Novato Divorce Lawyers

I am an accomplished Divorce, Family, and Arbitration & Mediation attorney. I compassionately represent clients throughout the Bay Area with a broad range of family law matters.

As a Certified Family Law Specialist, I provide the experience, knowledge and skill needed to advocate for the best possible outcomes. I am dedicated to exceptional counsel to meet your family's legal needs and goals.

Valerie Fenchel is the CEO and founder of Fenchel Family Law. Her legal services empower men and women to navigate marriage and divorce toward more vibrant futures. She advises clients, devises strategies, and works with therapists, actuaries, and forensic accountants to settle or litigate cases. As a witness to the damage caused by divorce over the course of her career as a family law attorney and educator, Valerie has gained extensive experience in helping families in crisis. Experience & Background Valerie is actively involved in the legal community. She is the lead attorney of Shalom Bayit’s Pro Bono Legal Panel, Secretary of...

I provide consultations and legal coaching (limited-scope services) to individuals throughout all counties of California in the areas of consumer law, family law, distressed mortgages and Chapter 7 bankruptcy. My legal fees are fixed so there are no surprises. My fees are simply based on the time needed by my clients--no more, no less. I also assist California-based clients with document-preparation primarily in the areas of family law and estate planning. The difference between my document preparation services and the services provided on the internet--is that the documents are personally reviewed and approved by me, a California licensed attorney. ...

My approach to each family law case is specifically tailored to the needs of each client. Some cases require aggressive litigation, while other times, settlement is the best (and cheapest) choice for all involved. As your attorney, you can expect me to give you guidance based on the law, and to be transparent with you about your options. My role is to advise you, but not to make decisions for you. I enjoy partnering with my clients to get them their desired outcome. I am also very responsive to client communication. I pride myself on keeping you...

Our practice covers all aspects of family and matrimonial law in all of the Bay Area counties, primarily focusing on Contra Costa, Alameda, Solano, and San Francisco counties. We will expertly navigate you through your family law matter, whether it involves termination of a domestic partnership, paternity, custody, visitation, domestic violence, adoption, guardianship, support, an annulment, legal separation, or post-judgment issues. Regardless which of these processes you are dealing with, we understand the strain and pressure that these matters inevitably put on clients and the necessity of providing strong representation. Therefore, we strive to make the entire process as easy...

Attorney Gary D. Sparks is an accomplished lawyer who has successfully provided legal services and representation to families, husbands, wives, parents, military service members, and same sex partners for nearly two decades. Gary was a regular guest for several years on the former Ronn Owens Program on KGO-AM 810 in San Francisco, and has been interviewed by local and national publications in addition to publishing several of his own legal guides.

Gary graduated first in his class from John F. Kennedy University School of Law, where he was awarded magna cum laude honors for excellence in academic achievement and received...

With more than 25 years experience in family and personal injury law, I bring a seasoned expertise to both the conference room and the courtroom. As an experienced trial lawyer in all phases of litigation, I can successfully navigate diverse disputes across a range of legal areas. My expertise as a collaborative practitioner means that I am equally effective in mediating or negotiating a resolution that, when appropriate, does not involve litigation. I also assist clients as a mediator or a mediation-consulting attorney. I understand that every individual circumstance – every dispute – is unique...

I have been certified by the California State Bar as a specialist in family law. I excel in helping individuals navigate some of the most difficult and painful experiences of their lives. I handle all issues related to divorce, legal separation, and parentage actions, including matters related to child custody, child support, spousal support, and complex property division. I also help clients wanting assistance with pre-marital and post-marital agreements. Additionally, I serve as a consulting attorney for clients in mediation and those seeking a second opinion. I am also a divorce mediator who specializes in educating parties about the law while...

Porrino Law PC operates under the guidance of principal Dominic H. Porrino, who entered law practice with the intention of protecting the assets and safety of citizens by helping them negotiate the complexities of the California legal system. The competitive spirit that prompted him to play lacrosse and rugby in his youth now drives development of strategies to protect the best interests of his clients.

Mr. Porrino, an attorney whose practice encompasses legal separation, divorce, child custody and support, estate planning and other civil matters, obtained his law degree from Golden Gate University School of Law and was admitted to the...

