Divorce is almost always a huge source of uncertainty and fear. For many people, it is one of the most challenging experiences they will ever go through. A couple may spend years building a life together, only to find themselves navigating the difficult process of unwinding it.
The process itself can make an already painful situation even harder. There is legal jargon to decipher, seemingly endless hoops to jump through, and judicial forms that appear to be written in six-point font.
I know this firsthand. I went through a divorce in California with two children.
These are the questions that can keep you awake at night: Am I going to be okay? Will my kids be okay? Is my ex going to get a better deal than I do? Am I missing something or leaving an important asset on the table?
You need someone in your corner—someone who will see you and listen to you, answer your questions, help you feel safe, and make sure you understand the agreement and that it is fair.
I spent several years working in litigation, where I saw how hostile, toxic, and unhealthy the process can become. I watched couples spend months or even years fighting, at enormous financial and emotional cost, only to ultimately settle in essentially the same place they could have reached much earlier.
I often think of litigation as two people in a rowboat, rowing in opposite directions. Eventually, usually when they have run out of money or simply had enough, they decide to row in the same direction.
In my practice, I want to help people start rowing together from the beginning. It is less expensive. It is kinder. It is healthier. And when collaboration isn't possible, I have the tools and experience to help move people through an impasse while protecting their interests along the way.
I earned my undergraduate degree from Cornell University, a master’s degree in education from Harvard University, and my J.D. from UC Law San Francisco. During law school, I was an active member of the Family Law Association and received the CALI Excellence Award in Contract Drafting.
I have practiced in all areas of family law, including property division, child and spousal support, custody, domestic violence restraining orders, and school choice matters.
Before joining Bloom, I was an Associate at a boutique Bay Area Family Law Firm, where I practiced exclusively in family law. I also served as an Extern for Judge Stephen Pulido, then Presiding Judge of the Alameda County Superior Court Family Law Division.
Before becoming a lawyer, I spent 17 years working as a teacher and administrator in public schools and served as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for a teenager in the foster system. That experience continues to shape how I approach my work: with empathy, patience, and a focus on the people behind the legal issues.
Outside the office, I love spending time with my two children. I also enjoy cooking, gardening, swimming, visiting local farmers’ markets, doing crosswords, and drinking espresso at a café while reading the New York Times.