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2024

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Best Divorce Lawyers in Santa Monica

Our Recommended Top 18

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Our goal is to connect people with the best local professionals. We scored Santa Monica Divorce Lawyers on more than 25 variables across five categories, and analyzed the results to give you a hand-picked list of the best.

62Reviewed

44Curated

18Top Picks

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Providers

featured provider = Featured Provider

9107 Wilshire Boulevard, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Website

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Yelp
5.0 (28)

Why choose this provider?

A family and divorce lawyer near Santa Monica, Emily Rubenstein Law PC has worked with social media influencers, celebrities, and survivors of domestic violence in low-income communities. Attorney Emily Rubenstein's practice areas include divorce, child custody, child support, domestic violence, asset division, and spousal support. The firm offers solutions designed to fit client needs as well as straightforward responses to complex issues, with a priority placed on safeguarding children involved in a case.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Emily Rubenstein - PrincipalActive10 yrs

429 Santa Monica Boulevard, Santa Monica, CA 90401

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Yelp
4.5 (43)
Avvo
4.5 (15)
Facebook
5.0 (4)

Why choose this provider?

Fernandez & Karney is a law firm of certified family law and divorce attorneys that serve clients in Santa Monica and throughout Los Angeles. The team at Fernandez & Karney is composed of experienced associate attorneys and paralegals committed to protecting their clients' rights and improving their legal position in the areas of divorce, child custody, child support, complex property division, domestic violence, and spousal support. Fernandez & Karney can also handle post-judgment enforcement and modifications.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Steven Fernandez - Managing Partner / Principal /OwnerActive35 yrs

1112 Montana Ave #711, Santa Monica, CA 90403

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Yelp
5.0 (1)

Why choose this provider?

Clarke Logan Young Law Offices offer legal services in the Santa Monica metro. It represents clients in divorce mediation and assists in other family law matters, such as domestic violence restraining orders, California Domestic Partner Rights and Responsibilities Act, veterans paternity fraud, and cases involving special needs children. The law firm also offers national and international consultation on borderline personality disorder divorce cases. Founding attorney Clarke Logan Young re-established the law firm in 1999 as a family law practice.

  • Divorce

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Clarke Young - PrincipalActive45 yrs

1299 Ocean Avenue, Ste. 300, Santa Monica, CA 90401

Expertise.com Rating

Why choose this provider?

Stearns Kim Stearns & Ryan is a multi-practice firm that serves the Santa Monica community. It handles legal matters that involve family law, personal injury, estate planning, business affairs, and medical malpractice. Its family law cases include divorce, guardianship, visitation rights, child custody, and property division. One of its associates, Ryan Stearns, is a certified specialist in family law. He assists clients with contested and uncontested divorce proceedings, helping them resolve their issues by providing personalized legal advice.

  • Divorce

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Ryan Stearns - Managing PartnerActive31 yrs

401 Wilshire Boulevard Suite 1200, Santa Monica, CA 90401
Website

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Avvo
5.0 (3)
Google
5.0 (1)

Why choose this provider?

Bransky Law Group represents individuals in the Santa Monica metro in various aspects of family law. It accommodates clients who need legal assistance with their divorce proceedings. The firm deals with collaborative law and alternative dispute resolution and helps divorcing couples settle issues regarding child custody and visitation and spousal support. It also handles matters involving domestic partnership, same-sex marriage, and domestic violence. Founder Samuel Bransky has been practicing family law since 1977 and has mediated hundreds of cases in Los Angeles.

  • Child Custody
  • Child Support
  • Divorce

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Samuel Bransky - FounderActive11 yrs

100 Wilshire Blvd., Ste. 700, Santa Monica, CA 90401
Website

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
5.0 (8)

Why choose this provider?

RReiter Gruber LLP is a full-service law firm serving Santa Monica and its surrounding communities. The organization offers a wide range of family law services, including divorce proceedings. The firm's attorneys provide legal advice in divorce mediations, consultations, and litigation. The team also handles prenuptial agreements, trusts, and estate planning disputes. Prior to establishing the firm, founding lawyers Charlie Reiter and Robert Gruber previously worked for an international law firm where they obtained multi-million dollar settlements for various lawsuits.

  • Mediation

3625 Thousand Oaks Boulevard, Westlake Village, CA 91362

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Avvo
5.0 (2)

Why choose this provider?

Patricia Mann Attorney at Law is a Westlake Village firm offering divorce-related legal services to clients in Santa Monica and its surrounding areas. Established in 1989, the firm practices exclusively in family law. Divorce lawyer Patricia Mann helps clients navigate each step of the process, from spousal support and division of property to child support, custody, and visitation. The law firm provides mediation services and assists with modifications of support and custody agreements.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Patricia Mann - PrincipalActive35 yrs

9454 Wilshire Boulevard, Beverly Hills, CA 90212

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Facebook
5.0 (3)
Google
5.0 (2)

Why choose this provider?

