Mara Berke has practiced family law for more than twenty years, which includes many years of practice with prominent Westside boutique family law firms. Mara has experience with complex child custody disputes, division and characterization of assets and debts, calculation of child and spousal support, business valuations, paternity disputes, and post-judgment relief. Her depth of experience in family and children issues includes leadership training at Children’s Hospital, Center for Child Development and Developmental Disabilities, non-public school assessments, advocacy in Individualized Education Plans, appointment as minor’s counsel, and appointment as a Court Assisted Special Advocate (CASA)/Guardian Ad Litem in Dependency Court.
Her unique background as a clinical social worker provided her with specific training in working with families with children with developmental disabilities and understanding the intricacies of school placements. As a pro bono contribution, Mara presented College Financial Aid Tips for Divorced, Separated and Unmarried Parents at Palisades Charter High School and the Los Angeles Unified School District College Palooza. With her training and experience, she addresses clients’ needs from an interdisciplinary perspective with compassion and thoughtfulness which assists clients in managing the complexities of child custody and financial issues.
Memberships/Training
- Board Member, Los Angeles Lawyer Editorial Board
- Board Member, Los Angeles Collaborative Family Law Association
- Child Custody Mediation, Los Angeles Superior Court, Family Court Services
- Collaborative Family Interdisciplinary Training, Los Angeles Collaborative Family Law Association
- Divorce Mediation Training, Mosten Mediation
- Minor’s Counsel training , Los Angeles County Bar Association
- Parenting Plan Coordination training, Los Angeles County Bar Association