CHRISTY & KEITH FAMILY LAW GROUP, P.C. - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- San Leandro, California, Staff Attorney
Job Titles:
- Support Staff Member
- Paralegal With Christy, Keith & Donnell
Emily Sanchez is a paralegal with Christy, Keith & Donnell Family Law Group. She works closely with the attorneys and clients, providing support in all aspects of their cases, including discovery, court filings, service of process, document management, and calendaring. Prior to joining Christy, Keith & Donnell, Ms. Sanchez was a paralegal at the Oakland-based family law firm of Blum, Gibbs, Davies & Owen and, prior to that, a paralegal at the large San Francisco-based law firm of Baker Botts.
Ms. Sanchez holds two Bachelor's Degrees (Politics and Communications) from Saint Mary's College of California and a Master's Degree in Legal Studies, with a specialization in Litigation and International Law, from UC Law SF (formerly University of California, Hastings). At Saint Mary's, Ms. Sanchez was on the Dean's List and in the Honor's Program and was a recipient of six academic scholarships. She was also an Executive Member of the Latinx Cultural Night and La Hermandad, the Law Club and Hermanas Club, and was one of three students on the Bias Incident Response Team ("BIRT"). In addition, she served as District Intern Representative for United States Congressman Mark DeSaulnier as well as Communications Intern at Giffords Law Center. During graduate school as UC Law SF, Ms. Sanchez was trained in Advanced Legal Research and Advanced Negotiation, and was the recipient of a scholarship for her academic achievements.
Ms. Sanchez is a Bay Area native. When she is not working, she enjoys learning to bake bread, reading, and spending time with her family.
Education
University of California, Hastings College of the Law, San Francisco, California
Master's Degree, Legal Studies - 2023
Saint Mary's College of California, Moraga, California
B.A., Bachelor of Arts - 2019
Job Titles:
- Support Staff Member
- Junior Paralegal at Christy, Keith & Donnell
Fatima Rodriguez-Ortiz is a junior paralegal at Christy, Keith & Donnell Family Law Group, P.C. She provides support for the firm's senior paralegals as well as the firm's attorneys, including discovery, court filings, document management, and scheduling. Prior to serving as a junior paralegal, she was the firm's Office Manager and legal assistant. She therefore brings with her to the junior paralegal position instrumental knowledge regarding the internal workings and daily operations of the firm. She also draws on her background in the non-profit arena working with a vast array of individuals to connect with clients and provide information and guidance to them as needed.
Ms. Rodriguez-Ortiz holds bachelor's degrees in both Sociology and Latin American/Latino Studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz. A Berkeley High School alum and the first in her family to graduate from college, she was the recipient of the High Hopes Scholarship and the Berkeley Community Fund Scholarship. During college, she interned with Community United and Restorative Youth Justice, Santa Cruz Barrios Unidos Inc., Bay Area Peacekeeper's Inc, the Population Council, the Seneca Family of Agencies, Community Agroecology Network in Tzucacab, Mexico, and RISE - Responsibility, Integrity, Strength & Empowerment. After graduating, Ms. Rodriguez-Ortiz was the Community College Success Advisor for Berkeley Community Scholars.
Prior to joining Christy, Keith & Donnell Family Law Group, Ms. Rodriguez completed the prestigious Coro Fellows Program in Public Affairs in New York City, where she worked as an Immigration Protection Unit intern with the New York Legal Assistance Group. She assisted attorneys and their respective clients and worked at the office of New York City Council Member Carlos Menchaca, supporting the undocumented community by providing translation services and community resources.
Working many years in the non-profit arena has provided Ms. Rodriguez-Ortiz with the opportunity to work alongside a range of communities and shaped her passion for social justice and advocacy work. She is excited to continue her passion for helping others through the legal profession generally and family law in particular.
In her spare time, Ms. Rodriguez-Ortiz enjoys hiking with her dog on Bay Area trails, playing sports with friends, and spending time with her family.
Education
University of California, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, California
Ms. Keith is a proud mother, and enjoys cooking, gardening, and riding horses with her daughter during her off-time.
In her spare time, Ms. McCaffrey is an avid reader and can usually be found at a local coffee shop with an almond-milk latte and her latest fantasy novel or at home spoiling her dog and being bullied by her ornery senior cats.
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Senior Associate at Christy
Ms. Lee is a Senior Associate at Christy, Keith & Donnell Family Law Group, P.C.. She represents clients throughout the San Francisco Bay Area in all aspects of family law, including marital dissolutions, property characterization and division, child and spousal support, high conflict custody disputes, and post-judgment enforcement and modification proceedings. She is a skilled negotiator and litigator, with nearly 20 years of legal experience. Depending on the needs of each case, she works collaboratively with experts specializing in psychology, child development, forensic accounting, corporate law, tax, and estate planning to develop the most strategic resolution for her clients.
Job Titles:
- Partner
- Partner at Christy
Biography
Ms. Donnell is a Partner at Christy, Keith & Donnell Family Law Group and is a Certified Family Law Specialist, certified by the State Bar of California, Board of Legal Specialization. Prior to joining Christy, Keith & Donnell Family Law Group, she was a Partner with the San Francisco-based family law firm of Winter & Ross. Ms. Donnell obtained her law degree from U.C. Berkeley (Berkeley Law) and her bachelor's degree, summa cum laude, from UCLA. She has also completed Harvard Law School's Executive Program on Negotiation and Leadership.
Ms. Donnell has received numerous awards recognizing her legal acumen and contributions to the law. She was named Litigator of the Year by the American Institute of Trial Lawyers in 2023, designated one of the 10 Best Attorneys in Client Satisfaction by the American Institute of Family Law Attorneys in 2023, named a Northern California Rising Star by Thomson Reuters SuperLawyers' Magazine in 2019 and 2020, received the America's Most Honored Professionals Award each year from 2020 through 2023, and included by San Francisco Magazine in their list of Top Young Rising Women Attorneys in Northern California in 2019 and 2020 and Top Young Rising Attorneys in Northern California in 2020.
