Pauma Valley Family Lawyers

William Fitch, otherwise known as "Bill" is a senior attorney at Family Law Matters. Having a civil trial background for nearly two decades before joining the firm, Bill brings a unique knowledge of the law with him. He has tried hundreds, if not thousands, of cases over the years; and has conducted many jury trials. He also has extensive experience in discovery and law and motion issues. Bill's easy-going nature makes him easy to talk to, but do not underestimate his trial skills. Bill would always rather settle a case than try one one, because he recognizes the benefits to...

Scottie Leming is one of our senior attorneys. She graduated from Western State University College of Law and was admitted to the California State Bar in 1995. Scottie is an extremely experienced family law attorney and represented victims of domestic violence for twelve years before joining our firm.

Since 1995, Scottie has helped thousands of clients with great success. She understands the legal issues and uncertainties surrounding divorce, child custody and support are personal issues. She knows how to provide emotional support and clearly communicate with her clients. Scottie is well known and greatly respected within our legal community. She is...

Beshoy F. Shehata is the managing partner. He goes by “B.” B graduated from California Western School of Law and was admitted to the California State Bar in 2017. B is passionate about his career choice and loves helping his clients.

B was born and raised in Cairo, Egypt. He migrated to the United States with his family in 2000. He has six siblings. He always wanted to become an attorney to help those going through tough times. He understands how difficult it is to go through a divorce or a custody battle. He understands the stress and uncertainty that accompanies...

“Integrity Matters”
As a young woman, Gina experienced the pain and uncertainty of a protracted custody battle over her first child. It was this experience that caused her to become a lawyer. Her daughter is now happily married and attending medical school. Gina married her second husband in 1992. They have a teenaged son together, who still lives at home.

Gina was licensed to practice law in the state of California in 1997. Since then, she has amassed vast legal knowledge and courtroom experience. Her practice has always been limited exclusively to family law. Over the years, she has learned to listen....

Attorney Heather Cullen is a Certified Family Law Specialist and practices exclusively Family Law. Attorney Cullen is a native Southern Californian who graduated Cum Laude with a dual bachelor's degree in Philosophy & Law and Society from the University of California, Riverside. Attorney Cullen then earned her Juris Doctor Degree from The University of California at Davis School of Law. Attorney Cullen is currently an active member of the State Bar of California. She is licensed to practice law in the State of California and the U.S. District Court Central District of California. Attorney Cullen is also an active member of the...

Kristie Lee Bergamo has presided as a temporary judge in both Orange and Los Angeles Counties. She also has an extensive history serving as minor's counsel, and has taught classes to help other attorneys become certified as minor's counsel. Kristie joined Family Law Matters in August of 2018. She attended Willamette University Law School in Salem, Oregon, and was licensed to practice law in 2002. Since then, she has focused on the practice of family law. Prior to joining Family Law Matters, Kristie was a sole practitioner and earned a reputation as a fierce advocate of her clients. Kristie has...

Alexandria Jaquay is an Attorney at Cullen Family Law Group. Attorney Jaquay is currently an active member of the State Bar of California and practices exclusively Family Law. Attorney Jaquay is a Southern California native. She attended and completed law school while being a full-time paralegal and mother of two. Attorney Jaquay graduated in the top 1% of her class while excelling at legal writing and research. Attorney Jaquay has been with Cullen Family Law Group since 2002, and she has worked on family law matters ranging from a simple separation resolution to a contested divorce, including high asset division...

David K.Wilkinson is a Fellow with the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML), and started his education when he received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration from the University of Washington, one of the highest ranked undergraduate business schools in the United States. He was awarded membership to the National Dean’s List. David received his Juris Doctor degree from California Western School of Law School and graduated in the top one-third of his class. Co-founder of Wilkinson & Finkbeiner, David practices family law for the firm, handling all facets of the practice area, from straightforward negotiation...

Scott H. Finkbeiner is a co-founder of Wilkinson & Finkbeiner, LLP and is an expert in Family Law as he is California State Bar Certified Family Law Specialist. Scott is also a Fellow in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. Scott has dual degrees in accounting and finance from the University of Arizona. Scott serves as a volunteer for the Superior Court as a judge pro tem, Family Law settlement judge and mediator. Scott specializes in all aspects of complex family law cases from mediations to trials. Scott has litigated all issues involved in divorce and paternity cases...

