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Best Family Lawyers in Irvine, CA

Our Recommended Top 18

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

142Reviewed

92Curated

18Top Picks

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Providers

featured provider = Featured Provider

276 Victoria St, Costa Mesa, CA 92627

Expertise.com Rating

Why choose this provider?

Hammers & Baltazar LLP is a family law firm with family attorneys near Irvine that has been taking cases for the residents since 1997. The firm works with the victims of domestic abuse, and it helps them acquire restraining orders against their aggressors. It also assists clients with devising and finalizing prenuptial and postnuptial agreements. The legal team is experienced with mediation between spouses filing for divorce. Partner Barbara Hammers has been recognized as a Super Lawyer by Thomson Reuters.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Armine Baltazar - Managing PartnerActive27 yrs
Barbara Hammers - PartnerActive27 yrs

900 Roosevelt, Irvine, CA 92620

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Avvo
5.0 (148)
Yelp
5.0 (30)
Google
5.0 (27)

Why choose this provider?

The Law Office of Michael L. Fell provides family law services for any families and couples around Irvine. The firm employs an understanding and comprehensive approach to letting clients know about their possible options. It also strives to preserve the rights and futures of children in matters such as divorce, child custody disputes, and property division. One of its lawyers, Michelle L. Tran, focuses primarily on family law litigation. She is an Orange County Bar Association’s Family Law Section and Appellate Law Section member.

  • Domestic Violence

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Michael Fell - PrincipalActive35 yrs
Arghavani Law logo

Arghavani Law

2030 Main Street, Irvine, CA 92614

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Yelp
4.0 (29)
Google
4.6 (11)

Why choose this provider?

Founded in 1995, the Law Office of Fay Arghavani represents clients in Orange County and the surrounding areas. She takes cases involving divorce, domestic partnerships, spousal support, community property division, restraining orders (protective orders), paternity actions, mediation, and child custody, support and visitation. She works with individuals experiencing domestic or marital difficulty, providing information, strategies, and options to allow clients to make the best decisions regarding their lives and futures. She defends clients' rights and takes actions to minimize the risk and cost to clients. The firm's focus is client-centered, helping clients to amicably reach a resolution. She prefers mediation in family matters to help spouses maintain control of negotiations and to save time and money. She attempts to settle cases out of court whenever possible to minimize costs and emotional stress. She guides spouses through mediated, collaborative, or amicable divorces. Working as a mediator or collaborative attorney, she helps couples expedite the settlement of their issues through meetings and conferences outside the courtroom. However, if spouses can’t reach an agreement, she will go to court. Clients receive full support from the firm throughout the process. Attorney Fay Arghavani has over 25 years of legal experience and also handles personal injury and bankruptcy cases.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Fay Arghavani - PrincipalActive29 yrs

7700 Irvine Center Drive Suite 800, Irvine, CA 92618

Expertise.com Rating

Why choose this provider?

Writer Law Group, PC, caters to families and individuals in Irvine. The firm exclusively handles family law matters, including divorce, child custody and support, guardianships, and paternity. Its attorneys help resolve family disputes through mediation, but are prepared to litigate when necessary. Dedicated to client-centered service, the firm keeps its caseload small and maintains consistent communication with the clients. Principal Kayleene Writer is a Board-Certified Family Law Specialist. She represents the child's interests in highly disputed custody cases as an approved Minor's Counsel.

  • Divorce

24040 Camino del Avion Ste E-109, Monarch Beach, CA 92629

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Avvo
4.8 (5)
Google
5.0 (1)

Why choose this provider?

Bisbee Law Group is a private law firm located in South Orange County. This firm is devoted exclusively to the enforcement and collection of child and spousal support orders on a contingency basis. Ronn Bisbee is a former Deputy District Attorney for the Child Support Division. He has firmly established himself as a prominent child and spousal support enforcement attorney who is not afraid to aggressively litigate child and spousal support matters in court, and his track record shows it. He’s collected millions in support for custodial parents across the country. Bisbee Law Group has enforced orders nationwide but focuses mostly on Southern California Counties of Orange, San Diego, San Bernardino, and Riverside.

