Nicole Michelle Stednitz

After going through my own divorce in my early-20s at the Torrance courthouse, I went to law school, became an attorney, and I immediately established a family law office in Torrance to guide other families in their familial breakups. After 10 years of grueling court battles, and after I became a parent to young children, I made a conscientious decision to step away from the courtroom and work with families using mediation and collaborative divorce principles of conflict resolution. I counsel clients about the benefits of mediation and collaborative approaches so they may understand the legal framework and begin to start making cohesive and informed decisions about their children, property, and lives.

In situations in which the family intentionally stays out of court, the end result of the case is typically less stressful, more cost-effective, more quickly resolved, and the family’s privacy can be maintained. I whole-heartedly endorse principles of collaborative divorce and mediation for families whose shared goal is to stay out of court, keep attorney’s fees low, manage the trauma of the breakup in a healthy ways, and preserve and strengthen the family bonds.

I am a member of A Better Divorce, Los Angeles Collaborative Family Law Association, Collaborative Practice California (CP Cal), International Association of Collaborative Professionals (IACP), and Bruin Professionals. I volunteer as the Family Law Chair of the Board of Directors for the South Bay Bar Association.