Top Best Family Lawyers | 21051 Available

Born and raised in the East Bay Area, I knew I wanted to be an attorney from an early age.  I have been hooked on the advocacy aspect of litigation from my first experiences working in law offices as early as 2004.  I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to do what I love daily. My favorite part of my job is earning my client's trust and building strong relationships with them.  My clients find comfort knowing that I will be there to assist them through what may be the most difficult period of their life.  I am a father of two young boys and hope to teach them that with focus and hard work, anything is achievable.

Alexcis Wichtowski was born and raised in the Sonoma wine country. She received her Bachelor’s Degree in History from Santa Clara University and went on to law school at Syracuse University in New York. During law school Ms. Wichtowski focused on family law and domestic violence work by participating in the Children’s Rights and Family Law Clinic and Family Advocacy Program, becoming a Family Law and Social Policy Certificate Recipient.. After passing the California State Bar, she began her career as a volunteer attorney at Sonoma County Legal Aid, where she represented domestic violence victims in obtaining restraining orders and in custody and visitation proceedings. She went on to work as a Staff Attorney at the Marin County Family and Children’s Law Center, providing direct representation to low and middle-income residents in all areas of family law. Ms. Wichtowski has also been admitted to the Washington State Bar since 2007.. Ms. Wichtowski is passionate about helping people, which is why she chose to focus her practice in the area of family law. She excels in connecting with her clients on a human level and is especially adept at breaking down difficult legal concepts into everyday language. Ms. Wichtowski approaches family law with both compassion and a sharp analytical mind.. In her free time, Ms. Wichtowski enjoys hiking, snowboarding, and playing with her Boston Terrier, Chloe Bean. Her guilty pleasures include Nacho Cheese Doritos, Sour Patch Kids, and Starbucks.

The Law Office of Mujdah Rahim exclusively handles family law matters, such as divorce, legal separation, paternity, child custody and visitation, child and spousal support, restraining orders, premarital and postmarital agreements, and modification and enforcement.. Whether it is legal advice, pleading preparation, negotiation, consultation, mediation or litigation; she zealously pursue her clients' interests while enjoying a reputation for her dedication and skill.

Michael Geller grew up in San Francisco, CA. He attended the University of Southern California for his undergraduate studies, the City University of New York for his medical training, and Santa Clara University School of Law for his legal education. Michael then opened The Geller Firm to help with Family Law.

I became a family law attorney to help families work through one of the most difficult times of their lives and come out of it with as minimal damage as possible. As the child of divorced parents, I have first-hand knowledge of how divorce can impact not only the children involved, but the entire family unit. Though a divorce is never the end goal of marriage, sometimes it is necessary for the health, welfare, safety and happiness of all the people involved. I was lucky in that my parents divorced amicably and were able to reach agreements without the help of a lawyer, unfortunately, that is not the case for every person or family going through a divorce or legal separation. As your attorney, it is my goal to compassionately and effectively advocate for you in the most cost-efficient manner practicable. I strive to resolve cases through negotiation and settlement, but will proceed to litigation if necessary.. Family is such an integral part of my life and most of my free time is spent with my immediate and extended family. We will find any excuse to get together and enjoy good food, good conversation and laughs. As the child of divorced parents, I always enjoyed two of everything: two birthdays, two Christmases, two Thanksgivings, etc. As an adult, I have continued that tradition because it allows me to see all of my family without missing any big milestone or holiday. Now that I have a little family of my own, it is even more important to me to make sure he sees everyone during these times.. When I am not with family, I can usually be found with a good book (usually a psychological thriller) in my favorite reading chair. I enjoy having lunch with my friends and colleagues, or date nights with my husband, Jacob. I highly encourage all my clients to partake in some form of self-care, for me it is attending singing lessons and subjecting my husband to karaoke nights in Berkeley.

Holly Gutkovsky is a dedicated attorney who handles a wide range of family law and divorce issues, including child custody and visitation, child support, spousal support, property division, premarital agreements, and many others.. Going through a divorce or custody dispute is the most difficult and painful thing most people will ever have to face, and no two situations are ever the same.  It is important to consider how the litigation process will affect your family, and most importantly, how to ensure that your children are impacted as little as possible.  Holly's approach is to spend time getting to know each and every client and the details that matter in their own individual situations, so that she can pursue the best legal strategy while keeping the best interest of each family as the focus.. Holly's style of practice emphasizes the importance of mediation and the amicable resolution of custody and visitation issues, with the goal of minimizing conflict between parents, and ensuring a stable and harmonious environment for children to thrive.  She strives to reduce the amount of stress felt by her clients during the litigation process by working with opposing counsels and parties, and keeping the lines of communication open.. Holly is also well-versed in the adversarial process, and has been litigating on the Law and Motion calendars in San Mateo, Alameda, and Santa Clara counties since her first year of practice.  She has dedicated her career to the practice of Family Law, and is passionate about her work.. Before becoming a licenced California attorney, Holly earned her Juris Doctor from the University of San Francisco, School of Law, and her undergraduate degree in Political Science and International Relations from the University of California, San Diego.  When she isn't fighting for her clients in court, you can usually find Holly enjoying beautiful Lake Tahoe, honing her culinary skills, or hiking through Redwood Regional Park with her dogs.