Sherman Law Group is a Beverly Hills law firm that provides divorce counsel and representation to clients in the Santa Monica area. Its attorneys are Richard Lloyd Sherman and Abhay Khosla, whose combined experience span over 50 years. Sherman Law Group takes on family law and divorce cases, many of which are settled through Alternative Dispute Resolution such as mediation and arbitration. It also provides tax and accounting services, along with business valuation, in divorce-related matters like property division.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Richard Sherman - PrincipalActive42 yrs

11661 San Vicente Blvd., Suite 710, Los Angeles, CA 90049

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Avvo
4.9 (18)
Facebook
4.5 (11)
Yelp
5.0 (5)

Why choose this provider?

Davies Wegner Law is an all-female legal firm serving Santa Monica clients. It represents the best interests and rights of children in divorce cases. The family law attorneys resolve issues such as alimony, child custody and support, visitation, and domestic violence through mediation or litigation. Founder Talitha Davies Wegner is a certified family law specialist and mediator with over 10 years of experience. She founded the Intelligent Alternative Mediation Center, which offers a collaborative alternative to divorce and family conflicts.

  • Child Support
  • Child Custody

100 Wilshire Blvd, Santa Monica, CA 90401
Website

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Yelp
5.0 (8)
Avvo
5.0 (3)

Why choose this provider?

Based in Santa Monica, Hayat Family Law provides customized legal solutions to clients with divorce cases within the local metro. Its legal team assists clients with a variety of divorce-related matters, from thoroughly explaining all possible legal options to drafting a plan that meets its clients' specific needs and preferences. It also provides mediation services to clients who want to solve various divorce issues outside of court. Principal attorney Arsalan Hayatdavoodi holds a membership with the Iranian-American Lawyers Association.

  • Child Custody
  • Divorce
  • Child Support

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Arsalan Hayatdavoodi - PrincipalActive10 yrs

12121 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90025
Website

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Avvo
4.9 (49)
Yelp
5.0 (17)
Google
4.5 (8)

Why choose this provider?

Lavinsky Law assists clients in Santa Monica who are facing family law matters. The firm has been guiding couples and families to navigate the often complex divorce process since 2013, helping them move into the brighter chapters of their lives. It handles issues involving property distribution, child support, and alimony. The practice also represents victims of domestic violence and assists with obtaining restraining orders. Lead attorney Alexandra Lavinsky worked as a litigator at the Law Offices of Ronald A. Litz before she formed her own legal office.

  • Divorce

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Alexandra Lavinsky - PrincipalActive21 yrs

12424 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 720, Los Angeles, CA 90025

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
5.0 (1)

Why choose this provider?

The Law Office of Jacquelynn L. Hansen, APC, serves clients in Santa Monica and the nearby areas. It helps clients understand their legal recourses in divorce proceedings, considering lifelong implications on their finances and assisting them in making informed decisions. Hansen has been in legal practice since 2009. With her background in working with mental health professionals, she incorporates unique perspectives in conducting custody evaluations, identifying a child's developmental requirements, establishing parenting plans, and creating co-parenting strategies.

  • Contested
  • Alimony
  • Child Support

3075 Thousand Oaks Boulevard, Westlake Village, CA 91362

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Avvo
4.7 (13)
Yelp
4.0 (4)

Why choose this provider?

Pokras Law and Mediation is a Westlake Village legal firm that handles family law and divorce cases near Santa Monica. Divorce lawyer Barton Pokras has more than two decades of experience in family law, and he is trained in litigation, mediation, and collaborative law. The law firm helps clients navigate the divorce process, including matters like spousal support, child support, and child custody and visitation. It also negotiates property division and takes on high-asset divorce cases.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Barton Pokras - PrincipalActive52 yrs

2530 Wilshire Blvd, 3rd Floor, Santa Monica, CA 90403
Website

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Avvo
5.0 (11)
Yelp
5.0 (8)
Facebook
5.0 (4)

Why choose this provider?

Payne Law Group handles family law matters in Santa Monica, including divorce and adoption. The firm's attorneys assist clients in navigating legal procedures and negotiating for divorce terms that meet their interests. Having understood that each case is different, they provide individualized attention and offer custom solutions throughout the divorce process. Shannon E. Payne, the founding attorney, deals with various legal issues, including child custody and support, property division, and post-divorce modifications. Payne Law Group has been around since 2013.

  • Child Custody
  • Child Support
  • Divorce

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Shannon Payne - PrincipalActive11 yrs

3625 Thousand Oaks Boulevard, Thousand Oaks, CA 91362

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Avvo
5.0 (10)
Yelp
5.0 (5)
Google
5.0 (1)

Why choose this provider?

