Emily Rubenstein Law
Los Angeles Family Law - Divorce
-
Contested divorce
-
Uncontested divorce
-
Same-Sex Divorce / LGBT Divorce
-
Child Custody, Visitation, Child Support
-
High-Conflict Child Custody
-
Spousal Support / Alimony
-
Domestic Violence
-
Divorce Litigation
-
Marital Property Characterization, Valuation, and Division
-
High Asset Divorce
-
Hidden Assets
-
Business Valuation
-
Retirement/Pension
-
Divorce Settlement Negotiation
-
Divorce Mediation Counsel
Los Angeles Divorce
Divorce is one of the most difficult events in a person's life. We treat our clients the way we would want to be treated: with compassion, strength, and emotional intelligence.
Our goal is to protect your family, your assets, and your personal finances with sensitivity and compassion. We focus on resolving divorces promptly, equitably, and with unrivaled personalized attention.
​
During our initial divorce consultation, we'll ask a series of questions and listen to your unique story to evaluate your divorce case and begin creating a custom strategy to suit your individual needs.
​
"Emily was measured and calculating in her approach...Emily handled the whole situation with tact and sensitivity. In the end, I got everything I wanted. She was never intimidated or outdone."
- Craig Z., Los Angeles, CA
Asset Division in
California Divorces
In a Los Angeles divorce, assets acquired during a marriage are considered community property. This means that marital assets are split evenly between spouses in a divorce.
​
Assets subject to division include:
​
-
Real Estate Family Home, Vacation Homes, Rental Properties, Investment Properties, Commercial Properties.
-
Business Interests Family Businesses, Professional Practices, Partnerships, Corporations, Business Equipment.
-
Intellectual Property Patents, Trademarks, Copyrights, Creative Works (including songs, scripts, plays, films, works of fine art, books, and related royalties).
-
Retirement Accounts 401ks, IRAs, Pensions.
-
Other Investments Stocks, Stock Options, Bonds, Mutual Funds.
-
Personal Property Art, Household Furnishings, Jewelry, Antiques, Collectibles.
-
Vehicles Personal Use Vehicles, Business Vehicles, Recreational Vehicles, Boats.
Dividing marital property
​
-
Step One Determining if the asset is separate or community property.
-
Step Two Determining the value of the asset.
-
Step Three Determining the division of the asset.
​
In our Los Angeles divorce cases, we work with appraisers, forensic accountants, and other financial experts to identify, characterize, and protect assets and income.
Spousal Support in
California Divorces
When a couple divorces in Los Angeles, the court may order one spouse to pay the other a certain amount of support money each month. This is called “spousal support," but is often also called “alimony.”
​
-
The purpose of spousal support is to provide each spouse with sufficient income for their needs and to ensure their lifestyle remains consistent.
​
-
California law is gender-neutral regarding spousal support. A woman can be ordered to pay a man, and vice versa. Likewise, spousal support can be payable in same-sex divorces.
​
-
Spousal support is based on a series of factors including the length of the marriage, marital standard of living, incomes of both parties, whether one spouse forwent a career to support the family, age and health of the parties, history of domestic violence, and more.
​
-
If you are in need of spousal support from the other spouse, time is of the essence. California courts have no authority to order spousal support until the proper documents have been filed.
Child Custody in
California Divorces
When children are involved in a divorce, their best interest is the top priority.
​
Child custody is a legal term for the relationship between parents and children. ​
​
In determining child custody and parenting plans, it's critical to take a holistic view of your child's emotional, psychological, medical, academic, social, and spiritual needs. It's also important to take stock of each parent's temperament, strengths, weaknesses, and parenting history. ​
​
California courts are not permitted to prefer a parent as custodian because of that parent's sex.
​
We have extensive experience settling and litigating child custody and visitation disputes, including use of private custody evaluations, private co-parenting counselors, parenting plan assessments, and professionally supervised visitations.