As a Certified Family Law Specialist, Derrick is experienced in negotiating and litigating a wide range of complex family law issues. He prioritizes guiding his clients through these often difficult and emotional processes with expertise and efficiency to ensure swift resolution.. In addition to his expertise in family law matters, Derrick also brings clients years of experience accounting for billion-dollar hedge funds as well as his prior experience litigating criminal court cases.. Prior to launching Roehn Law Offices LLP, Derrick practiced law at two of the most prestigious family law firms in the East Bay: the Law Offices of Joseph Wolch, and previously the Law Offices of Peter G. Loewentstein.. Derrick graduated from the University of San Francisco School of Law, and earned his bachelor’s degree from University of California, Santa Barbara with a major Business Economics and a minor in Global Peace and Security.

Prior to law school, Rebecca obtained her Bachelor's Degree in Legal Studies and worked as a paralegal.  During law school, she focused on family law and advocacy for survivors of domestic violence.  Upon receiving her law degree, she received Certificates for her work Family Law and Public Interest.  Rebecca grew her practice with family law and domestic violence law at the Family Justic Center in Concord, California.  She now is an associate attorney continuing this work in Walnut Creek, CA.

Matthew S. Buttacavoli was born in Jersey City, New Jersey in 1972.  Matthew graduated magna cum laude from the University of California, Irvine (B.A., 1995) and cum laude from the University of San Diego School of Law (J.D., 1999), where he served as Executive Editor of the San Diego Law Review and received the General George W. Hickman, Jr. Award for excellence in Constitutional Law.. Matthew was admitted to the California Bar in 1999, and was admitted to the United States Supreme Court Bar in 2003.  He was also admitted to the United States District Court for the Central and Southern Districts of California. Matthew is an alumnus of the Family Law Trial Institute, a nationally preeminent program which for more than twenty years has provided advanced education, training and instruction in trial practice. He is also an alumnus of the Advanced Business Valuation Institute.  He has been named a Certified Specialist in Family Law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization.. In June 24, 2014 after being nominated by the Public Law Center's Board of Directros. Mathew S. Buttacavoli was awarded the Wiley W. Manuel Certificate for pro bono legal services by the State Bar of California Board of Trustees in recognition for his voulantary provision of legal services to the poor or disadvantaged, improving the law and the legal system and increasing access to justice.. Matthew’s publications include “Must Post-Termination Procedural Due Process Include a Full, Trial-Like Evidentiary Hearing? A Critique of Townsel v. San Diego Metropolitan Transit Development Board,” San Diego Law Review, Vol. 36, No. 4 (Fall 1999).  Matthew has also been a guest speaker for the Litigation Section of the Orange County Paralegal Association.. Matthew is a member of the Board of Directors of the Constitutional Rights Foundation - Orange County.  He is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Veterans Legal Institute. Matthew is a member of the Orange County Bar Association Family Law Section, and is a Past President and curernt Board Member of the Italian-American Lawyers of Orange County (Lex Romana).  He sits on the Resolutions Committee of the Orange County Bar Association and is a Founding Fellow of the Society of Fellows of the Orange County Bar Foundation.  Matthew has also served on the Orange County Public Law Center’s Volunteers for Justice Dinner Committee and its Silent Auction Committee and served as the Silent Auction Committee’s co-chair through 2013. Matthew is an Ambassador Member of the National Italian-American Foundation, a member of the Federalist Society, and previously served on the Board of Directors for the American Youth Soccer Organization (AYSO), Region 85.. Although, Matthew currently limits his practice to Family Law, his previous legal experience includes general civil litigation, business and contract disputes, complex products liability and construction defects, real estate, title and escrow, mortgage and finance, wrongful death, torts, and appeals.

David has been representing clients in Alabama for more than a decade and is the founder of Thomas Family Law. He focuses his practice solely on domestic relations and family law matters, representing clients in Alabama, in divorce, child custody, child support, modifications, alimony, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, appeals and other family law related matters.. David has obtained favorable results for clients in more than thirty-five counties throughout the state of Alabama. He understands that divorce and child custody matters can be stressful and can leave a person feeling lost. David diligently guides his clients through that stressful time and works hard toward achieving a favorable outcome. He strives to make sure clients are comfortable with the strategy being pursued on their behalf and believes that a key part of that process is providing detailed communication to each and every client he serves. David is an advocate for his clients, and he ensures that each client receives the time, dedication and attention that they deserve.. Prior to founding Thomas Family Law, David worked as a Litigation Manager with a large domestic relations firm that has more than 100 offices throughout the country. Before devoting his legal practice to domestic relations and family law matters, David practiced in domestic relations, criminal defense, appeals, wills and estates, personal injury, wrongful death and general civil litigation.. David graduated from the University of Alabama with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology. He earned his Juris Doctor degree from Cumberland School of Law. While studying at Cumberland, David received the Scholar of Merit Award and was a member of the Dean’s List.. When he is not working, David enjoys spending time with family, being in the outdoors, waterskiing, and cycling.

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".

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.