Areas Of Practice
- Family Law
- Divorce
- Custody
Certified Legal Specialties
- Certified Family Law Specialist, Board of Legal Specialization, State of California, 1988 - Until retirement
Bar Admissions
- California, 1978
Education
- University of San Diego School of Law, San Diego, California
- J.D. - 1978
- Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts
- B.S. - 1972
- Strauss Institute of Dispute Resolution, Pepperdine University (on-going)- Advanced Mediation: Skills and Techniques; Advanced Problem Solving Theory and Design;
- 2004 Collaborative Divorce Training: Interdisciplinary Training in Collaborative Law and Collaborative Divorce
- 1994 Divorce Mediation and Conflict Resolution, the Northern California Mediation Center (Joan Kelly, Ph.D. & Nancy Foster, Esq.)
Classes/Seminars
- 2013: Discovery in Family Law Cases (6.5 hrs)
- 2012: Child Custody- The New Era (6.5 hrs)
- 2011: Child Custody (6.5 hrs)
- 2010: The Hearsay Evidence Seminar: (3 hrs)
- 2009: The All Evidence Seminar (3 hrs)
- 2007-2009 monthly seminars (1hr)
- 1995: How to Make Money Practicing Family Law (6.5 hrs) (presented with Garrett Daily, Esq.)
- 2014 “Evidentiary Privileges”
- 2012 “Taking the Deposition of the Opposing Party”
- 2009 “The All Evidence Seminar”, Closing Argument
- 2007 “Preparing your Law Office for Disaster,” Bench and Bar Program, Northern San Diego County Bar Association
- 2007 “How to Avoid Pitfalls and Problems when Representing Children”, Minor’s Counsel Training Seminar, Certified Family Law Specialists, San Diego County Bar Association
- 2004 "Representing Children in Dissolutions", Northern San Diego County Bar Association, Family Law Section
- 1999 "Divorce Mediation", California Legal Secretaries Association, North County Legal Secretaries Association
- 1995 "Hot Tips from the Experts on Effective Opening Statements and Closing Arguments", Panelist, Bar Association of Northern San Diego County
- 1995 "Mediation of Family Law Disputes", Co-speaker, Bar Association of Northern San Diego County
- 1992-1994 Family Law/ Law Office Management, presented with Garrett Dailey, Esq. & Jan Gabrielson, Esq. (State Bar of California)
- Vista Adult School, Vista, California, Extension Instructor, "Communication Skills”, 2005-2010
- Palomar College, San Marcos, California, Adjunct Professor, Family Law and Mediation, 2001-2005
- Palomar College, Instructor, Extension Course, "Divorce, Custody, Support and Property Rights," 1992-1996
- National University School of Law, instructor, Domestic Relations, 1989
- University of San Diego, Paralegal Program instructor, Family Law, 1989
Honors and Awards
- Super Lawyer: 2014, 2013, 2010, 2009
- Finalist, North County Attorney of the Year (2011), North County Bar Association
- Semi-finalist, San Diego County Family Law Attorney of the Year (2011), San Diego Daily Transcript
Professional Associations and Memberships
- Elected to the Board of Directors, San Diego County Family Law Bar Association (2014-2016)
- Family Law Section, California Bar Association , Member
- Law Practice Management Section, California Bar Association , Member
- Association of Certified Family Law Specialists, Member
- Bar Association of Northern San Diego County , Member
- Rotary International, Member
- 2006- Present. Education Chair, Certified Family Law Specialists of the Northern San Diego County Bar Association
- 1995 Representative to the Family Court Services Subcommittee of the San Diego Certified Family Law Specialists
- 1994-1995 Member, Family Law Local Rules Committee of the Bar Association of Northern San Diego County
- 1994-1995 Chair of the Law Office Management Subcommittee of the Executive Committee of the San Diego Certified Family Law Specialists
- 1992-1995 Elected to 3-year term to represent the Certified Family Law Specialists of the Bar Association of Northern San Diego County on the San Diego County Certified Family Law Specialists Executive Committee
- 1992-1993 Founder and Chairperson, Certified Family Law Specialists of the Bar Association of Northern San Diego County
- 1992 Co-Chair, Law Office Management and Legal Technology Section, Bar Association of Northern San Diego County
Past Employment Positions
- Judge Pro Tem: Superior Court, Northern San Diego County Branch, Family Law Division, 1992 to 2006