Kerry Wallis, J.D., CFLS

After many years at an international law firm and then a high-stakes boutique family law firm, I have come to believe that litigation serves to destroy instead of help the vast majority of divorcing couples. And it does not have to be that way. I want the couples that I work with to be able to dance together at their children’s weddings— and to afford the weddings in the first place. For that reason, I am committed to helping clients dissolve their marriage through a consensual dispute resolution process, whether in mediation, a formal collaborative law process, or a hybrid of processes that puts the clients’ unique needs first while minimizing the collateral damage.

I am certified by the State Bar of California's Board of Specialization as a Family Law Specialist because while I strive to be a peacemaker, I want my clients to have faith that I have the experience and knowledge to represent them at the highest level of competency. It means I have significant experience in a broad range of activities (including trials, hearings, settlements, stipulations, and mediations), take dozens of additional mandatory continuing legal education courses, and am favorably evaluated by other attorneys and judges familiar with my work.

More importantly, however, I listen to what matters most to my clients. I focus not just on my client’s positions, but I delve into the underlying reasons for their positions. I help my clients understand not just the black letter law, but the interpersonal issues that come into play as they walk through the dissolution process. I empower my clients to reach a resolution that works best for them.

Education and Experience:

JD, magna cum laude, University of San Diego (Editor-in-Chief of The San Diego Law Review and named Order of the Coif)
BA, summa cum laude, UCLA (double majored in Communications Studies and Psychology, departmental honors)
Law Clerk to the Honorable Robert J. Kelleher, United States District Judge, Central District of California
Associate at the law firm of Morrison & Foerster LLP
Of Counsel at the law firm of Phillips Jessner LLP

About Kerry

Benefits of a California “No Court” Divorce