Colleen Dillon Robinson has been licensed to practice law since 2009. Collen attended college at the University of Madison, Wisconsin. She graduated from California Western School of Law in 2009. Thereafter, she spent the first nine years of her legal career practicing in San Diego County before jointing Family Law Matters in 2018. Colleen is empathetic and a go-getter. She loves working at Family Law Matters because everyone is so positive and it allows her to help people through the most difficult times of their lives.

Colleen grew up as the third youngest of four children. Even so, her...

Attorney Moonazza "Mona" Naqvi is an Attorney at the Cullen Family Law Group. Attorney Naqvi is an active member of the State Bar of California and practices exclusively Family Law. Attorney Mona S. Naqvi has dedicated her life and work to helping others. Attorney Naqvi has been practicing Family Law since 2009. Attorney Naqvi uses her critical thinking skills and abilities to analyze client issues to achieve the best results possible for her clients. She is known for the impeccable service that she gives to her clients. Her passion is the welfare of children. She has taught Meditation to Elementary School...

Michael Fischer is a licensed California attorney licensed to practice in both state and federal court. Mr. Fischer has handled hundreds of contested and uncontested family law matters. He is known for his ability to guide his clients through the tumultuous processes of family court in an aggressive yet compassionate manner. Mr. Fischer graduated Cum Laude from Saint Joseph’s College in Rensellaer Indiana with a degree in Business Administration and Marketing and a minor in Political Science. For twenty-two years he oversaw the growth of his photography studio and photo processing laboratory in Soldotna, Alaska as well as owning and...

Drew received his Bachelor of Arts from Queens University of Charlotte, where he majored in Psychology and served as captain of the university tennis team. After college, he attended graduate school at West Virginia University, where he earned master’s degrees in social work and public administration, and participated in many community outreach projects. He also demonstrated exceptional work ethic by completing two master’s programs while simultaneously working as a tennis coach to help pay for his education. He later received his Juris Doctor degree from California Western School of Law, where he was a Dean’s List student and member of...

Education
Ms. Blair graduated from the Menlo College, Atherton, California where she was a magna cum laude graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business. Ms. Blair then received her juris doctor degree from the Thomas Jefferson School of Law, San Diego, California and was admitted to the California and Federal bars in 2002.

Professional Associations
Family Law Section, California Bar Association
San Diego North County Bar Association

Hannah J. Engholm received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of California, Santa Cruz, as a University of California Regent’s Scholar. Hannah simultaneously earned her Juris Doctor degree from California Western School of Law and her Master in Social Work degree from San Diego State University. She served as Senior Editor for the California Western International Law Journal. Hannah is involved in several volunteer opportunities, including San Diego’s Voices of Children where she has been a Court Appointed Advocate since 2010. Ms. Engholm has experience with all family law issues.

Mr. Mueller has been practicing law for thirty-five years and is licensed in California and Illinois. Graduating with honors from Loyola Law School in 1972, he was selected to associate with Chicago’s leading corporate firm and was also invited to become a Visiting Professor of Corporate Law at Loyola, where he had held the position as Assistant Dean of the Business School during his law studies. In his position as director of Father’s Rights Law Center®, Mr. Mueller, a Certified Family Law Specialist, benefits from his early litigation training and experience and will involve when needed, qualified and respected...

Stephanie Mendez attended law school in Orange County, CA, and passed the California State Bar on the first attempt. She first became interested in Family Law while interning at The Legal Clinic, in Fullerton, CA. After graduating law school, Stephanie began working at a local law firm in San Diego, CA, where she handled all aspects of family law, including child custody and visitation, child support, paternity actions, divorce actions, domestic violence issues, and spousal support. She is well versed in the complexities of family law, and the emotions that are involved. Her goal is to guide the client and...

