FAMILY LAW SAN DIEGO - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Spanish - Speaking Paralegal
Born and raised in Mexico, Alejandra Cuevas is a graduate of the University of Guadalajara School of Law and is a licensed attorney in Mexico. In 2016 she moved to San Diego to attend California Western School of Law where she earned an LL.M in Oral Litigation in Spanish.
From 2012 to 2015 Alejandra worked in the Dependency of Guadalajara where she assisted women and children seeking protection from domestic violence.
Since 2017, Alejandra worked for a Chula Vista law firm assisting several attorneys with family law and bankruptcy matters.
Alejandra is bilingual (Spanish/English).
Andrew Shrader is an associate attorney at Family Law San Diego, and has been practicing Family Law since 2018. Andrew understands how emotionally fraught and sensitive litigating a divorce or child custody can be, and provides compassionate and experienced representation to guide you through these difficult situations.
A San Diego native and alumnus of Torrey Pines High School, Andrew has tried and won cases across Southern California, from Chula Vista to Victorville. After earning his law degree from Villanova University in 2013, Andrew initially practiced corporate law in Philadelphia. Growing weary of advocating for faceless corporations, Andrew moved back home to San Diego and shifted his practice to Family Law, where he helps real people solve their biggest problems. He brings with him that business law focus on the "big picture" and places a premium on ensuring your case is always moving forward, instead of getting mired down in an endless series of hearings. But if your matter ends up in court, he will draw on his extensive trial experience to vigorously advocate for you.
Andrew is licensed to practice in the State of California and is a member of the San Diego County Family Law Bar Association.
Attorney Alan Ridenour joined the firm in 2010 as special associate. Alan came to us after having graduated as Valedictorian at Western Sierra Law School and was one of "professor" Klueck's star students. Alan has significant experience in document preparation and review, starting during his career in the insurance industry. Alan's experience with drafting insurance documents transitioned easily into drafting Premarital Agreements, Marital Settlement Agreements and Qualified Domestic Relations Orders (QDROs). In addition to document preparation, Alan handles matters involving child custody and visitation issues, support issues, and domestic violence restraining orders, among a few. Alan also has a significant civil background handling personal injury and contract disputes, thus he handles many of the firm's civil matters. His civil practice includes appellate cases on the state and federal level.
Alan is admitted to practice in the State of California along with practicing before the United States District Court Southern District of California, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and the Supreme Court of the United States.
Betty Hass came to the firm in October of 2022 as an assistant in the marketing department. She is a member of San Diego Mensa and serves on the Executive Committee as Enrichment Officer. She loves cooking and was a three-time finalist in the Gilroy Garlic Festival Cook-off, cooking on stage at the festival. Betty is also a children's writer and artist, creating a monthly cartoon that is carried in over 30 Mensa newsletters, across the country.
Cheryl Norcross, a 1988 graduate of the paralegal program at Southwestern College, joined the Family Law San Diego firm in June 2018.
Cheryl has had the opportunity to work with some of San Diego's finest family law attorneys gaining a wealth of knowledge in all aspects of family law.
Away from the office, Cheryl serves under the leadership of Pastor Miles McPherson of the Rock Church, as a member of the Pastoral Support Leadership Team, and as a community Rock Chaplin.
Cheryl loves spending time with her beautiful daughters, grandchildren and dog, Rosie. She also enjoys reading, interior decorating, and all that San Diego has to offer from the beach to the mountains.
Job Titles:
- Mediator, Founding Partner
Kara joined the firm in September 2022 as one of our new client liaisons. She earned her bachelor's degree at California State University, Long Beach in Sociology. At the firm, her role is to onboard new clients and support our team at Family Law San Diego. With her previous experience in sales, Kara has an innate desire to help people look good and feel good. In her free time, she enjoys biking, bowling, reading, and crafting. When she's not at the office, you can find her at the baseball fields cheering on her son.
Job Titles:
- Spanish - Speaking Divorce Attorney
Linda is a Spanish-speaking family law attorney with over 32 years of experience in the San Diego legal community. Linda is a Board-Certified Family Law Specialist, as granted by the California Board of Legal Specialization. Linda has handled all aspects of family law litigation, from very simple cases to complex matters involving large estates. Linda's numerous years of family law experience enables her to relate to her clients and to especially keep in mind the complex psychological effects that divorce can have on the parties and their children.
