Berkeley Family Lawyers

Ethan M. Weisinger is a California State Certified Family Law Specialist working in all of the Bay Area Counties. He represents clients in all aspects of conventional family law matters, (divorce/separation, child custody, spousal/child support, etc.) as well as dissolution of same-sex marriages, including Registered Domestic Partnerships. Ethan graduated with honors from California Polytechnic University in San Luis Obispo with a degree in English and Political Science. Ethan then went on to study law at the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, and graduated with honors, with an emphasis in Trial Litigation in 2010. From 2010...

My work history has been focused in the area of family law and judgment enforcement for family law cases.

Prior to becoming an attorney in 2004, I obtained my paralegal certificate in 1979, established American Process & Courier Service in 1991. I have a broad range of experience including family law, civil litigation, probate, bankruptcy and estate planning.

I now focus on assisting self-represented litigants with document preparation services in family law and uncontested probate matters as well as enforcement of judgments.

In the past I have worked for the largest bankruptcy firm in the country and have handled hundreds of insolvency cases. Are you contemplating separating from your spouse? Have you been served with divorce papers already? I started my family law practice with the premise that I would always attempt to facilitate a collaborative divorce. Experience has allowed me to witness firsthand the potential of inadvertently creating acrimony between spouses (instead of reducing it) when the court system is used haphazardly. The courts should be a place of last resort - who wants a Judge who barely knows you to...

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 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...

Divorce doesn’t have to be a costly and painful battle. Mediator and Collaborative Divorce attorney Emily M. De Falla guides couples toward a cooperative, respectful divorce. By honoring both parties’ priorities, she can help you get around roadblocks and craft sensible solutions. The results are lower costs, equitable results, and healthier, happier kids.

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...

Mahal is a family law attorney based in the San Francisco Bay Area. She began her practice in 2014, having spent the previous fourteen years as a law clerk, educator, and paralegal specialist for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Her law practice integrates her passion for civil rights and her love for community. Mahal was born in Vallejo, and after a series of family tragedies enrolled herself in the tenth grade at Oakland Technical High School. She was legally emancipated as a minor the following spring. These childhood experiences inspired her to become an attorney and...

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...

I am also a Certified Public Accountant and have been doing tax work in the Bay Area for 30 years. I specialize in helping people and businesses pay as few taxes as possible without getting audited. In the estate planning area I help people preserve their property for their families and pay as few estate taxes as possible. I also am the Probate Doctor who can help fix impossible situations when estates are stuck in the quagmire of California Probate.

Business and International Experience
Wayne started in Auckland New Zealand, graduating after completing a challenging combined Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Laws in just 4 years, achieving top marks at his law school at Auckland University made up of 11,000 students where he was elected Student President in a landslide victory in his last year. Then recruited by a leading Merchant Bank, MARAC Corporation, Wayne moved to Citibank before becoming the founding Company Secretary for New Zealand's first publicly listed Investment Bank, founding Company Secretary for NZ’s first publicly listed Venture Capital company and a Director of a...

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...

Crabtree Law PC 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. 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 that rule family law issues. Dissolution of marriage (divorce), child custody...

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...

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...

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...

Because your family is the most important part of who you are, family law issues can create tremendous stress and upset in your life. With compassion and care, Kristine Fowler Cirby will be candid in reviewing the unique aspects of your case, clearly spelling out your options, and giving you realistic advice on how best to move forward.

For more than 28 years Kris has dedicated her life to helping families find the best resolution to their legal matters. She has worked with many different kinds of families with many different types of problems. Her experience has given...

Before merging her law office with Tammy J. Mercado’s, Mary Whipple opened her own law practice in the summer of 2008. Prior to that Mary was an associate attorney at the Law Office of Cummins & Holmes, a full-service civil litigation law firm in San Ramon. The majority of her experience is in family law, which includes divorce, custody, support, prenuptial agreements, and domestic-violence restraining orders. Mary has also represented clients in a variety of non-family-law cases, including juvenile dependency, probate, breach of contract, and employment disputes, to name a few. Previously, Mary worked as a contract attorney for O’Melveny...

For 22 years, I have devoted my career as a lawyer to helping parties resolve their conflicts efficiently, effectively and respectfully. I believe the quality of a mediated resolution, and of the mediation process, to be as important to the parties as the fact of resolution.

Robin M. Birnbaum practices exclusively family law, having done so since 2010. Robin’s experience as a mediator, litigator and Minor’s Counsel gives her a unique perspective into the practice of family law and she is able to offer creative and strategic solutions to address the most challenging and complex family law matters, including child custody, domestic violence and support.

Robin is a Certified Family Law Specialist, having been certified by the State Bar of California, Board of Legal Specialization in July 2016. Robin is currently serving on the Executive Committee of the State Bar of California, Family Law Section...

Tammy J. Mercado has a passion for helping her clients achieve their desired result. She listens and she personally responds to your text, email, or phone call promptly. She offers real solutions to your legal matters. Tammy will carefully evaluate the legal issues in your case, provide you sound advice, and offer you the pros and cons of each possible scenario so you can meet your legal objectives. She encourages clients to participate in their own matters. Tammy believes that client participation is key to a positive result and to keep attorney fees as low as possible. You can be...

Helen has provided quality mediation services in Alameda, Contra Costa and Solano counties since 1993. Her process permits private , effective resolution of legal disputes.

I have been practicing solely in family law since 2011. In 2018 I was accepted as a Certified Family Law Specialist with the State Bar of California. I have also received training focused in Family Law mediation.

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.