OUR PRACTICE AREAS

We practice in all areas of family law, including:

• prenuptial and postnuptial agreements
• marital dissolution and separation
• family law mediation
• child custody and visitation
• child and spousal support
• paternity and domestic violence
• collaborative law.

Our family lawyers receive assistance from other lawyers in the firm for complex cases that involve collateral issues such as business, property, or financial matters.

CERTIFIED FAMILY LAW SPECIALISTS

FMBK has a team of eleven top notch family law attorneys to service your needs. Nine of our eleven family law attorneys have earned the special distinction of Certified Family Law Specialists (CFLS) from the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization.

Robert C. Brandt, CFLS*, is the head our firm’s Family Law Department. He is a Fellow of both the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, where he serves as Treasurer of the Southern California Chapter, and the International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. Mr. Brandt is the current Chair Elect of the Los Angeles County Bar Association Family Law Section, former Chair Elect, Section Vice Chair, Treasurer and Secretary, and has been a member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association Executive Committee Family Law Section for more than six years.  In addition, Mr. Brandt is a member of the Beverly Hills Bar Association Family Law Section Executive Committee (2009-2010). He has previously served as the Chairperson of the Continuing Legal Education Subcommittee. Mr. Brandt participated in the forming of the Family Law Branch of the American Inns of Court in Los Angeles and has been on its Executive Committee since 2006.

OUR DIVERSE LEGAL KNOWLEDGE

To be effective, a family lawyer must be knowledgeable about all areas of law. Divorce, in particular, often involves many different legal areas such as taxes, real estate, finance, business transactions, custody and others. FMBK’s attorneys practice in more than one area of law and can handle different aspects of your case with competence and efficiency.

FAMILY LAW MEDIATION

FMBK offers family law mediation. FMBK is flexible in its approach to family law mediation, which includes initially meeting with the clients and their attorneys, if applicable to design a strategy to resolve the matter as quickly and efficiently as possible given the unique fact of each family law situation.

UNBUNDLING OF SERVICES

We also offer our clients the option of "unbundling" our services. You may choose not to have our attorneys handle your entire case but just hire them for certain aspects of your case. For example, we can review settlement agreements, and/or prepare all the legal paperwork for you so you can attend court by yourself and represent your own case in pro per. This can be a cost effective way of handling your case. However, not all matters of law easily lend themselves to unbundling of services. Please contact Steven A. Mindel for advice as to whether your case can could be effectively handled in this manner.

WE ARE BOTH COMPASSIONATE AND TOUGH

FMBK knows that antagonistic confrontation between parties makes a family-law case longer, more frustrating and more costly. So we try to reduce the animosity between the parties and settle the case amicably, for the long-term benefit of the client. But if the other party is unreasonable or unrealistic about their expectations, we are just as able to take them to court and act as strong, faithful advocates for our client. We are able to change gears between personal compassion and toughness whenever necessary.

MINIMIZING EMOTIONAL AND FINANCIAL STRESS

Our Family Law Department has four Certified Family Law Specialists*, as well as five other lawyers, who work hard to minimize our client's emotional and financial stress. We are aware that divorce and other family-law issues can be very traumatic and expensive, so our goal is to explore a realm of solutions before even considering going to court -- and getting lost in the no-win adversarial system.

COLLABORATIVE LAW

Collaborative family law allows participants in a family law matter to work together to reach a mutually beneficial resolution of family law issues without the burden of arguing in court. Feinberg Mindel Brandt & Klein attorney Steven A. Mindel is experienced in using collaborative methods for resolving a divorce or other family law issues. Because each party and their attorneys have agreed to forgo court and act in good faith to reach a negotiated settlement, collaborative processes may prevent the expense and bitterness frequently associated litigation.