Linda grew up in the Burlingame area of San Diego. She attended the University of San Diego School of Business where she received her bachelor's in business administration with an emphasis in accounting. So fond of USD, she went on to graduate from USD's School of Law. After passing the bar in 1991, Linda worked as an associate for a large San Diego insurance defense firm. She went on to practice civil litigation and business law, finally settling on family law where she has practiced for many years.
Linda is admitted to the State Courts of California and the Central and Southern Districts of the U.S. District Court.
Job Titles:
- Juris Doctor University of San Diego - Graduate School San Diego, CA 1986
Megan is an associate attorney at Family Law San Diego and has been practicing Family Law since 2018. Megan has successfully represented clients in a broad range of family law matters, including but not limited to divorce, paternity, domestic violence restraining orders, grandparents' visitation, guardianship, and child and spousal support.
Megan is originally from a small town in Connecticut. She attended Salve Regina University in Newport, Rhode Island, where she obtained her Bachelor of Arts in Administration of Justice with a concentration in Juvenile Justice. After college, Megan moved to sunny San Diego to attend California Western School of Law. During law school, Megan volunteered with various pro bono clinics and the Office of the Family Law Facilitator assisting primarily low-income individuals navigate the complex legal systems.
Megan is passionate about helping her clients navigate through what can be a very stressful and confusing time in their lives. She strives for compassionate and effective legal representation to guide each client through the family law process.
Mel joined Family Law San Diego in 2019, as a Billing Clerk 1. Since then she has become the firm's Office and Billing Manager. Mel was born and raised in sunny San Diego, CA, and is proud to call this city her home. She earned her Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration & Accounting from the University of Phoenix and has a tenacious desire to serve and assist others. In her free time, she loves spending time with her family, bowling, and gardening.
Melissa joined the firm in October 2018 as our front desk receptionist and is now our new client liaison. At the firm, Melissa assists in onboarding new clients and supporting our team.
Peter joined the firm in June 2022 as our front desk receptionist. At the firm, Peter assists our clients and supports our team at Family Law San Diego. Peter's customer service experience and growing knowledge of the firm have helped him to assist clients while supporting the Attorneys, paralegals, and staff. During his free time, Peter likes to spend time with family & friends. He also enjoys outdoor activities such as biking.
Job Titles:
- Spanish - Speaking Divorce Attorney
Raul Maravilla is a Spanish-speaking divorce lawyer and mediator at Family Law San Diego.
A San Diego native, Raul's passion for Family Law started early on during law school when he interned for the Family Law Facilitator's office. There, he assisted Self-Represented Litigants properly fill out the divorce packets and file for child custody orders. In addition to working at the Family Law Facilitator's office, he also worked for the Veteran's Legal Assistance Clinic where he helped homeless veterans from the Veteran's Village of San Diego with legal matters ranging from criminal defense to family law.
Raul is also highly motivated with helping the underprivileged and underrepresented community by volunteering his time working with San Diego Alliance to assist families and individuals file for their immigration status. As a first-generation son of immigrants and the first in his family to graduate from college, Raul is driven by helping people who may lack the support systems that many people have. This is why he is proud to be part of a firm that emphasizes Access to Justice and believes that everyone should have their day in court regardless of their status or capabilities.
Sam joined Family Law San Diego in 2022. He was born and raised in Virginia. He earned his bachelor's degree in English from Florida State University, his master's degree in Linguistics from San Diego State University, and his American Bar Association-approved Paralegal Certificate from the University of San Diego. Sam is passionate about family law and is devoted to assisting clients through the legal process with efficiency and compassion. In his free time, Sam enjoys painting and hiking.
Samantha earned a bachelor's degree at Sonoma State University in 2019. She joined the firm in April 2022 as a Legal Assistant for both litigation and mediation matters.
Previously having worked for a big non-profit in San Diego, Samantha received many trainings and certificates in a wide range of topics relating to family well-being. She is a California state-certified Domestic Violence Counselor. This knowledge and experience contribute to her capability of handling sensitive matters with respect and diplomacy.
Samantha finds great value in helping people in many ways. She and her husband host a fundraiser every other year that benefits youth in Tijuana, MX - in the community of her childhood. The funds are used to purchase school supplies and backpacks for youth in need. During her free time, she enjoys taking her dogs to the park, organizing her home, and spending time with her family.
Samantha is bilingual (Spanish/English).
Born in Kiev, Ukraine, Zorik joined our firm in August 2019. As our Courier, Zorik completes service of process for our firm, as well as court filings. In his spare time, Zorik enjoys spending quality time with his family and using his crafty handyman skills to do renovations on his home.