Best Lawyers Near You in Ladera Ranch, California for Family Law
Kathleen Carothers Paone, born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been an Orange County resident since 1980. She and her husband, Tim Paone, have 3 adult children. Ms. Paone graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles, (cum laude, 1977) and received her Juris Doctor degree from Loyola University (J.D., 1980). While in law school, she was a member of the St. Thomas More Law Honor Society. She was admitted to the California State Bar in 1980 (and the Northern, Central and Southern Fe...
John Benedict Phillips—known as Ben Phillips for all his life—received his bachelor’s degree from the University of California, Davis, and his Juris Doctor degree from Chapman University School of Law. Mr. Phillips is a Certified Family Law Specialist by the California State Bar Board of Legal Specialization, and rated AV Preeminent® by Martindale Hubbell—the highest rating attainable for legal ability and professional ethics. Mr. Phillips practices exclusively fam...
Kristen A. Holstrom is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law. Kristen A., who practices law in Corona, California, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Kristen A. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Denise H.D. Koeller earned her Bachelor degree at the University of California Irvine in Sociology, while also completing a minor in Political Science. She then earned her Juris Doctor from Chapman's Dale E. Fowler School of Law, graduating cum laude in the top 15% of her class. Her time at Chapman was spent actively involved with the Asian American student associations and earning a certification in Chapman's Advocacy and Dispute Resolution Emphasis Program. Denise has been dedicated to the ...
Emily N. Erickson is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law. Emily N., who practices law in Irvine, California, has been recognized since 2022. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Emily N. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Jennifer Corona earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Berkeley, her Master of Science degree from Johns Hopkins University, and her Juris Doctor from Western State College of Law. Ms. Corona was born and raised in Orange County and the first lawyer in her family. Before law school, Ms. Corona was a bilingual educator in the state of Texas through Teach for America . During law school, Ms. Corona was President of her school’s Latino Student Bar Association...
Brandon Kelsey is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law. Brandon, who practices law in Irvine, California, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Brandon is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Scott M. Savage received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Education from Arizona State University and his Juris Doctor from Southwestern Law School in Los Angeles. While at Southwestern Law School, Scott was a Dean's Fellow, he received the Witkin Award in Business Planning, and was a finalist in the Negotiations Honor's Program Competition. Prior to beginning his career in Family Law at Minyard Morris, Scott worked as a teacher and also has owned his own business. Scott now limits his practice...
Kendall Youngman is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law. Ms. Youngman, who practices law in Newport Beach, California, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Kendall is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area. Kendall Youngman is an Associate in the Newport Beach office of Bremer Whyte Brown & O’Meara, LLP. Ms. Young...
Aditi Murillo earned her Bachelor of Science from the University of California, Berkeley and her Juris Doctor from the University of California, Los Angeles. During law school, Aditi interned at a boutique personal injury law firm in Westwood and at Verizon's San Francisco office. Aditi also participated in mock trial competitions, was a staff editor for the Women's Law Journal, and was a member of the Intellectual Property and South Asian law student's associations. Following law school, Adi...
John P. Murillo earned his Bachelor of Arts and graduated magna cum laude and with high honors from the University of California, San Diego. John earned his Juris Doctorate from the University of California, Los Angeles. During law school, John participated in mock trial competitions and completed internships with a boutique civil litigation firm and the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office. After law school, John briefly practiced in Los Angeles before moving to Orange County where ...
George Peniche is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law. George, who practices law in Irvine, California, has been recognized since 2022. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which George is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Deborah Song is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law. Deborah, who practices law in Newport Beach, California, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Deborah is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Samantha Weissman is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law. Samantha, who practices law in Irvine, California, has been recognized since 2024. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Samantha is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Samantha K. McBride is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law. Samantha K., who practices law in Corona, California, has been recognized since 2026. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Samantha K. is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
Eric Sather is a top attorney recognized by Best Lawyers in the practice area(s) of Family Law. Eric, who practices law in Irvine, California, has been recognized since 2023. This recognition is based on an exhaustive peer-review survey, reflecting the high esteem in which Eric is held by other top lawyers in the same geographic and legal practice area.
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.