About the Authors
Roberta B. Bennett, Esq., is a partner in the law firm of Bennett & Erdman in Los Angeles. She has been in private practice since 1979 and is a Certified Family Law Specialist with a practice limited to family law and estate planning. She has played a key role in Los Angeles County in developing standards for child custody and visitation rights as well as adoption, and continues to work with the judiciary to formulate and implement adoption procedures and forms. Ms. Bennett is a frequent lecturer, has published numerous articles, and is an active member of many community organizations. She was also a contributing author to CEB’s now-discontinued title, California Domestic Partnerships and Same-Sex Marriage (Cal CEB). Ms. Bennett received her J.D. in 1978 from San Fernando Valley College of Law.
Sandra I. Blair, Esq., maintains a law practice in San Francisco. She is a Certified Family Law Specialist who mediates family law disputes as well as represents clients on a full range of family law issues. She is active in the field of collaborative law and also serves as a private judge. Ms. Blair is a frequent lecturer on family law matters and is both a contributing author and editorial consultant to California Marital Settlement and Other Family Law Agreements (3d ed Cal CEB), and was a contributing author to CEB’s now-discontinued title, California Domestic Partnerships and Same-Sex Marriage (Cal CEB). She received her J.D. from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. Ms. Blair is both a contributing author and consultant for this publication.
Robert E. Blevans, Esq., is a partner in the Napa family law firm of Lewis & Blevans, LLP. He is a Certified Family Law Specialist and has extensive experience handling complex and high-asset cases, particularly those involving issues of valuation and disposition of real estate investments and small businesses and professional practices. Mr. Blevans, a Fellow and former Chapter President of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, served as the chair of the Family Law Section of the Napa County Bar Association from 1998 to 2002. He also has served as a judge pro tem and mediator for the family law department of the Los Angeles County Superior Court. More recently, he was selected as one of the “Top 100 Northern California Lawyers” and has lectured extensively on family law topics. Mr. Blevans earned both his undergraduate degree and J.D. from Western State University College of Law.
Katie Burke, Esq., maintains a solo law practice in San Francisco, specializing in family law cases. Ms. Burke worked as a family law litigation associate for several San Francisco firms before opening her own practice in 2006. She is co-chair of the Domestic Violence Committee of Queen’s Bench in San Francisco, as well as a volunteer attorney for the Homeless Advocacy Project of Glide Memorial Church Legal Clinic in San Francisco. Ms. Burke is an active member of the family law sections of the Bar Association of San Francisco and of the State Bar, as well as a current member of CEB’s Family Law Advisory Committee. She earned her undergraduate degree from Fairfield University (Connecticut), her master’s degree from Arizona State University, and her J.D. from the University of San Francisco School of Law.
Jeffrey W. Erdman, Esq., is a partner in the law firm of Bennett & Erdman in Los Angeles. His practice focuses on civil litigation, including business and contract disputes, as well as domestic partnership matters. He is chair of the California State Bar Committee on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Discrimination and has served as an officer of the Lesbian and Gay Lawyers Association of Los Angeles. He is active in a variety of other community organizations as well. Mr. Erdman,received his J.D. from Southwestern University School of Law in 1995. He was a contributing author to CEB’s now-discontinued title, California Domestic Partnerships and Same-Sex Marriage (Cal CEB).
Michael A. Fisher, Esq., maintains a law practice in Santa Ana. He is a Certified Family Law Specialist and a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, serving as the Secretary of the Southern California chapter. Mr. Fisher is Vice-Chair of the State Bar’s Family Law Advisory Commission for 2007–2008. He has lectured on family law issues for CEB, the Orange County Bar Association, and other organizations. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Washington and his J.D. from Western State University College of Law.
The late Hon. Barrett J. Foerster served as a judge of the Imperial County Superior Court and formerly was the Presiding Family Law Judge of that court. Judge Foerster began his service as a judge in November 2003, after serving as a Probate Referee and Inheritance Tax Referee, as well as a judge pro tem in family court, while also in private practice (since 1970). During his career as a private attorney, he became a Certified Family Law Specialist and was the attorney of record in several published appellate decisions. In 2004, Judge Foerster was recognized for outstanding service as a Family Law Specialist and Superior Court Judge by the State Bar’s Board of Legal Specialization. Judge Foerster was active in community affairs, as well as serving as a panelist in family law and domestic violence seminars in Imperial County. He also wrote articles for scholarly journals and was a contributing author to California Child and Spousal Support: Establishing, Modifying, and Enforcing (Cal CEB). Judge Foerster earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Pennsylvania, his J.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law, and an LL.M in labor and employment law from the University of San Diego School of Law.
