Apicella Law & Mediation
Mediation / Consultations / Prenups
About
We provide mediation for family law matters, including divorce, legal separation, domestic partnership dissolution, among others.We also offer consulting to self-represented parties in uncontested cases. We do not handle contested cases.If planning to get married, we can draft or review a premarital agreement. If already married, we can draft a post-marital agreement if you want to redefine your support and/or property rights.Contact us to learn more...
Mediation Process
In mediation, you (the parties) maintain control of the process, rather than lawyers who may escalate to increase fees, or simply because they're inherently contentious. You jointly decide all issues, rather than a judge who may not fully understand the personal nuances of your matter. E.g., your children's education, activites, or other aspects of your parenting plan, whether and how much support is appropriate, how to divide your property, allocate debts, and all other financial and personal issues.Mediation is confidential. The intimate details of your financial and personal data don't get exposed in court or become a public record. That prevents later viewing by, for instance, present or future employers, family members, neighbors, or anyone who may want to pry.After you and your spouse establish your own terms on all issues, we can help draft your settlement agreement, including required court forms. We can also help file your papers with the court. Parties that mediate from start to finish never have to step inside a courtroom or even visit the courthouse.Mediation takes much less time to complete a case and saves thousands in legal fees compared to litigation or collaborative law. We have helped hundreds of couples find solutions and reach agreements, allowing them to move on from divorce as quickly as possible.
Background
I developed a passion for law and justice early in life. However, before going to law school, I worked in various business fields, including insurance, real estate, and finance. After a decade of building business expertise, I decided to obtain a law degree.My legal career began in business litigation. However, I had a stronger desire to help individuals rather than corporations, thus gravitated to family law.After litigating numerous cases, I transitioned to mediation, as I believe it's the most civilized and cost effective way to resolve legal issues. If you want to avoid the emotional harm and financial destruction associated with litigation, contact us.
Education
Golden Gate University School of Law
Law Review, merit scholar, top 5%
Certificates in litigation, public interest law, and mediation.University of Southern California
Bachelor of Science in Business
Contact
Virtual service throughout California. Offices in Petaluma and San Rafael.
We look forward to hearing from you.
Petaluma / San Rafael