Best Lawyers Near You in Ladera Ranch, California for Family Law

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...

Judi Curtin was born in New York City, New York in 1951, and has been an Orange County resident since 1979, following her graduation from law school and admission to the California Bar Association in 1978. She is married and has three children (Jessica is a lawyer, Jordan is a clinical social worker, Jillian is a second-year student at NYU and has her black belt in Shaolin Kempo). Judi is a Certified Family Law Specialist, admitted to the US Supreme Court, and has been rated AV by Martindale ...

Michael A. Morris was born in Winston Salem, North Carolina. Michael was named Best Family Law Lawyer of the Year - Orange County in 2013 and 2018 by Best Lawyers in America. He has been listed as one of the Best Lawyers in America by Best Lawyers in America Orange County - Family Law since 2007 and by Super Lawyers each year since 2004. Michael is also listed in Lawdragon 500 Leading Lawyers (USA) - 2020. He graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles (B.A.) and Western State Un...

Paula J. Swensen, who was born in Orange, New Jersey in 1955, has been an Orange County resident since 2000 after relocating to California from New England. Ms. Swensen lives in Trabuco Canyon and has three children. She is an avid sports fan, supporting any and all teams from the Boston area. Ms. Swensen graduated from the University of New Hampshire (B.S., Behavioral Science, highest honors, 1996) and Franklin Pierce Law Center (J.D., 1999; M.A., Intellectual Property). Between her second a...

Gary S. Gorczyca was born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1951, and has been an Orange County resident since 1960. He and his wife, Patti, have two sons. Mr. Gorczyca graduated from the University of California, Irvine (B.A., 1973) and Loyola University School of Law (J.D., 1976). He was admitted to the California State Bar in 1976 and has practiced law in Orange County ever since. Mr. Gorczyca is rated “AV Preeminent” by Martindale-Hubbell, the highest rating available for legal ability an...

Nicole Schmidt is a partner and Certified Family Law Specialist at Bremer Whyte Brown & O’Meara. Nicole Schmidt focuses on divorce and family law matters in Newport Beach and San Diego. Ms. Schmidt has experience in a plethora of issues arising in the general area of family law, including prenuptial and post-nuptial agreements, child custody and visitation, spousal support, child support, divorce, and complex asset and debt division. She specializes in cases involving non-traditiona...

Philip G. Seastrom is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law. Philip G., who practices law in Irvine, California, has been recognized since 2006. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Philip G. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

William S. Cizmadia is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law. William S., who practices law in Irvine, California, has been recognized since 2021. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which William S. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Jonathan T. Little is an attorney with Minyard Morris, a family law firm in Newport Beach, California. Board-certified as a specialist in family law by The State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization, Mr. Little has more than 17 years of legal experience, and he provides outstanding representation, advice and support to clients throughout Orange County who are going through a divorce or other family law issues. With both litigation and transactional experience in the first decade of...

Thomas W. Tuttle is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law. Thomas W., who practices law in Irvine, California, has been recognized since 2020. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Thomas W. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.

Jason M. Schwartz is a Partner at Stegmeier, Gelbart, Schwartz & Benavente, LLP, and exclusively practices family law. Jason has been with the firm since he was admitted to the State Bar of California in summer 2001. Jason earned his Juris Doctor Degree from Western State University College of Law in December 2000, and his Bachelor of Science Degree from the University of North Texas, where he majored in political science with a double minor in criminal justice and journalism. Jason has b...

Robert A. Benavente was raised in Orange County and graduated from John F. Kennedy High School in La Palma. Mr. Benavente received his Juris Doctor degree, cum laude, from Whittier Law School in 2000, where he was a member of Law Review, a Dean's List honoree, and the recipient of several merit scholarships. He is a Certified Family Law Specialist, which is a level of achievement reserved for those attorneys who have the requisite level of trial experience and have passed a special examinatio...

Janani Rana is a Partner, a Certified Family Law Specialist and an experienced trial attorney. She handles complex family law issues and high net worth matters. She commits significant time to her ongoing family law education, and in addition to attending typical monthly/annual family law seminars, she is a three-time graduate of the Kolodny Family Law Trial Institute, a national program that provides advanced education and training for family law attorneys (she has completed the 7-day progra...

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...

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...

Born in Great Neck, NY, Jordon moved west to southern California in 1981. He graduated from Cal State Fullerton in 1994 and from the Whittier School of Law in 2000. Jordon is a Certified Specialist in Family Law, as per the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. During law school, Jordon was a member of the Moot Court Honors Board and also served as its Chief Justice in 2000. He was placed on the Dean's List for achievement in academics as well. Upon his graduation, Jordon rec...