Tamara Shari Benefield

Tamara Shari Benefield

also known as Certified Family Law Specialist, Tamara Benefield Faulk

4.9
Rating: 8.7

Licensed for 22 years

Family Lawyer at Beverly Hills, CA
Practice Areas: Family, Child Custody, Child Support ... +7 more

9454 Wilshire Blvd. Penthouse Suite, Beverly Hills, CA

About Tamara

Biography

Practice Areas

10

Practice Areas

Family 20%

Dissolution/Divorce, Nullity, Legal Separation Child Custody, Visitation, Child Support, Spousal Support, Domestic Violence, Domestic Partnerships, Adoption, Co-Habitation Agreements, Interstate Actions, Premarital and Marital Settlement Agreements, Marital Property/Community Property, Division of Assets, Parenting Agreement, Surrogacy and Artificial Insemination, Petitions to Terminate Parental Rights/Abandonment

24 years | 1,000 cases

20%

Fees and Rates

Cost

Retainer

Always


Payment Methods

  • Cash
  • Check
  • Credit Card

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Licenses

Licensed in California for 22 years

State: California

Acquired: 2003

Active

Lawyer disciplined by state licensing authority in 2021

Location

Law Offices Of Tamara Benefield

9454 Wilshire Blvd. Penthouse Suite, Beverly Hills, CA, 90212

Law Offices Of Tamara Benefield

400 Corporate Pointe, Suite 300, Culver City, CA, 90230

Law Offices Of Tamara Benefield

1230 Rosecrans Avenue, Suite 300, Manhattan Beach, CA, 90266

Law Offices Of Tamara Benefield

3780 Kilroy Airport Way, Suite 200, Long Beach, CA, 90806

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Tamara Shari Benefield's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

4.9 /5.0

51 Client Reviews

Showing 41 - 45 of 51 reviews

Posted by Phillip | April 10, 2013

Hands down, the best lawyer I've ever had!

Ms. Benefield worked very hard on my very sensitive and difficult case. She was very reasonable, honest, supportive, respectable, kept me informed and focused all the way to victory.

Posted by anonymous | September 04, 2012 | Family

Great Courtroom Lawyer

I had a hearing in court and I hired Tamara Benefield to help represent me in this matter on a limited scope basis. Amazing lawyer. For not being familiar with my case, I was really surprised at how up to speed she got and how well read she was in regards to family law. In our initial meeting, she w...as able to understand the complexities of my case and we went into court the next day with a successful game plan (which she executed, flawlessly). Not a big fan of lawyers or court. Glad to have had a great experience with this attorney. I recommend Tamara Benefield to anyone who wants straight talk and excellent courtroom representation.

Posted by James Ostertag | September 04, 2012 | Lawsuits & Disputes

Consultation

As a person who knows a few things about "free consultations" (I work in marketing), I went into my meeting with Ms. Benefield only looking to get as much free information as possible before I went to file my documents myself. I met her in her office in Beverly Hills (great office btw) and when we go...t set up in the conference room, I waited for her to start selling herself to me, all with the intentions of just letting her speak and then asking my questions and leaving. Instead of talking herself up, she let me talk first. She let me pour out my heart for over 20 minutes and answered every question I had without hesitation and with a sense of compassion I am not used to getting from professionals especially from those who i suspect are only after my money. At the end of our time, I had to retain her because I knew she would be able to go into court on my behalf and help me. Sure enough, during my hearing I heard her speak with the same amount of passion and conviction that she had spoken with the very first time we met. I admire that about her and I wish more lawyers were like that. I went from looking to get free advice to looking to get her more paying clients (myself included) because I really liked the way this lady made me feel as a client. I was not just a paycheck or a case number. Mrs. Benefield made me feel like more than just a client. She made me feel like a friend. I am very happy that i got the chance to hire her (cause we won).

Posted by Ali | September 04, 2012

Are all lawyers this honest????

I thought all lawyers were crooks. Glad to know that there are some out there that will tell you one thing and stick to that. Recommend.

Posted by anonymous | July 12, 2012 | Divorce & Separation

Custody Case from hell

Dealing with a broken relationship is really hard especially when kids are involved. I really wanted this case over and done with so I could focus on being a better parent to my kids. Really just needed a lawyer that understood my pain and was willing to meet me where I was at financially. I know man...y people say "getting divorced is expensive" but in my case, my lawyer was able to work with me to help me save money so i could spend my resources and time on reconstructing my life with my kids. I recommend her because she is a good person, a good listener, and an AMAZING lawyer. She took the time to become my lawyer, to know my case, and to advise me based on what was good for my own interests, not hers.

See All Client Reviews

Tamara Shari Benefield's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse Tamara
Toni Y. Long headshot
Toni Long

Family lawyer | Mar 18

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Ms. Benefield is an extremely competent, compassionate and knowledgeable family law attorney. She is a fighter who works very hard on behalf of her clients. Tamara is one of the first people I think of when clients or friends need a family law attorney. I know they are in good hands if she is their attorney. I endorse her without reservation!"

Marc Joel Kopeikin headshot
Marc Kopeikin

Family lawyer | Jul 07

Relationship: Supervised lawyer

"I wholeheartedly endorse attorney Tamara Benefield. In all my years of Family Law practice, I have never experienced a lawyer that will stop at nothing to fight for her client's rights as Tamara does. She's simply the BEST !"