Stankowski Law Group is a firm that focuses on family law and divorce matters in Santa Monica. The legal office represents families in various issues, including adoption, annulment, domestic violence, high-asset portfolios, and modifications of agreements. With over 20 years of legal experience, Julie Stankowski helps divorcees develop mutually beneficial resolutions in disputes involving child custody and visitation, child and spousal support, and property division. She worked as an insurance defense and coverage attorney for Wilson, Elser, Moskowitz, Edelman & Dicker.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Julie Stankowski - PrincipalActive30 yrs

100 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 700, Santa Monica, CA 90401

Expertise.com Rating

Why choose this provider?

Law and Mediation Office of Frisco Fayer, PC, is a legal firm serving the Santa Monica metro. The firm's divorce lawyers provide family assistance using a human-centered approach. Its divorce proceedings include spousal and child support, property division, and child custody. The firm's attorneys draft premarital and postmarital agreements, provide judgment provision modification for child and spousal support, and offer domestic violence restraining orders. Its owner, Frisco Frayer, is a family law mediator volunteer at the Superior Courthouse in downtown Los Angeles and Compton.

  • Child Custody
  • Divorce

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Frisco Fayer - PrincipalActive20 yrs

9595 Wilshire Boulevard, Beverly Hills, CA 90212

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Yelp
5.0 (14)

Why choose this provider?

Baghdaserians Law Group is a private law firm that houses divorce attorneys in Santa Monica. The team at Baghdaserians Law Group covers all aspects of their clients' cases in order to provide the most effective solution possible. The firm can handle various divorce cases and family law matters including parentage, child and spousal support, domestic violence, and property tracing. Baghdaserians Law Group also advocates same-sex marriage, gender equality, and grandparents' rights.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Patrick Baghdaserians - Managing PartnerActive17 yrs

2530 Wilshire Blvd., Second Floor, Santa Monica, CA 90403
Website

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Yelp
5.0 (62)
Avvo
5.0 (35)
Google
4.7 (22)

Why choose this provider?

The Law Offices of Atousa Saei represents individuals going through a divorce in Santa Monica. It handles all aspects of divorces, including distribution of assets, child and spousal support, and child custody. It covers all settlement issues, negotiations, and appearances in the courtroom. It defends the clients' rights and assists clients all throughout the legal process. It also helps clients in drafting and filing all legal agreements. One of its lawyers, Atousa Saei, is a family law specialist certified by the California State Board of Legal Specialization.

  • Child Custody
  • Child Support

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Atousa Saei - Managing PartnerActive18 yrs

Disclaimer:  Consumers utilizing Expertise.com are free to communicate and contract with any lawyer they choose. Expertise.com is not involved in the confidential attorney-client relationship. Featured lawyers pay a reasonable advertising cost to market their legal services with Expertise.com and must meet similar selection criteria as other lawyers. All cases are different. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.

FAQs

  • What is the non-emergency contact number for the local police station in Santa Monica, California?

    Call (310) 458-8491 to reach the Santa Monica Police Department for a non-emergency dispatch.

  • Why does it take longer for Santa Monica couples in lengthy marriages to finalize their divorce?

    There are many factors that complicate a divorce in Santa Monica, but it all boils down to the fact that the longer couples spend time married, the more marital investments they make. This is particularly true if the couple has accumulated significant assets such as investments, businesses, and real estate. But it is not just finances that make the divorce lengthy, it can also be the emotional investment that couples have in their children.

  • Will entering into a new romantic relationship affect the amount of spousal support a person receives in Santa Monica?

    If the person decides to stay under the same roof with their new romantic interest, it may severely impact the support they receive from their ex-spouse. This is legally called cohabitation and the Santa Monica courts see this as proof that there is now a reduced or absolutely no need for financial support from the ex-spouse. Once the divorce is finalized, the person is free to be with whomever they want to be with.

  • What is the least stressful way to dissolve your marriage in Santa Monica?

    Entering into what is called a collaborative divorce is the least stressful way to dissolve a marriage in Santa Monica. Through this process, divorcing spouses and their respective attorneys resolve all the issues in a civil and cooperative manner. This allows for the whole ordeal to transpire smoothly without the trauma and stress that usually comes with a contested divorce.

  • Is it true that it only takes 6 months for a divorce in Santa Monica to be over?

    Not quite. There are many who misunderstand the fact that a court will finalize a divorce in six months to mean something else. Six months is just the earliest timeframe it takes for a Santa Monica court to settle a divorce but it does not automatically apply to each and every case. There are many factors that must be considered, like children and properties, and each one may take a lot of time to settle.

  • Are there any advantages to choosing mediation over a divorce in court in Santa Monica?

    There are many, actually. For one, there is far less stress involved in mediation than in bringing a divorce to court in Santa Monica. There is also more privacy with this option and it doesn't cost as much because the speed with which things get resolved is faster. Lastly, mediation is flexible and customizable. For example, if the spouses absolutely cannot stand each other, they can stay in separate rooms with the mediator in between.