Sabi Mand is a zealous advocate for his clients. He works vigorously to provide effective representation and results for his clients. Sabi has worked for several Bay Area law firms handling all aspects of Family Law before starting his own practice. He has also worked as a mediator for over 15 years, and helps clients resolve their disputes amicably. Sabi has volunteered as an attorney for the Alameda County Superior Court, Family Law Division. He has very refined negotiation and interpersonal communication skills. He has been a coach and judge for the UC Hastings negotiation team. In addition, Sabi has had the...

Lorilee DeSantis is an attorney whose passion for helping families protect their loved ones and their assets shines through to all who work with her. Lorilee’s clients often comment that her ability to deeply listen and understand their concerns makes it very easy for them to talk to her about difficult subjects. Her clients also appreciate that Lorilee explains complex legal concepts in ways that are easy to digest so that clients fully understand their legal options. Lorilee’s dedication to helping people with family-oriented legal issues stems from personal experiences. When Lorilee was growing up, she saw...

Indy Colbath is a licensed California attorney who has focused the entirety of her legal career on family law issues, including: divorce, annulment, child custody, child support, spousal support, property division, and domestic violence restraining orders. Indy has a breadth of courtroom experience she relies upon when assessing her clients’ family law matters, as well as strong relationships with the local legal community and bench. Indy has effectively represented her clients in an array of complex family law litigation, many of which involving high net worth individuals. Even though Indy has a passion for courtroom advocacy, she understands that every...

Elizabeth is a Family Law Attorney with experience in Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, and surrounding Bay Area Counties. In 1995, Elizabeth was sworn in as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for foster children in Santa Cruz County, and a State Certified Domestic Violence Advocate. She advocated for victims of domestic violence for seven years in Santa Cruz county prior to becoming a licensed attorney. In 2005, Elizabeth completed two specialized courses in Alternative Dispute Resolution at the Strauss Institute at Pepperdine School of Law. Elizabeth also completed the training to practice Collaborative Divorce with the Collaborative Divorce Group of Silicon Valley. Elizabeth...

Throughout her legal career, Vanessa has practiced exclusively in family law. With her legal training and knowledge, she provides compassion and advocacy for her clients. Vanessa’s experience working on a broad spectrum of family law matters include divorce, pre-divorce counseling and planning, premarital agreements, complex marital property issues, high conflict child custody disputes, child and spousal support issues and domestic violence prevention and defense. Vanessa protects her clients’ assets and the best interests of her clients and their children. She represents clients in public court and before private judicial officers. In addition, she serves as a consulting attorney for clients...

I was born and raised in San Francisco and have been a San Mateo County resident for the past 34 years. I have been practicing law for over 20 years and understand the difficult time one goes through in a break up. No one can do better than I in achieving your goals and wishes.

Amy's approach to estate planning is to focus on each client's unique needs and objectives. She strives to design a comprehensive plan for her clients that provides the maximum protection without compromise. Her broad experience enables her to provide keen insight for her clients. She is deeply commitment to her clients and the ethical standards of her profession. Amy has lived in Brentwood since 2001 with her husband and two daughters. She is a Director for the Brentwood Chamber of Commerce and in her free time, enjoys yoga, reading and golf.

The Law Offices of Maria E. Crabtree is a full service, bi-lingual (SPANISH), family law firm dedicated to delivering personal, practical, and effective representation at an affordable cost. We are conveniently located in Walnut Creek, California, across the street from the BART station. Attorney Maria Crabtree received her Bachelor of Arts degrees in Psychology and Communications from the University of California at Davis. She later returned to the University of California, Davis and earned her J.D. degree. As a sole practitioner, Ms. Crabtree is dedicated to helping families navigate through the complexities of the laws and policies...

Renee Ross is certified in Family Law by The State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization and is a highly skilled and insightful attorney. She represents family law clients throughout Pleasanton and the surrounding areas. She has more than a decade of experience and handles a broad range of cases including divorce, child custody and support, high net worth divorce, and same-sex family law issues. Attorney Ross can also provide counsel for adoptions, domestic partnership issues, complex property divisions, and other family law cases. She is passionate about providing personalized legal solutions for her clients, guiding them with skill...