​
Whenever possible, we negotiate child custody disputes to be resolved outside of the courtroom. Contested child custody, with ongoing litigation, is rarely in a child's best interest.
That said, we know that many parents have to fight for their children. Sometimes, one parent has addiction issues or has committed domestic violence. Sometimes, parents use withholding parenting time as a weapon to hurt the other parent.
​
Child Support in
California Divorces
Child support is the amount of money that a court orders a parent or both parents to pay every month to help pay for their child's living expenses. California law says that parents’ first and principal obligation is to support their minor children according to each parent's situation and station in life.
​
-
Child support is based on a complex calculation that takes into consideration the parents' incomes, how much time each parent spends with the child, any tax deductions that are available to either parent, and various other financial factors.
​
-
Factors that can complicate child support in a divorce are if one parent is self-employed, one parent refuses to work, hidden income, payment for private school and extracurricular activities, and children's special needs.
​
-
If you are in need of child support from the other spouse, time is of the essence. California courts have no authority to order child support until the proper documents have been filed.
​
Hiring a Divorce Lawyer in Los Angeles
You hope not to need a divorce lawyer, but if you do, you need the best you can afford. A bad lawyer is worse than none.
​
Your divorce lawyer will be your advisor, confidant, spokesperson, and representative. It's critical to make the right choice.​
​​
A great divorce attorney will:
-
Find ways to resolve disagreements you already have, not pick more fights.
-
Help solve your problems, not create more problems. ​
-
Know how to use legal tools to resolve your case, not over-complicate it.
-
Show you personal attention and be available and accessible to you.
​
Divorce representation can take on many forms. Some cases are litigated, some are negotiated, some are a mix of both.
An uncontested divorce may not be possible, and you need to be prepared for all outcomes in order to obtain the best possible result.
A great divorce attorney will ensure that you have the documents and evidence needed to prove your case in court if necessary.
In a California divorce, you're entitled to financial records including tax returns, financial statements, real property records, accounting records, and more. These financial records can be subpoenaed from the opposing party or directly from financial institutions.
​
The right divorce lawyer for you will be able to craft a plan to meet your needs.
"I had numerous consultations from family law offices in town...No one I spoke to was as kind, thorough, or as helpful as Emily. From our very first phone call, I immediately felt welcomed, appreciated, and respected, and she made a very challenging time in my life a whole lot easier."
- Erin H., Los Angeles, CA
.jpg)
Why Choose
Emily Rubenstein Law?
With both fierce advocacy and a calming spirit, we guide clients through some of the most difficult times in their lives. We do this with first-class litigation and negotiation skills along with emotional intelligence that many other attorneys lack.
​
The strongest negotiation position is one with leverage. By being prepared to win in court and unleashing a proactive strategy, we negotiate from the strongest position possible.
​
In our practice, we've settled extremely contentious divorces and family law matters with effective negotiation and preparation.
​
We focus on resolving divorces promptly, equitably, and with unrivaled personalized attention.
​
We know that sometimes you must fight for a just result in a divorce. We create custom litigation strategies in order to fight for and obtain optimum results for our clients.
Request a Confidential Divorce Consultation
As family law attorneys, we provide divorce representation in cases involving division of assets, spousal support, and child custody. We also draft and review premarital agreements.
​
A confidential consultation appointment can be made by calling (310)750-0827 or using the form on this page.
Property Division
Spousal support/Alimony
High-Asset Divorce
Settlement Negotiation
Business Valuation
Same-Sex Divorce /
LGBT Divorce
Hidden Assets
Retirement and Pension
Mediation Consulting
Child support
Child Custody
Child Visitation
Parenting Time
Parenting Plans
Child Relocation ("Move-Away")
High-Conflict Custody
Father's Rights
Other
Premarital Agreements / Prenuptial Agreements
Post-Nuptial Agreements
Order Enforcement
Post Judgment