  • Enforcement and Collection

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Ronn Bisbee - PrincipalActive24 yrs

19762 MacArthur Blvd Ste 200, Irvine, CA 92612

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Yelp
4.0 (26)
Google
4.6 (21)
Avvo
3.0 (2)

Why choose this provider?

Founded in 1995, Stegmeier, Gelbart, Schwartz, & Benavente LLP is a law firm with family lawyers in Irvine. Focusing 100% on family law, the firm handles a wide variety of cases, ranging from simple divorces to complex custody issues. Its attorneys are well versed in handling the allocation of financial assets and domestic violence cases. Two of the firm's attorneys are fellows in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Robert Benavente - PartnerActive24 yrs
Jason Schwartz - PartnerActive23 yrs
Douglas Hatherley - PartnerActive15 yrs
Eleanor Stegmeier - Founding PartnerActive46 yrs
Saul Gelbart - Founding Partner/ Managing PartnerActive43 yrs

4 Venture Ste 390, Irvine, CA 92618

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Avvo
4.9 (90)
Google
4.6 (45)
Facebook
4.9 (30)

Why choose this provider?

Located in Irvine, The Law Offices of Brett R. Wishart provide family law services. With over 100 years of combined legal experience, the firm handles cases involving divorce, child custody and support, spousal support and alimony, paternity, and domestic abuse. Attorneys strive to help clients resolve matters in a timely, cost-effective manner. Founding Attorney Wishart is a member of the Orange County Bar Association: Family Law Section and Young Lawyers Division Section.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Brett Wishart - PrincipalActive19 yrs
Heidi Frankel - Senior AssociateActive29 yrs

2030 Main Street #1300, Irvine, CA 92614

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
4.9 (15)
Yelp
5.0 (8)

Why choose this provider?

Stepparent Adoption Center is a team of professionals serving individuals in and around the Irvine area. They guide clients through the process of adoption, helping them file adult and stepparent petitions. The firm is headed by Randy Hicks, who has been devoting his practice to adoption for 35 years. He has written books on step-parenting that were featured on CBS This Morning and The Today Show. Stepparent Adoption Center has offices in Irvine, Sherman Oaks, San Diego, and Riverside.

  • Child Custody
  • Divorce

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Randall HicksActive38 yrs

15615 Alton Parkway Suite 450, Irvine, CA 92618

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Avvo
4.9 (80)
Google
4.9 (64)
Facebook
5.0 (23)

Why choose this provider?

Law Offices of Kapesh V. Patel Attorney at Law is a firm serving Irvine and surrounding communities. It conducts case evaluations for different types of family law issues such as divorce, asset division, domestic violence, and protective orders. Its legal team also helps clients in navigating through the proceedings by performing research and providing substantial advice. The firm's practitioner, Kapesh Patel, has an extensive background in working for corporations and non-profits. He previously volunteered with the Office of the Public Defender for Riverside County.

  • Divorce
  • Child Custody

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Kapesh Patel - PrincipalActive12 yrs

101 Pacifica, Suite 100, Irvine, CA 92618

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
4.4 (21)
Avvo
5.0 (12)
Facebook
5.0 (9)

Why choose this provider?

The Buncher Law Corporation is an Irvine-based firm serving clients in the local metro. Its group of attorneys creates clear solutions to complex family problems, including divorce, property division, child custody, child support, and alimony. Led by a certified family law specialist, the team handles high-asset divorce. It has tackled divorce cases for business owners, athletes, politicians, and actors. The Buncher Law Corporation also helps clients modify existing child support and child custody decrees when a substantial change in circumstances occurs.

  • Divorce
  • Child Custody

4000 Barranca Pkwy. Suite 250, Irvine, CA 92604

Expertise.com Rating

Why choose this provider?

Lana Weiss has offices in Walnut Creek and Irvine that cater to clientele with family law cases, particularly those involving child custody, divorce, support, and related court orders. Weiss favors negotiation and mediation as methods to resolve family-related issues, from child custody and the division of assets and debts between the divorcing couple to the establishment and enforcement of child and spousal support orders. She also guides clients through the process of modifying existing court orders.

  • Child Support
  • Child Custody

38 Corporate Park, Irvine, CA 92606

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Avvo
5.0 (7)
Yelp
4.2 (5)
Google
5.0 (2)

Why choose this provider?