Shelley M. Kennedy is a family law attorney and private mediator with Lawhon Law & Mediation, P.C.

Shelley's mediation practice includes high-asset dissolution of marriage matters including division of property, preparation of complex financial models, calculations for various settlement options, as well as determination of support. In addition to Shelley’s experience in financially complex matters, her practice also includes mediation for couples with smaller estates.

Shelley serves as a Settlement Conference Master for the San Francisco Unified Family Law Courts and as a volunteer attorney for the Bar Association of San Francisco’s Pro Bono Family Law Project.

Shelley has participated in over 200...

Rachel is an Attorney at Doyle Quane. She practices exclusively family law and specializes in high asset cases. Being admitted as an attorney in both Australia and California, Rachel can assist with both Australian and California family law matters.

Colby combines aggressive advocacy and compassion to assist clients through difficult times. Dedicated to helping clients navigate through complex legal matters with integrity, Colby has a tough yet sensitive approach to divorce and family law. Common sense and tenacity are hallmarks of his advocacy. Colby is a graduate of the University of California at Berkeley, where he earned a B.A. in Rhetoric, with a minor in Celtic Studies, and a J.D. from the University of San Francisco (USF) School of Law, where he was the Student Commencement Speaker at his law school graduation, the Co-Chair of the USF Public...

Mirko Ivanovic is the Managing Partner at Ivanovic & Lucius, P.C, an attorney with extensive corporate experience, and has served as a law enforcement professional for nearly twenty years. His practice is focused on corporate consulting, estate planning, elder abuse, family law, finance, general counsel services, immigration, and personal injury law. Before becoming an attorney, Mirko held key executive roles in both public and private entities, contributing significantly to their growth and development. He served as a top-level manager for a $1.8 billion corporation and held executive positions in consulting, finance, and marketing sectors. Additionally, Mirko actively participated on the board...

Sarah Arnott is an Attorney at Van Voorhis & Sosna LLP. Ms. Arnott was certified as a specialist in Family Law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization in 2015, and served as the chairperson of the family law section of the San Francisco Bar Association's Barristers Club in 2013.

A native of New York and North Carolina, Ms. Arnott moved to California to attend Santa Clara University School of Law, from which she received her J.D. Ms. Arnott has exclusively practiced family law since 2008. She is well-versed in all areas of family law, including dissolutions, custody,...

Paul W. Thorndal is a partner at Wald & Thorndal. He specializes in divorces of all kinds with an emphasis on gay divorce. Mr. Thorndal is a Certified Family Law Specialist (The State Bar of California Legal Specialization). Wald & Thorndal's practice areas include: Divorce, Dissolution & Contested Parentage Actions for all families; Custody Disputes; Mediation; Marvin Actions. Legal services provided at both the TRIAL and APPELLATE level. Assisted Reproduction; Adoptions of All Kinds; Family Contracts; Parenting Law including Surrogacy; Donor Contracts for Egg and/or Sperm Donations; Pre-Nupital Agreements; Co-Parenting Agreements; Domestic Partnership Agreements; Name Changes.

Ms. Bateman Smith is a strong and compassionate family law attorney. She is a strong advocate for her clients' rights in divorce cases involving Custody and Visitation, Child and Spousal Support, and division of community property. She also makes the survivor of domestic violence cases heard by the court. Partition actions are another area of law on which she advocates.

Twenty-six years with the Sonoma County Superior Court gives her a unique perspective in helping clients through each step of their case.

Ms. Bateman Smith is an active member of both the California Lawyers Association (CLA), Sonoma County Bar...

I am a San Francisco Divorce Attorney who has done Family Law/divorce cases for more than seventeen years. I have done hundreds of Family Law hearings, rather than just a few. I have had cases in every county in the Bay Area. An experienced attorney, like myself, can make a huge difference in the outcome of your family law situation. Call me at 415.240.9953 and I will give you an immediate free telephone consultation. You can text me at 415.240.9953. I do traditional representation and "Limited Scope." With Limited Scope, there is no large up front retainer. You just pay as...

Hello. My name is Carol Ferreyra and I am the founder and owner of Ferreyra Law Group. I am a California Family Law attorney who has been practicing exclusively Family Law since 2003. I am also a Certified Family Law Specialist, accredited by the State Bar of California Board of Special Legalization.

