Attorney Profile

Carol is dedicated to helping her clients navigate through the difficult legal process of changing family relationships, to arrive at a resolution they can endorse with confidence, dignity and self-respect. She helps her clients to identify their needs, values, and goals, and to build a financial and emotional foundation for life after the legal process is over. Her goal is to help people with family law problems untangle their lives as economically as possible, while reaching a fair resolution.

Carol places special emphasis on child custody problems, empowering parents to act in the best interests of their children, considering the psychological, financial, and educational needs of their children. Carol has been successful in obtaining or increasing custodial rights for many parents, both fathers and mothers. She is proud that many of her former clients are now working together peacefully with the other parent, rather than battling for their children's hearts and minds.

Where special medical, educational, substance abuse, cross-cultural or disability issues are involved, Carol will help her clients to identify appropriate resources and expertise, educating both the court and the other party about these special circumstances.

"Nothing makes me happier than knowing that a child will have two loving parents, even after the parents can no longer be together as a couple. I try to bring out the best my clients have to offer, and to present their best face to the world. I encourage them and support them in reaching a settlement through negotiation, mediation, or other non-adversarial methods. If it is necessary to go to court to solve the issues, I will be a strong and certain advocate for their interests."

Before entering the legal profession, Carol was a successful business person and entrepreneur.

Areas of Practice

• 100% Family Law
• Divorce
• Child Custody & Visitation
• Child & Spousal Support
• Paternity
• Premarital Agreements
• Adoption

Bar Admissions

• California, 1997

Education

• The George Washington University Law School, Washington, D.C., 1996
  Juris Doctor
  
  
• University of California at Los Angeles, 1978
  Master in Business Administration
  
  
• University of California at Santa Barbara, 1974
  Bachelor of Arts
  Major: History
  Minor: Russian Area Studies
  
  

Published Works

• "Fathers' Rights vs. Children's Best Interests: Establishing a Predictable Standard for California Adoption Disputes", Family Law Quarterly, Summer, 1997
• "Client Confidentiality and Privileged Communications" (Co-Author with Carolyn Polowy, Esq.), National Association of Social Workers; Office of General Counsel Law Notes, January, 1995

Professional Associations and Memberships

• Legal Aid of Sonoma County, 2004 - Present
  Member, Board of Directors
  
  
• Association of Family and Conciliation Courts
  Member
  
  
• Collaborative Council of the Redwood Empire
  Member
  
  
• Sonoma County Women in Law
  Member
  
  
• National Multiple Sclerosis Society, 1998 - 2002
  Former Member, Government Relations Committee
  
  

Past Employment Positions

• Conner, Lawrence, Rodney & Gurney, Santa Rosa, California, Associate Attorney, 2001 - 2005
• Whiting Fallon & Ross, Walnut Creek, Associate Attorney, 1998 - 2000

Languages

• Russian