Neil M. E. Forester, Esq., is an associate attorney with Downey Brand, LLP in Sacramento. He has successfully negotiated marital settlement agreements involving complex community property, business valuation, and accounting issues, as well as handled a variety of other family law matters. He is a contributing author to California Child Custody Litigation and Practice (Cal CEB) as well as a member of CEB’s Family Law Advisory Committee. He earned his undergraduate degree (with highest honors) from California State University, Sacramento, and his J.D. (with distinction) from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law.
Robert A. Goodman, Esq., is the managing partner of a five-attorney family law firm in Oakland. He is a Certified Family Law Specialist and the current chair of the Executive Committee of the Family Law Section of the Alameda County Bar Association. Mr. Goodman also has served as a judge pro tem in Alameda County Superior Court and is a member of numerous professional associations. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and his J.D. from the University of San Francisco School of Law.
Terry M. Hargrave, CPA/ABV, CFE, is a forensic accountant and principal of Hargrave & Hargrave, an accountancy corporation in Santa Monica. Ms. Hargrave’s practice includes work in business valuation and investigative accounting in family law cases, and she has qualified as an expert witness in the superior courts of at least four California counties. She is a frequent lecturer on forensic accounting and business valuation techniques for both accountants and attorneys and is a member of numerous professional associations. Before joining her current firm, she was the chief financial officer for an investment holding company as well as a real estate development and management company. Ms. Hargrave earned her undergraduate degree (with high honors) from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Charlotte L. Keeley, Esq., maintains a law practice in Sacramento, where she handles all aspects of family law cases. She is a Certified Family Law Specialist and is a past chair of the Family Law Section of the Sacramento County Bar Association. Ms. Keeley has lectured on various family law issues, including in programs for CEB, and is an active member of several professional associations. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of California and her J.D. from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law.
Lawrence E. Leone, Esq., is a Certified Family Law Specialist and partner in the Los Angeles family law firm of Trope and Trope. Mr. Leone has played prominent roles with the family law sections of the Los Angeles County and the Beverly Hills bar associations. He has written extensively for the annual Los Angeles County Bar Association Family Law Symposium and is an ongoing editorial consultant for the California Family Law Monthly. Mr. Leone has also served as a judge pro tem in Los Angeles and Santa Monica, as well as a family law mediator. He was named a “Southern California Super Lawyer” by Los Angeles Magazine in 2004 and 2005. He is a contributing author to the following publications: Dissolution Strategies: From Intake to Judgment (Cal CEB), California Child Custody Litigation and Practice (Cal CEB), and Dividing Pensions and Other Employee Benefits in California Divorces (Cal CEB). Mr. Leone earned his undergraduate degree from the University of California, Los Angeles, and his J.D. from Loyola University of Los Angeles School of Law.
Sharon F. Mah, Esq., maintains a family law practice in San Rafael. She is a Certified Family Law Specialist and Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. She has been a frequent speaker on family law topics for CEB and has served as an adjunct professor for a domestic relations course at the University of California, Hastings College of the Law, as well as an associate at law at the University of California, Davis, School of Law. Ms. Mah formerly served on the Executive Committee of the State Bar’s Family Law Section and was a member of the State Bar’s Family Law Advisory Commission. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and her J.D. from the University of California, Davis, School of Law.
Christopher C. Melcher, Esq., is a partner with the law firm of Walzer & Melcher, LLP, with offices in Woodland Hills and Beverly Hills. Mr. Melcher’s practice is focused exclusively on family law. He is a current member of the Executive Committee of the State Bar’s Family Law Section as well as a member of the Judicial Elections Evaluation Committee of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. Mr. Melcher has lectured extensively on family law topics and served as a continuing moderator for CEB’s annual Family Law Conference. He earned his undergraduate degree from California State University, Northridge, and his J.D. from Pepperdine University School of Law.
