About Alison

Education, Awards and Honors

  • Attorney and mediator, licensed in California since 1993.
  • UC Berkeley (B.A. 1988, highest honors)
  • UC Hastings College of Law (J.D. 1993, cum laude, top 6%)
  • 1996 Wiley Manuel Pro Bono Service Award (State Bar of CA)
  • 1996 Preovolos Award: Pro Bono Family Lawyer of the Year (AAML / SF Bar Assoc.)
  • 1994 and 1995 San Francisco Outstanding Pro Bono Lawyer (SF Bar Assoc.)
  • December 1995 San Francisco Volunteer Attorney of the Month (SF Bar Assoc.)

My Background

I began practicing family law in San Francisco in 1994. I loved my work and my colleagues, but became frustrated by the adversarial nature of the court system. Court battles create so much bitterness that people can’t move beyond the anger, even years later. This conflict is very harmful to everyone (and very expensive too). While I was practicing traditional family law, I always felt there had to be a better way to get divorced.

I relocated to San Diego in the late 1990s. I stayed home for several years to have children, then opened a different type of family law practice—one devoted to conflict resolution.  My law and mediation office is committed to getting clients through divorce from start to finish — efficiently, effectively and affordably.

My Approach to Divorce

I designed my services with four goals in mind:

  • Teach people how to resolve their case fairly without spending a lot of time and money in court.
  • Minimize conflict.
  • Help people rebuild their lives, heal and move forward.
  • Help parents find a positive and workable way to have two households and to co-parent without anger and bitterness.

Although divorce is never easy, I have seen clients successfully navigate their divorce using this model. It is possible to do divorce differently.

 

There is life after divorce. . . and good things ahead as well.

I have been married for 15 years and have two children. I understand marriage and parenting. I also understand divorce, both professionally and personally. When I was a teenager, my parents divorced and they did it as considerately as they could. Still, I remember how it felt for my siblings and me to see our family, our home and our possessions divided. There is fear and anxiety for everyone about what lies ahead.

However, because I have seen the bigger picture of divorce too—the success stories of my clients and my own parents’ happiness once they rebuilt their lives—I believe divorce can be not just an end but also the beginning of a new and fulfilling chapter of your life.

Whether you need ongoing help or just occasional advice and direction, I am personally committed to helping my clients make it through this enormous life transition armed with the knowledge, vision and practical tools they need.

Please visit my website for more information about my services or contact me at (858) 551-2608.  I can also be reached by email at alison@lemonadedivorce.com.