While in law school, Ms. Donnell studied family law under esteemed Professor Herma Hill Kay, who co-authored California's no-fault divorce legislation. She was also an editor of the Berkeley Journal of Gender, Law & Justice and a member of the Boalt Hall Women's Association as well as the Berkeley Youth & Education Law Society. She also served as a Judicial Extern for Judge Carlos Bea on the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, clerked for the international law firm of Jones Day, and was a recipient of the Boalt Hall Fellowship for her work in public interest law.
Ms. Donnell represents clients throughout the Bay Area and specializes in all aspects of family law, including complex community property issues, separate property claims, child and spousal support matters, high conflict custody disputes, domestic violence issues, and post-judgment custody and support modification proceedings. She has extensive experience with the complicated financial aspects of divorce, including apportionment of stock options and RSUs, equitable apportionment of business interests, and tracing of separate property claims. When needed for a particular case, she utilizes her extensive contacts with leading professionals throughout California, such as forensic accountants, financial advisors, business valuation experts, co-parent counselors, and the like. She successfully settles the majority of cases. However, she will not hesitate to litigate her clients' matters in court when necessary. Ms. Donnell regularly appears before public and private judges throughout the Bay Area and has established a stellar reputation in the family law community as a skilled litigator and unwavering advocate for her clients.
Ms. Donnell is also committed to Alternate Dispute Resolution (ADR) methods when feasible. She holds a certificate in Mediation and Conflict Resolution and represents clients through the collaborative law process as well as provides consulting services to individuals in mediation. In addition, she is available to serve as a neutral mediator to facilitate the resolution of disputes between parties outside of litigation. Where strategic premarital or pre-divorce legal counseling is needed, her advice is invaluable to her clients.
Ms. Donnell is committed to giving back to the community and has served as a volunteer attorney and mediator for the Marin and San Francisco Superior Courts.
Ms. Donnell resides in the East Bay with her husband and two children. A Bay Area native, when she is not working, she enjoys spending time with her extended network of family and friends as well as traveling, skiing, and volunteering at her children's schools.
Education
University of California, Berkeley, Continuing Education in Law Program, Berkeley, California
Certificate in Mediation and Conflict Resolution - 2018
Harvard Law School, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Job Titles:
- Support Staff Member
- Paralegal With Christy, Keith & Donnell
Rachel Patterson is a paralegal with Christy, Keith & Donnell Family Law Group. She works closely with the attorneys and clients, providing support in all aspects of their cases, including discovery, court filings, document management, and scheduling. Prior to joining the firm, Ms. Patterson was a paralegal for the San Francisco-based family law firm of Winter & Ross and, prior to that, a family law firm in San Luis Obispo.
Ms. Patterson earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from California State University, Los Angeles in 2012, where she was on the Dean's List and interned with the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office, Victim Witness Assistance Program. After graduating, she worked in a variety of areas in the legal field (including general civil, criminal, and estate planning) before transitioning to family law. She has worked as a professional monitor for supervised visitations in high conflict custody cases and, since 2017, has been exclusively a family law paralegal.
Ms. Patterson was born and raised in San Luis Obispo, CA and moved to the Bay Area in 2020. She enjoys problem solving, learning, and expanding her knowledge of the family law field. Outside the office, Ms. Patterson enjoys spending time with loved ones, cooking, and crafting.
Education
Bachelor of Science, Criminal Justice, California State University, Los Angeles,
Job Titles:
- Associate
- Associate at Christy, Keith & Donnell
- Domestic Violence Counselor
Riena Yu is an associate at Christy, Keith & Donnell Family Law Group, P.C. She received her B.A., with Honors, from the University of Chicago and her J.D. from UCLA School of Law, where she served as the Editor-in-Chief of the Pacific Basin Law Journal and was a Hoffenberger Research Fellow.
During law school, Ms. Yu interned with the Esperanza Immigrant Rights Project in Los Angeles, the Family Defense Practice of the Bronx Defenders, and the Harriett Buhai Center for Family Law. After graduating law school, Ms. Yu worked on impact litigation as a Legal Fellow at Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California and then as Staff Attorney for the East Bay Family Defenders, where she represented parents in the child welfare systems and was in court almost daily fighting to reduce the number of children in foster care. She conducted numerous trials and hearings while managing a heavy caseload of over 90 child welfare cases. She thereafter turned her focus entirely to family law, working for two established Bay Area family law firms, managing an independent and busy caseload from initial consultation through trial or settlement. She has broad experience representing clients in cases involving divorce, child and spousal support, custody and visitation, domestic violence restraining orders, guardianship, and other family law issues.
Ms. Yu draws on her background working with individuals in juvenile dependency, immigration, and family law to her daily practice. She understands how emotional and stressful the legal process can be and strives to help her clients understand and navigate California's complex family law system. She believes in client-centered advocacy and offers her clients the insight, empathy, and knowledge needed to bring about peaceful resolutions while remaining attentive to her clients' needs and listening to their stories and challenges.
Ms. Yu is a certified Domestic Violence Counselor and is passionate about protecting her clients' physical as well as emotional and psychological well-being from the many forms of abuse. She is also committed to alternative dispute resolution techniques and is a Certified Mediator and has been trained in Collaborative Divorce.
When she is not assisting clients, Riena enjoys cooking with her partner and exploring local craft fairs with friends.
Education
UCLA School of Law, Los Angeles, California
J.D. - 2019
University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
B.A. - 2016