Leslee J. Newman, Esq., is a Certified Family Law Specialist, with a solo practice in the city of Orange. Her practice embraces all areas of family law, but emphasizes the use of mediation and collaborative techniques, and she is the founding president of Collaborative Divorce Solutions, Orange County—a nonprofit organization that promotes public education on alternatives to traditional divorce litigation. Ms. Newman has been a director-at-large for the Family Law Executive Committee of the Orange County Bar Association since 2004 and is a member of numerous other professional and civic organizations. She has lectured and written articles on family law topics, served as an on-call judge pro tem for the Orange County Superior Court, and has been an instructor at both Los Angeles Valley College and California State University, Northridge. Ms. Newman earned undergraduate and master’s degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and her J.D. from Valley University School of Law (North Hollywood).
Shanon K. Quinley, Esq., maintains a solo law practice in Pasadena, with an emphasis on family law. She is an active member of the family law sections of the Los Angeles County Bar Association and the State Bar, as well as a member of the Pasadena Bar Association. Ms. Quinley also is a member of CEB’s Family Law Advisory Committee. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and her J.D. from Southwestern University School of Law.
Esther Rosenfeld, Esq., is the owner and principal of Rosenfeld Family Law, P.C., in San Mateo and practices exclusively family law in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties—offering both litigation and mediation services. She is a past president of the Family Law Section of the San Mateo County Bar Association, and also is a member of the Family Law Advisory Committee of the San Mateo County Family Court. She serves on the Santa Clara County judge pro tem panel and is a member of the Santa Clara County Bar Association. She formerly served on the Executive Committee of the State Bar’s Family Law Section, and has been a featured speaker on radio station KALW’s “Your Legal Rights” program, discussing family law issues. She was named a Northern California “Super Lawyer” in 2012, and has a Martindale-Hubbell “AV” rating. In addition to her contributions to this publication, she also is a contributing author of California Child and Spousal Support: Establishing, Modifying, and Enforcing (Cal CEB). Ms. Rosenfeld earned her undergraduate degree from Columbia University and her J.D. from the University of California, Davis, School of Law.
Lance A. Russell, Esq., maintains a law practice in San Rafael, with an emphasis on family law. In addition to traditional family law litigation, he handles mediation and appeals. Mr. Russell was an attorney of record in the following published family law cases: Marriage of Pearlstein (2006) 137 CA4th 1361 and Marriage of Eben-King & King (2000) 80 CA4th 92. He earned his undergraduate degree (with highest honors) from Duke University, and his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center.
William R. Russell, Esq., maintains a law practice in San Francisco. He has been a Certified Family Law Specialist for over 20 years and focuses his practice on litigation of complex family law matters. He is a member of numerous bar associations, in addition to the Family Law Section of the State Bar. Mr. Russell earned his undergraduate degree (with honors) from the University of California, Berkeley, and his J.D. from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law.
Cheryl A. Sena, Esq., is a Certified Family Law Specialist who practices in San Francisco with the Law Offices of Cullum & Sena. She specializes in complex marital property issues, domestic partnership disputes, and collaborative law and mediation, as well as traditional family law litigation. Ms. Sena has practiced for over 30 years and lectured extensively in family law, including for workshops on rights of unmarried couples. She is a member of numerous legal and civic organizations and is a recipient of the Bar Association of San Francisco’s “Outstanding Volunteer in Public Service” award. Ms. Sena earned her undergraduate degree from the College of Staten Island, City University of New York, and her J.D. from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law.
Hon. Gretchen W. Taylor has served as family law Commissioner of the Los Angeles County Superior Court since 2003. She formerly served as a family law Commissioner for 6 years in Riverside County. From 1982 until becoming a bench officer in 1997, Commissioner Taylor practiced law in Encino, West Los Angeles, and Beverly Hills, handling complex family law matters, during which time she became a Certified Family Law Specialist. Before becoming an attorney, she worked for many years with the Los Angeles County Department of Children’s Services. Commissioner Taylor is a contributing author to Dissolution Strategies: From Intake to Judgment (Cal CEB). She earned her undergraduate degree from Marymount College (Palos Verdes) and her J.D. from Southwestern University School of Law. Commissioner Taylor is both a contributing coauthor and consultant for this publication.
