership for Domestic Violence (CPEDV) and Human Options.. As an attorney, Melinda has been involved in many high asset and high conflict custody and dissolution matters during her career.  Her ability to advocate for her clients with up to date advice and compassion allows  her to obtain client centered results in the most efficient manner possible.

Shiry Tannenbaum is Principal at Tannenbaum Law, and provides contract and consulting legal services in the areas of family law and business litigation.  Shiry has practiced family law since 2015, and focused her first seven years of practice to business litigation for boutique law firms.. Shiry served as co-chair of the Women’s Educational Committee of the Center for Investment and Weath management at UCI’s Paul Merage School of Business.  Shiry served on the Dean's Executive Board at the University of California, Irvine, School of Law.  She was Chair of the Young Lawyers Division of the Association of Business Trial Lawyers and Chair of the Public Law Center's annual Volunteers for Justice Dinner Silent Auction Committee from 2013 to 2015. Shiry served as Vice President of the Orange County Jewish Bar Association from 2010 to 2012, and as an active member of the Dean's Campaign Cabinet at UCI Law and the Orange County Bar Association's Community Outreach Committee.. Shiry earned her J.D. degree from Santa Clara University School of Law, where she was named Pro Bono Graduate of the Year. Shiry served as an Articles Editor for the Santa Clara Law Review and was an Honors Moot Court participant. She served as a judicial extern at the United States District Court, Northern District of California, the California Court of Appeal, and the California Superior Court of Santa Barbara and Santa Clara Counties. Shiry earned her B.A. degree in Law and Society, with Honors, from the University of California at Santa Barbara.

Certified Family Law Specialist (certified by the California State Bar of Board of Legal Specialization) Stacey Stone was raised and currently resides in South Orange County.. Stacey’s clients include high net worth and high-income individuals in complex, contested family law cases, although she prefers to settle cases of all types whenever settlement is possible. She helps resolve issues involving custody, visitation, support and domestic abuse. Stacey has had extensive experience and is particularly skilled with valuations of businesses and division and characterization of community and separate property assets.. Stacey studied Political Science and Public Policy at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA!!!), where she obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in 2001. She subsequently earned her Juris Doctorate degree from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles in 2005.. Stacey has been practicing family law for more than a decade. Prior to joining the firm, Stacey was the managing attorney at one of the largest family law firms in Orange County. Before shifting her focus to family law, Stacey practiced law civil and business litigation in Orange County, where she gained experience in all phases of litigation including propounding and responding to discovery, law and motion, trial preparation, mediation and alternative dispute resolution, and trial.. In her spare time, Stacey enjoys spending time with her family, attending her twin sons’ sporting events, going to the beach, skiing and reading.. Education:. University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Bachelor of Arts, Political Science – 2001Loyola Law School, Los Angeles Juris Doctorate – 2005

Brian D. Mullen is a graduate of the University of California, San Diego and California Western School of Law. After law school he served as a law clerk to a veteran San Diego attorney whose family law practice deals with primarily heavily contested custody matters before family law and juvenile courts, domestic violence Restraining Orders, guardianships, complex dissolution of marriage cases involving division of assets and debts, and criminal defense. After passing the Bar Exam, Mr. Mullen joined another law group in San Diego for several years. At that firm, Mr. Mullen handled straightforward and complex divorce matters from inception to judgment, including motions for child support before the Department of Child Support Services and Family Support Division. Mr. Mullen also served as lead counsel to several civil matters. In September 2009, he temporarily joined another well-known family law firm, which also handles complex dissolutions and contested child custody matters including guardianships. Mr. Mullen recently prevailed in a highly acrimonious guardianship matter. The case went to trial in November 2009, and at trial the court ordered permanent guardianship to Mr. Mullen’s client, who was the paternal grandmother.. Mr. Mullen’s experience in family law matters helps him as an effective advocate for those who strive to enforce their rights in the California family law courts. He assesses each client’s goals, fights for their priorities and returns telephone calls promptly. Mr. Mullen is familiar with the Family Law and Family Support Division courts in Orange County, as he appears before these departments regularly.. Mr. Mullen is a partner at Wilkinson & Finkbeiner and represents Spanish-speaking clients.