Best Lawyers in California, United States for Family Law
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Michelle Ralph received her undergraduate degree from the University of California, Irvine, majoring in Social Ecology, with a minor in Psychology. She then earned her Juris Doctor degree from Western State College of Law, graduating summa cum laude and Valedictorian of her graduating class. While at Western State College of Law, Michelle clerked for Justice Edward Wallin at the Court of Appeal, Fourth District, Division Three. Before joining Minyard Morris, Michelle practiced civil litigatio...
Saul Gelbart is a Diplomate in the American College of Family Trial Lawyers, a Certified Family Law Specialist and a Fellow in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, having served its Southern California Chapter in many official capacities including President. Mr. Gelbart is also a Fellow in the International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, a Founding Fellow in the Orange County Bar Association's Society of Fellows, and a member of the Orange County Bar Association. Among his distinctio...
Gregory G. Brown, Esq. is an accomplished jury trial veteran and Certified Specialist in Civil Trial Advocacy, a distinction earned by only 140 lawyers in California. A trial lawyer for over 30 years, he has spent over 200 days as lead trial counsel in jury trials throughout California. A student of the jury trial, Brown has been awardedMartindale-Hubbell’s highest honor, an AV Rating, signifying that his legal abilities are of the “very highest standard” and his professiona...
Samantha is a family law attorney who has represented some of the biggest, noteworthy clients in divorce and parentage cases in California. She is the Founder of Spector Law, A Professional Law Corporation, a law firm established in early 2012 which exclusively focuses on family law matters. Samantha has deep experience handling high-asset marital dissolutions, legal separations, domestic partnerships legal issues, domestic violence restraining orders, parentage actions, complicated child cus...
Robert A. Roth is widely regarded as one of the leading family law appellate specialists in California. He has over 30 years’ experience as an appellate practitioner and more than 25 published (and scores of unpublished) appellate opinions to his name. Robert has won twice in the California Supreme Court, and notably represented the successful respondent in In re Marriage of Ostler and Smith (1990) 223 Cal.App.3d 33, a seminal case that established the method California courts use every...
Sheila Stiles is a partner in the Newport Beach office of Bremer Whyte Brown & O’Meara LLP. Ms. Stiles joined the firm in 2009 and limits her practice to family law matters. Ms. Stiles is certified as a Family Law Specialist by the California Board of Legal Specialization of the State Bar of California. She has extensive experience in handling all aspects of family law matters, including divorce, complex custody and visitation matters, complex business valuation and income determina...
Laura M. Owen is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area of Family Law. Laura M. practices law in Oakland, California Best Lawyers has recognized Laura M. Owen since 2021. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Laura M. Owen is held by other lawyers.
Brittney N. Sturtevant is a Principal at Flicker Kerin LLP in San Ramon, California, and a Certified Family Law Specialist certified by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. Her practice is focused on Family Law matters, including divorce , child custody and visitation , child and spousal support, property characterization and division , and complex high-asset cases. Ms. Sturtevant represents clients throughout the San Francisco Bay Area in a wide range of family law matt...
As a certified Family Law Specialist and the founding partner of Shebby Hirashima LLP, David Shebby brings more than three decades of trial experience to his Los Angeles Family Law practice. In addition to being a Certified Family Law Specialist, David is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, a member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association’s Family Law Executive Committee, and an adjunct professor at Loyola Law School, where he teaches marital property. David recei...
Victoria K. Lewis is a Certified Family Law Specialist and a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. She has been a member of the California Bar since December 1988. Ms. Lewis has practiced family law exclusively since 2009. Ms. Lewis’ family law practice focuses on complex family law matters both in mediation and through all stages of negotiation or litigation, including trial and appeal. Ms. Lewis is recognized in her field not only for her sophistication in family law,...
Amanda Beall is a highly regarded California family law attorney with a proven track record representing high-net-worth individuals and complex estates since 2017. She specializes in sophisticated family law and litigation matters, including divorce, spousal and child support, custody and visitation disputes, paternity, and domestic violence cases. As a Partner at Garelick Family Law, PC, Amanda combines strategic legal advocacy with compassionate client support, guiding clients through some ...
Samantha Klein is a lawyer recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice areas of Family Law and Family Law Mediation. Samantha practices law in Los Angeles, California Best Lawyers has recognized Samantha Klein since 2025. The Best Lawyers recognition is based on a peer-review survey of lawyers in the same geographic region and legal practice area. The recognition reflects the professional regard in which Samantha Klein is held by other lawyers.
Our Methodology
Recognition by Best Lawyers is based entirely on peer review. Our methodology is designed to capture, as accurately as possible, the consensus opinion of leading lawyers about the professional abilities of their colleagues within the same geographical area and legal practice area.
The Process
Best Lawyers employs a sophisticated, conscientious, rational, and transparent survey process designed to elicit meaningful and substantive evaluations of the quality of legal services. Our belief has always been that the quality of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of the voters.