PHONE CONSULT AVAILABLE. I have personal experience with hundreds of bankruptcy cases, ranging from simple chapter 7 cases to complex chapter 13 cases. I work with the majority of the bankruptcy trustees in this district and have appeared in the 341a hearings hundreds of times. I know the process and the nuances of bankruptcy law. Few attorneys possess my background and extensive experience in this area of the law.

EXCLUSIVE PRACTICE. My practice is limited to bankruptcy cases only. I keep up to date on all the laws related to bankruptcy to make sure I give you the best representation...

I was born and raised in Southern Calif with my beautiful Latino family (6 brothers & 2 sisters & parents) that taught me to love, respect and make the best of it, even with beans and tortillas at times. My migrant parents came from Texas in 1953 who later became a Gardener and a Professional House Keeper for the rich and beautiful Jewish families. They taught me and my brothers to love and respect our country. After obtaining High Honors at Indio High School, I attended UCLA and then went to Law School at Univ of West Los Ángeles...

I began my legal career as a juvenile dependency attorney. I spent nearly five years working full-time for dependency parents and children. That experience taught me how to be a strong and compassionate advocate, both in the courtroom and out. When Child Protective Services are involved, it is crucial to have a skilled dependency attorney working for you. The same goes for a family law case where you finances and valuable time with your children are at risk. Whether it's a juvenile dependency case or a family law matter, you deserve the time and attention necessary to ease your fears about the...

WE PROTECT PROFESSIONALS AND BUSINESS OWNERS FROM UNFAIR DIVORCE.
Our Law firm is focused exclusively on divorce, child custody, paternity actions, modifications of child support, spousal support, property division, domestic violence and all other issues that fall under the "umbrella" of Family Law. Our passion is our clients. We recognize that while people are going through situations dealing with the breakdown of a marriage or how best to share their children, it is an incredibly challenging and heartbreaking time. It is also very nerve-wracking to have the future of your children, and/or security (financial or otherwise) be unknown or be...

Born in Bakersfield, California and raised in Las Vegas, Nevada, Mr. Blado is a graduate of California Western School of Law. While at California Western, Mr. Blado studied Family Law and Community Property. During his third year of law school, Matthew was selected to serve as the judicial extern for the Honorable Nancy C. Oesterle.

While attending California Western, Mr. Blado was a founding member of the California Western School of Law Community Law Project which provided free legal assistance to poor and indigent members of the community. It was during this period that Mr. Blado was first exposed to the...

Our tagline, "When you want your case done right the first time," evolved as a result of continued client feedback expressing frustrations with past dealings with the process. Divorce is a difficult process. We are mindful of the emotional aspect as well as the costs involved with each case. Andrew P. Johnson, APC makes every effort to apply the right resources to each task so that we can keep costs at a minimum while still accomplishing your goals.

I am a licensed California Attorney and Certified Family Law Specialist with an office located in Vista directly across from...

Attorney Kevin A. Polis is a member of the State Bar of California, the San Diego Family Law Bar Association, North County Bar Association, and is Certified as a Specialist in Family Law by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. Kevin Polis has dedicated his career exclusively to the practice of divorce & family law. Because of this, he is certified by the State Bar of California as a Divorce & Family Law Specialist, a title that few attorneys in our area have, and one that shows a commitment to the practice of the law and delivering...

Michele B. Brown is an attorney licensed in the State of California and the United States District Court for the Southern District. She is a Certified Specialist in Family Law and the head of the Procopio Family Law Group. Ms. Brown has been practicing family law for approximately 25 years. She handles complex family law matters, including dissolution of marriage actions with business valuations, income analysis and financial litigation, custody, move-away and psychological evaluations, as well as pre-marital agreements, post-marital agreements, post judgment matters and enforcement actions. Ms. Brown cares deeply about the law and her clients....

Although our whole firm prides itself on being "warriors in court," I believe that I have a calling to spread the word to folks that there are alternatives to going to court. There are alternatives like mediation, collaborative law and cooperative law. People in our firm, and myself, had to take extra training, often at substantial expense and in other states, to be able to offer those alternative dispute methods for our clients. Now I have hobbies of "spreading the word" about those alternatives. I appear on TV, often with other members of our firm....

