Elyse Peck Margolin

Avoid at all costs. Hiring Ms. Margolin was the biggest mistake I made during my divorce. From the start, communication was a nightmare — calls went unanswered, emails were ignored for days, and I constantly felt left in the dark. Her office seemed more interested in billing hours than actually he...lping me. When we finally made it to court, the inexperienced younger attorney was unprepared and disorganized, forgetting key details I had already provided. It felt like I had to do more work chasing them down than they did on my case. Not only did they drag the process out unnecessarily, but their lack of attention to detail cost me dearly in the settlement. I ended up with far less than I should have, and now I’m stuck dealing with the consequences. I wouldn’t recommend this lawyer to anyone — if you’re going through something as important as a divorce, find someone who actually cares.

Elyse Margolin represented me in a complex and emotionally intense DVRO and custody case in Santa Monica Family Court. The case stretched over 7 months and involved five hearings. Elyse’s legal skill, organization, and dedication stood out from the beginning. She understood the nuances of my situa...tion, communicated clearly at every stage, and worked tirelessly—often after hours and on holidays. Her legal assistant Nicole was also a vital part of the process, and together, they gave me steady, compassionate support while building a strong case. Elyse not only defended me with precision, but her efforts also led to a successful outcome in both the DVRO and custody aspects of the case. Her experience and team-based approach made all the difference. I couldn’t have asked for a better legal advocate, and I recommend her without hesitation.

Ms. Margolin was hired to represent me and my brother on a civil harassment restraining order case. She won the case. The request of a TRO was one among other actions by a future neighbor that is trying to stop construction of our retirement home. I was served in Lincoln, NE where I live and work, a...nd given almost no time to respond or come to LA for the hearing. I contacted Ms. Margolin's office and they were back to me within 30 minutes. Ms. Margolin attended the first hearing for me and requested a continuation so that we could argue the case and so that I could arrange my schedule and fly to LA to participate. We communicated without any delays during four months until the hearing date. During this time she prepared the case, requested all documentation necessary, and continuously communicated with us. She was very realistic at requesting the necessary court time for the case given all the material and witnesses, which was not easy given that the plaintiff's counsel was pressing for the contrary. We met a number of times in her office to discuss and support her in preparing the case but these discussions pale relative to her preparation in court, her quickness and her ability to synthesize, structure and connect all information while on her feet (literally) in court. Her assertiveness in court is based on solid legal foundations as was evidenced by the times the judge sustained her objections. Her instincts and manners in court are also evident in the way she adjusted her cross examination tone to the different witnesses and in her exchanges with the judge and the opposite counsel. She is able to change strategies on the moment and in fact requested dismissal of our case at the end of the first day of hearing (she had requested 3 days) that is when the plaintiff presentation finished and before the defense presented our case. Even though she was prepared for 3 days of hearing, she saw an opportunity to finish this earlier and requested dismissal. The judge dismissed the cases with a reprimand to the plaintiff for misuse of public funds. Ms. Margolin is a superb lawyer and she does it all with professionalism and a high dose of humanity.

Elyse was great in dealing with my ex-wife's attorney. She put my case together perfectly and I felt she had a great understanding of the issues. She and her team members were great at communicating with me and answered all of my questions in a very timely manner. The other side caved in after 17 ...months of litigation. I would highly recommend Elyse if you need a family law attorney.

Elyse Margolin is simply amazing. I WILL NOT go to court without her by my side. She is worth every penny. This woman is a shark in the courtroom, but a sweetheart to her clients. She advises me truthfully, even if it's not going looking good for me. She'll tell me what I can TRULY expect as the... outcome. She comes up with strategies that blindside my ex and his attorney. I had a bad prior experience with another attorney and Elyse had to pick up the pieces and still won in court for me. This was 10 years ago. I've been out of the courtroom for many years now, but she still picked up the phone when I called her just recently for advice on something current. Trust me, you NEED Elyse Margolin in the courtroom on your side!!