Michael C. Tobriner, Esq., maintains a law practice in San Francisco. He is a Certified Family Law Specialist and Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, and has practiced for over 30 years. For the past decade, he has emphasized the use of mediation and collaborative approaches in his practice. He has served as a settlement conference judge in the family law departments of both the San Francisco and Marin County superior courts, and as a judge pro tem in San Francisco. In addition to his numerous other professional affiliations, Mr. Tobriner is a member of Collaborative Practice San Francisco and the International Association of Collaborative Professionals. He has long served as a seminar lecturer on family law topics as well as an adjunct professor at both the University of California, Hastings College of the Law and the University of San Francisco School of Law. Mr. Tobriner earned undergraduate and master’s degrees from Stanford University, and his J.D. from Harvard University Law School.
Jennifer F. Wald, Esq., is a member of the Family Law Group at Lakin Spears, LLP in Palo Alto. She is a Certified Family Law Specialist and her practice is devoted exclusively to family law, with an emphasis on complex financial issues. She is the coauthor of the article “Equitable Apportionment of a Separate Property Business,” published by the Family Law News, and has spoken at numerous family law seminars. She is an active member of the State Bar regional subcommittee on family law legislation and also serves as a judge pro tem for the Santa Clara County Superior Court. Ms. Wald is a member of numerous professional and civic organizations. She earned both her undergraduate and law degrees from Stanford University.
Terry S. Wheeler, Esq., practices law in Oakland as an associate of the Law Office of Sylvia Woods, with an emphasis in family law. She is a contributing author to Dissolution Strategies: From Intake to Judgment (Cal CEB). She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of San Francisco, and her J.D. from Golden Gate University School of Law, San Francisco.
Lynne Yates-Carter, Esq., is a Certified Family Law Specialist, with a family law practice in San Jose. She is a Fellow (and past chair, Northern California) of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, and has served on the Executive Committee of the Family Law Section of the Santa Clara County Bar Association. During her over 35 years of practice, she has served as a Chair of the Executive Committee of the State Bar’s Family Law Section. In addition to her practice, Ms. Yates-Carter serves as a case manager, discovery referee, and private judge in family law cases. She has been named a “Northern California Super Lawyer” for the past several years. She earned both her undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Santa Clara.
About the 2018 Update Authors
Roberta B. Bennett, Esq., is update coauthor for chapter 18. See her biography in the About the Authors section of this book.
Olga B. Ginzburg, Esq., is a partner with Bennett & Ginzburg, a boutique firm in Beverly Hills, CA. She is a member of the Family Law Section of the State Bar of California, the Los Angeles County Bar, and the Beverly Hills Bar Association. Ms. Ginzburg’s practice focuses solely on family law. She has extensive litigation experience dealing with all aspects of family law matters including restraining orders, custody, property division, paternity actions, and dissolution of domestic partnerships. Ms. Ginzburg received her B.A. in Political Science from University of California, Los Angeles in 2002 and her J.D. from University of West Los Angeles School of Law in 2007, graduating cum laude. Ms. Ginzburg is update coauthor for chapter 18.
Edward M. Lyman, Esq., is a solo practitioner in Santa Monica. He is a plaintiff’s and family law attorney who handles litigation, trial, and appeals. He received his B.S.C. from the University of Miami (Florida) in 2003 (cum laude, honors program), and his J.D. from the University of Florida, Levin College of Law, in 2006 (with honors). He is a member of the State Bar of California, the Family Law Section of the California Lawyers Association, the Los Angeles County Bar Association, the Family Law Section of the Beverly Hills Bar Association, the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles, and the California Employment Lawyers Association. He currently serves as the Trial Practice & Techniques Chair of the American Bar Association, Family Law Section. Mr. Lyman is update author for chapters 3 and 14.
Christopher C. Melcher, Esq.,is the update author for chapter 6. See his biography in the About the Authors section of this book.
Shanon K. Quinley, Esq., is the update author for chapter 17. See her biography in the About the Authors section of this book.
Esther Rosenfeld, Esq., is the update author for chapter 4. See her biography in the About the Authors section of this book.
Jennifer F. Wald, Esq., is the update author for chapter 13. See her biography in the About the Authors section of this book.