I am devoted to helping my clients resolve their legal issues in the manner that is best suited for them in the most cost effective manner.

Mr. Tabayoyon is an experienced trial attorney that focuses on personal injury and family law matters, including federal and state trial litigation.

Karen S. Fenchel

Professional Biography

Karen Fenchel is a sole practitioner in Walnut Creek, CA. She is a Certified Family Law Specialist and has focused on all areas of family law. Her practice is settlement oriented and includes both family law mediation and collaborative law. Karen has a strong commitment to helping clients resolve issues without going to court. She utilizes her training in both mediation and collaborative practice to assist families in crisis and help them gain control of their lives. Through mediation, collaborative process and negotiated settlements, she works toward equitable solutions that consider the...

We practice family law exclusively because we like helping people with legal issues that affect them personally. We handle our cases collaboratively, so you always benefit from the best of our expertise, skills, and experience. We're settlement oriented but trial ready.

Anthony Proffitt is an attorney located in Fairfield California. His practice areas are criminal defense and family law matters, including divorce, custody, visitation, and restraining orders. He has experience in debt collections and judgment enforcement as well. As a paralegal in the early 2000's, Anthony worked in a law firm located in Napa California that specialized in three strike laws and family matters. As a paralegal he opened his own business while working for the law firm and started assisting clients with affordable document preparation and filing for their legal matters. The attorney he worked for eventually became a judge...

We are a small law office offering family law and divorce related services to the people of the San Francisco Bay Area. We provide individuals and families with the help they need to resolve family law issues surrounding dissolution of marriages or domestic partnerships (divorce), adoption and surrogacy, prenuptial agreements, child custody, spousal support (alimony), and offer counsel and legal services to couples contemplating marriage or domestic partnership. We pride ourselves in being able to offer resposive and personalized service at affordable rates. By eliminating the crippling overhead and high management salaries that are common among larger Bay Area law firms,...

Kimberly is a founding partner of the law firm Lewellen | Strebe | Hopper P.C., a practice focused exclusively on family law. She is a trial attorney and mediator who specializes in matters involving high conflict parties and challenging legal issues in complex family law litigation. Kimberly is certified as a family law specialist by the State Bar of California. Kimberly has dedicated her practice to advising clients in garden variety divorces to individuals involved in high-stakes, complex financial and custody matters. With deep experience in complex family law litigation and premarital agreements, Kimberly helps her clients navigate challenging circumstances to...

Lisa R. Murray has practiced law since 1987, and family law since 1989, assisting families through the difficult divorce process. Ms. Murray assists her clients in reaching amicable and equitable settlement by offering services as a mediator, Collaborative Practice lawyer, consulting attorney for clients in mediation, and negotiating settlements. Ms. Murray has served her community as a court-appointed child advocate representing children in divorce cases, and Judge Pro Tempore. Ms. Murray's focus on consensual dispute resolution, such as mediation and Collaborative Practice was borne from her experience of the destructive manner in which litigation separates parents' and...

Certified Family Law Specialist (CFLS), State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization; LLM Taxation; Member California State Bar; Hawaii State Bar; Arizona State Bar; Contra Costa County Bar Association; Family Law Section Hawaii State Bar; Family Law Section Arizona State Bar, Trust and Estates Section Arizona State Bar. The law offices of Doyle Golde Grossman Family Law Group provides family law, divorce, estate planning and trust administration services in the Contra Costa County providing the community with deep legal talent and a professional result based representation.

Kate Reder is an associate attorney at Wald & Thorndal. She specializes in family formation, divorce, and dissolution for both traditional and non-traditional families. Firm practice areas include: Divorce, Dissolution & Contested Parentage Actions for all families; Custody Disputes; Mediation; Marvin Actions. Legal services provided at both the TRIAL and APPELLATE level. Assisted Reproduction; Adoptions of All Kinds; Family Contracts; Parenting Law including Surrogacy; Donor Contracts for Egg and/or Sperm Donations; Pre-Nupital Agreements; Co-Parenting Agreements; Domestic Partnership Agreements; Name Changes.