Olga Boz Ginzburg headshot
Olga Ginzburg

Family lawyer | Jun 21

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer."

Don Roabien Dennis headshot
Don Dennis

Family lawyer | Jan 17

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Attorney Benefield is very thorough and attentive. Without hesitation, I have referred numerous clients to her and she has been patient, diligent, and knowledgeable in consulting them."

Jasmine Jaye McMullen headshot
Jasmine McMullen

Family lawyer | Jan 14

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Tamara has always been an outstanding and upstanding attorney in her family law practice. I am proud and confident when referring clients to engage her knowledgable and professional services."

Louis Justin Shapiro headshot
Louis Shapiro

Family lawyer | Jan 11

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Tamara is personable, knowledgeable and reliable! She has the right temperament and skill set to be a formidable advocate for her client. She leads by example and is an inspiration to our field."

Daniel Michael Flores headshot
Daniel Flores

Family lawyer | Jan 09

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer."

Alon Darvish headshot
Alon Darvish

Family lawyer | Oct 24

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I strongly endorse this lawyer. Ms. Benefield is a highly respected attorney in the legal community by fellow lawyers and former clients. She is experienced and knowledgeable about the law and truly cares about each of her clients. If you are searching for a lawyer that will fight for you but who is also compassionate, Ms. Benefield is the lawyer for you."

View All Endorsements
Denise Y. Aubry headshot
Denise Aubry

Family lawyer

Olga Boz Ginzburg headshot
Olga Ginzburg

Divorce and separation lawyer

Marc Joel Kopeikin headshot
Marc Kopeikin

Family lawyer

Louis Justin Shapiro headshot
Louis Shapiro

Criminal defense lawyer

Alon Darvish headshot
Alon Darvish

Chapter 7 bankruptcy lawyer

Joni Ellishia Salomon headshot
Joni Salomon

Family lawyer

Experience

Rating:  8.7 (Excellent)

Professional misconduct

This lawyer was disciplined by a state licensing authority in 2021.

Discipline, Probation; no Actual Suspension issued in CA, 2021

updated on 09/10/2021

This sanction means the attorney had a suspension placed on hold (and ultimately removed) by complying with certain requirements.

Honors

2017

Trailblazer Under 40 Award, National Bar Association

2016

Top 100 Family Law Attorneys, National Bar Association

2015

Advanced Cross Examination, National Family Law Trial Institute

2014

Certified Specialist - Family Law, State Bar of California

2010

Certificate of Completion, Family Law Trial Institute at South Texas College of Law

Work Experience

2013 - Present

Professor, University Of West Los Angeles School Of Law

2004 - Present

CEO, Law Offices of Tamara Benefield

2001 - 2002

Associate, Anderson, McPharlin & Conners

Associations

2016 - Present

Black Women Lawyers of Los Angeles

Family Law Liaison for Harriet Buhai Center

2016 - Present

National Bar Association

Member

2016 - Present

Harriett Buhai Center for Family Law Board of Directors

Liason

2016 - Present

California Association of Black Lawyers

Historian

2014 - Present

Association of Certified Family Law Specialists

Attorney Member

2012 - Present

Beverly Hills Bar Association

Member

2012 - Present

Order of Distinguished Attorneys

Member

2009 - Present

Association of Family and Conciliation Courts

Member

2003 - Present

American Bar Association

Member

2003 - Present

Black Women Lawyers of Los Angeles

Lifetime Member

2003 - Present

State Bar of California

Member

2002 - Present

Los Angeles County Bar Association Barristers

Member

2017 - 2017

California Association Black Lawyers

Judicial Evaluations Co-Chair

2016 - 2017

California Association of Black Lawyers

Historian

Sample of Legal Cases

500K Frozen and Liened

Ex Parte Application granted to protect corpus of the community estate

IRMO

$180,000 Judgment and $7500 per month wage garnishment

See More Legal Cases

Education

2002

Loyola Law School

JD - Juris Doctor

1999

California State University, Northridge

BA - Bachelor of Arts

Speaking Engagements

2019

California Lawyers Association - Annual Meeting Monterey Intersectionality of Family Law and Criminal Law In Domestic Violence Cases

2016

2014

Law Professor

Civil Procedure

Publications

2010

Law Offices of Tamara Benefield - Real Estate Litigation Web Page What Every Homeowner In Distress Should Know When They Face Foreclosure

Languages

English

Spanish

Activity

Avvo Rating

Our Rating is calculated using information the lawyer has included on their profile in addition to the information we collect from state bar associations and other organizations that license legal professionals. Attorneys who claim their profiles and provide Avvo with more information tend to have a higher rating than those who do not.

What determines Avvo Rating?
  • Experience & background Years licensed, work experience, education
  • Legal community recognition Peer endorsements, associations, awards
  • Legal thought leadership Publications, speaking engagements
  • Discipline
    This lawyer was disciplined by a state licensing authority in 2021
    Disciplinary information may not be comprehensive, or updated. We recommend that you always check a lawyer's disciplinary status with their respective state bar association before hiring them.
Avvo Rating Levels
10.0 - 9.0 Superb8.9 - 8.0 Excellent7.9 - 7.0 Very Good6.9 - 6.0 Good5.9 - 5.0 Average4.9 - 4.0 Concern3.9 - 3.0 Caution2.9 - 2.0 Strong Caution1.9 - 1.0 Extreme Caution