Meet Melissa Wheeler Hoff, a distinguished Newport Beach divorce attorney driven by a fascination with family law's intricate blend of psychological, emotional, and financial complexities. Specializing in high-asset divorce and high-conflict custody disputes, Melissa guides clients through every phase of marital dissolution, from mediation to post-judgment matters like enforcement and modifications. Her unique strength lies in connecting with clients, easing the discomfort of divorce litigation with mindfulness and empathy. Melissa firmly believes in dissolving marriages without destroying families, a philosophy encapsulated in her words: "You can dissolve your marriage without destroying your family if you are willing to take the high...

Scott Levin is a California family law attorney mediator in San Diego. As the only family law attorney in the greater San Diego area with the designation of Certified Divorce Financial Analyst™ who is entirely committed to resolving disputes in mediation, Mr. Levin is a skilled experienced California divorce mediator. After obtaining his Juris Doctorate from the prestigious University of Virginia School of Law and previously graduating Magna Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Arts from New York University, Mr. Levin helps clients negotiate equitable settlements with his finance, legal and dispute resolution expertise. Many know him as the...

Stephen V. Smith is a dedicated and skilled Divorce and Family Law attorney. He exclusively represents men and women going through difficult divorces and complex family issues. When possible, Stephen uses a non-adversarial approach, involving mediation and settlement. Because emotions run high in this area of the law, Stephen is also prepared to proceed to court to resolve cases. In addition to over 18 years advocating for clients, Stephen has personal experience with divorce. More than 20 years ago, before becoming an attorney, he represented himself in his own divorce and contentious custody battle. During this difficult time Stephen realized what...

MS. SICKLER joined Beatrice L. Snider, APC in 1985 and is the managing partner of the firm. Ms. Sickler obtained her Juris Doctorate from Hastings College of the Law in 1976 and her Bachelor of Science from the University of California at Los Angeles in 1973. Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Sickler was engaged in the general practice of law, including obtaining substantial civil and criminal trial experience. Ms. Sickler was admitted to the State Bar of California in 1976 and became a Certified Specialist in Family Law in 1991. She is a member of the State Bar of...

Full time mediator with offices in New York City and Southern California.
Palm Springs Office concentrates primarily on divorce, custodial arrangements and disputes related to real estate and probate, as well as family-owned business and vacation homes. New York City Office concentrates on corporate, commercial and finance matters

Extensive training in alternative dispute resolution techniques, including at the Harvard Law School Program on Negotiation, the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution in London (CEDR), the American Arbitration Association.
(AAA),and the International Mediation Institute (IMI)., Among other panels, he mediates disputes as a member of the mediation panels of CPR,...

Board Certified Family Law Specialist with more than 35 years of litigation experience. Attorney Scott represents clients in a wide variety of family law matters. This includes military cases, complex cases in contested matters of divorce, alimony, child custody, child support, paternity, representation of families of professional baseball and football players, business evaluation and division. Mr. Scott is skilled and experienced with the treatment of professional practices and separately held businesses in divorce.

Mr. Scott also has more than 35 years of litigation experience in the following family law areas of practice:

Domestic Violence
Post Judgment Family Law
Prenuptial and Postnuptial Agreements
Grandparent Visitation Rights
Legal...

Mark is a licensed attorney with the State Bar of California. Headquartered in Riverside, California, Mark strives to provide effective, quality legal representation for men in the Inland Empire and Orange County with a focus on building strong personal relationships to help guide men through the most challenging chapters of their lives. Prior to founding Reel Fathers Rights, Mark spent nearly a decade as a sports and fitness industry executive, working for multiple Major League Baseball Franchises, and one of the biggest fitness brands in the country, as well as founding and operating multiple startups in the sports and fitness...

Dennis Temko provides exceptional representation in appellate matters in California State Courts in San Diego, Los Angeles, San Francisco, and elsewhere. His appellate practice is focused on family law matters including custody, property division, child and spousal support, stock options, high income earners, Ostler Smith (bonus support orders), domestic violence restraining orders, and imputation, among other issues. Most of his practice has been devoted to family law appeals and writs since his 2013 admission to the California State Bar. Super Lawyers Magazine recognized Mr. Temko as a rising star in 2017, and again in 2018.

Mr. Temko has...