Michelle J. Berner

Michelle joined the Firm as Of Counsel, after practicing law at Cooksey, Toolen, Gage, Duffy & Woog in Costa Mesa, California from 2011 to 2015 in that firm’s business litigation and insurance defense groups. Michelle became a partner of the Firm in 2017 and has served as the Firm’s Managing Partner since 2023.

Michelle specializes in family law, probate administration and litigation, and family counseling and litigation, including dissolution of marriage, child custody and paternity, child and spousal support, property division, and post-decree modifications and disputes, and oversees the Firm’s commercial, real estate and business litigation practice groups. Michelle has been an integral member of several trial teams, and handles all stages of mediation, arbitration and litigation. Michelle’s practice also includes healthcare industry issues, and she serves as General Counsel for a California-based medical real estate development corporation on its expansion and development of raw land and healthcare facilities throughout the United States.

Michelle earned her B.A. and her teaching credentials from the University of California at Irvine, and her law degree from the Western State University College of Law. Michelle is also a member of the California and Orange County Bar Associations, and is admitted to practice in the State of California, and before the United States District Court for the Northern, Central, and Southern Districts of California.