STEARNS KIM STEARNS & RYAN - Key Persons

Job Titles:

• Education / Whittier Law School

Ms. Schneider obtained her Bachelor's degree in Political Science from California State University at Long Beach in 1989. In 1993, she received her Juris Doctorate degree from Whittier Law School and was admitted to the California state bar. Ms. Schneider is admitted to the U.S. District Court for the Central District and the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District in the State of California. Following law school, Ms. Schneider has focused on civil litigation in federal and state courts, including complex business litigation, real estate litigation, trust litigation, probate, and estate planning matters. Ms. Schneider has been involved in many professional associations including the Los Angeles County Bar Association, South Bay Bar Association, American Bar Association, South Bay American Inn of Court, South Bay Women Lawyers Association. In addition, Ms. Schneider has served as a speaker for Lorman Education Services, "Exploring Probate Issues in California." In addition, she has lectured on "The Basics of Estate Planning," and "The Probate Process."

Job Titles:

• Education / Southwestern Law School
• Member of the American Bar Association

Mr. Cohen grew up in the San Fernando Valley and obtained his Bachelor's degree in Political Science and International Relations from the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) in 2012. Following undergrad, Mr. Cohen spent time working as a union representative and organizer for nurses and other healthcare workers. There, he fostered the skill and passion for advocating on behalf of his membership. It was this experience that led him to seek a career in law, where he could continue to fight and advocate for others. In 2017, he received his Juris Doctorate degree from Southwestern Law School and was admitted to the California State Bar that same year. Mr. Cohen practices in both Family Law and Civil Litigation. His Family Law practices all aspects of child custody, child support, spousal support, and property division. In Civil Litigation matters, Mr. Cohen has been involved in cases concerning business litigation, construction defect, and probate and estate disputes. Mr. Cohen is a member of the American Bar Association and the Los Angeles County Bar Association.

Job Titles:

• Education / University of California, Los Angeles

Ms. Choe obtained her Bachelor's degree in Psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 2010. In 2014, she received her Juris Doctorate degree from the University of California Hastings College of the Law, and was admitted to the California State Bar. In practice, Ms. Choe has focused on Family Law matters, both simple and complex. She has tried cases involving multiple aspects of Family Law-child custody, child support, spousal support, property division, and domestic violence. Ms. Choe has also prepared prenuptial agreements. In Civil Litigation, Ms. Choe has litigated business disputes, and trust and estate disputes. Ms. Choe was a judicial extern for the Honorable Nathan Mihara of the Sixth District of the California Courts of Appeal and the Honorable and Jacqueline M. Arroyo of the Superior Court of Santa Clara County in California in 2012. Ms. Choe has been involved in professional associations including the Los Angeles County Bar Association and the Korean American Bar Association.

Job Titles:

• Education / Southwestern University

Mr. Ryan joined Stearns Kim Stearns & Ryan as Of Counsel in 2017 and became a Partner as of 2020. He is involved in the firm's litigation and trial practice. He also devotes a portion of his practice to legal services auditing and consulting high-stakes personal injury cases, and construction defect cases. In the tenure of his career, Mr. Ryan has taken thousands of depositions of parties, witnesses, and experts. He has participated in over 1000 mediations, over 200 arbitrations, and has tried more than 15 cases to verdict. He is continuously recognized for his high degree of integrity and skill with an AV Rating from Martindale-Hubbell. Prior to opening the Law Offices of Michael J. Ryan, Mr. Ryan was a managing partner of an AmLaw 500 law firm. Mr. Ryan has tried more than 20 cases to verdict and handled in excess of 200 other trials, arbitrations, and mediations.