Law Offices of Kersten & Associates Attorneys at Law provides family law representation for clients in and around the Irvine metro. Its team of attorneys handles matters such as the dissolution of marriage, child custody and visitation, legal separation, asset allocation, and domestic violence. They also handle personal injury and business law. William Kersten, the principal attorney of this law office, started practicing in Southern California in 1989. He is joined by associate attorney Brandon Creel who has been in practice since 2007.

  • Divorce

1 Park Plaza Suite 1100, Irvine, CA 92614

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
5.0 (16)
Yelp
4.0 (14)

Why choose this provider?

Seastrom Tuttle & Murphy is a law firm that serves clients in Irvine. It helps individuals in resolving legal problems that have an impact on their families, including spousal support, breakdown of a marriage, and child custody. Its attorneys handle divorce cases involving high-net-worth individuals. They also work with experts and other potential witnesses who can help in obtaining optimal settlement results for clients. In the absence of settlement opportunities, the legal team provides aggressive legal representation using legal analysis, preparation, and presentations skills.

  • Divorce
  • Child Custody
  • Asset Distribution

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Philip Seastrom - ShareholderActive48 yrs
Philip Seastrom - ShareholderActive48 yrs

2010 Main Street, Suite 1000, Irvine, CA 92614

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Google
4.1 (14)
Facebook
5.0 (10)
Yelp
4.2 (5)

Why choose this provider?

TLD Law serves parties in Irvine with matters under family law. The firm handles palimony issues and makes prenuptial agreements to organize marital property relations. It also takes on child support, custody, and paternity disputes. The office participates in litigation processes, including pretrial procedures. Daniel Gold, firm attorney, was admitted to the practice of law in 1993 and became a partner in 2002. He is a state bar-certified specialist in family law and is licensed before the U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California.

  • Child Custody

10 Corporate Park, Suite 200, Irvine, CA 92606

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Avvo
5.0 (14)
Google
4.6 (11)
Yelp
5.0 (6)

Why choose this provider?

Quinn & Dworakowski, LLP, is a private law firm that serves the residents of Irvine and the surrounding areas. It provides legal services for a variety of family law matters, including divorce, legal separation, and pre-nuptial and post-nuptial agreements. It also handles related issues such as child custody, child support, spousal support, and division of assets. Founding partner David Dworakowski has been practicing law for more than three decades. He has been named to The National Trial Lawyers' Top 100.

  • Divorce

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Stephane Quinn - Founding PartnerActive13 yrs

100 Spectrum Center Drive, Ste 900, Irvine, CA 92618

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Yelp
4.6 (20)
Google
5.0 (12)

Why choose this provider?

Wellness Divorce provides legal representation to clients in Irvine and the surrounding communities. Primary attorney Benjamin S. Lee handles family law matters involving child custody and support, property division, pre-marriage counseling, international marriages, and relocation. He represents a wide range of clients, including professional employees, business owners, government workers, doctors, and engineers. He also dedicates time to volunteering to help low-income families with divorce proceedings. Lee is fluent in Mandarin and is conversant in Japanese.

  • Divorce
  • Alimony
  • Postnuptial Agreements

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Benjamin Lee - PrincipalActive14 yrs
Benjamin Lee - PrincipalActive14 yrs

420 Exchange, Suite 270, Irvine, CA 92602

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Facebook
5.0 (9)
Google
5.0 (3)

Why choose this provider?

California Divorce Mediators is a family law firm that serves clients in areas within Irvine. Its mediators provide spouses with alternative resolution options that contribute toward the settlement of disputes without the legal and financial burdens brought by complex litigation. They are available for consultations and discussions both in person and online through virtual mediation that adapts to a client's schedule and preferences. They work alongside therapists that assist spouses in sharing their concerns within confidential and dynamic setups in the mediation process.

  • Divorce

2050 Main St Ste 150, Irvine, CA 92614

Expertise.com Rating

Review Sources

Yelp
4.5 (6)
Google
5.0 (3)
Avvo
5.0 (1)

Why choose this provider?

Located in Irvine, Rios & Rios LLP is a family law firm that has represented clients throughout Orange County for over 40 years. In divorce cases, the firm handles arrangements and post-judgment modifications involving child support, custody, and visitation. It also facilitates property division, represents parents in paternity actions, and drafts prenuptial and postnuptial agreements. Founding attorneys Ronald and Christi Rios also represent clients who are victims or accused of domestic violence.

Attorney Information

Attorney NameBar StatusExperience
Christi Rios - PartnerActive27 yrs

Compare our Top Family Lawyers

NameExpertise RatingAddressPromotionsLearn more
Hammers & Baltazar LLP
276 Victoria St, Costa Mesa, CA 92627
Law Office of Michael L. Fell
900 Roosevelt, Irvine, CA 92620
Arghavani Law
2030 Main Street, Irvine, CA 92614
Writer Law Group, PC
7700 Irvine Center Drive Suite 800, Irvine, CA 92618
Bisbee Law Group, PC
24040 Camino del Avion Ste E-109, Monarch Beach, CA 92629
Stegmeier, Gelbart, Schwartz & Benavente, LLP
19762 MacArthur Blvd Ste 200, Irvine, CA 92612
The Law Offices of Brett R. Wishart
4 Venture Ste 390, Irvine, CA 92618
Stepparent Adoption Center
2030 Main Street #1300, Irvine, CA 92614
Law Offices of Kapesh V. Patel Attorney at Law
15615 Alton Parkway Suite 450, Irvine, CA 92618
The Buncher Law Corporation
101 Pacifica, Suite 100, Irvine, CA 92618
Lana Weiss
4000 Barranca Pkwy. Suite 250, Irvine, CA 92604
Law Offices of Kersten & Associates Attorneys at Law
38 Corporate Park, Irvine, CA 92606
Seastrom Tuttle & Murphy
1 Park Plaza Suite 1100, Irvine, CA 92614
TLD Law
2010 Main Street, Suite 1000, Irvine, CA 92614
Quinn & Dworakowski LLP
10 Corporate Park, Suite 200, Irvine, CA 92606
Wellness Divorce
100 Spectrum Center Drive, Ste 900, Irvine, CA 92618
California Divorce Mediators
420 Exchange, Suite 270, Irvine, CA 92602
Rios & Rios, LLP
2050 Main St Ste 150, Irvine, CA 92614

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 kinds of cases do family lawyers handle?

    Family lawyers handle all types of family-related issues, including divorce, child support and spousal support, custody, adoption, paternity and guardianship. Family attorneys can also handle prenuptial and postnuptial agreements and divide marital assets based on the policies outlined in these documents. Domestic violence cases are also within the purview of family law attorneys.

  • Is family court different from district court?

    In most states, family court is a division of the district court rather than a separate court system. Family law judges primarily preside over family disputes, such as divorce and custody hearings. Most states require family law judges to receive special training on how to best address family law matters.

  • How long do custody cases last in family court?

    The duration of custody cases can differ based on the circumstances surrounding the claim. A case in which parents agree to split custody can be quick, while lawsuits in which both parents or guardians are fighting for full custody can take much longer. Most child custody cases last three to 10 days, but this can vary under more challenging circumstances.

  • Why is there no jury in family court?

    There are no juries in family court cases because the concept of innocence or guilt does not apply. While there may be some cases in which additional opinions could be helpful, most cases are based on the letter of the law versus individual circumstances. Some states, including Texas, permit jury trials for family court cases, but this is uncommon.

  • What are the most common cases in family court?

    Family law covers a variety of different cases pertaining to familial relations. The most common cases in family court include:

    • Divorce cases, including settling issues of alimony, property distribution, and child care
    • Child custody and the determination of paternity
    • Domestic violence protection orders
    • Name changes, including modifications due to adoption or personal preference
    • Guardianship, including who will handle the care of a child or adult should current caretakers be unable to do so
    • Adoptions and the termination of parental rights
    • Juvenile matters, including child abuse and neglect, foster placements, and criminal conduct
    • Emancipation, which is the process of declaring a minor as independent from their parents
    • Approval of underage marriages

  • Do family lawyers handle mediation?

    Mediation can be a valuable part of a divorce case, counseling spouses to work through areas of disagreement in a fair, calm, and unbiased manner. Most, but not all, family lawyers handle mediation. Anyone who believes they may need intervention services is encouraged to ask about an attorney’s experience with resolving disputes, to ensure that support is available if necessary.