Sarah B. Russo

Sarah Russo is a lifelong San Francisco Bay Area resident and a partner with the RUSSO ELMS ROBERTS, LLP (formerly Law Offices of Russo & Prince, LLP). Ms. Russo is proud to give back to her community through her legal work. Her priority is to help clients navigate the difficult family court process with dignity and confidence. Ms. Russo's primary practice areas are family law and guardianships.

Ms. Russo is also an effective and experienced mediator, aiding separating or divorcing families settle their cases without court intervention.

Ms. Russo believes in working collaboratively with her clients, treating them with respect and prioritizing the expedient and professional resolution of their legal matters. With a background in working with children and a degree in psychology, Ms. Russo is uniquely suited to the challenges of Family Law. In family law matters, clients benefit from having an attorney who sees the big picture and is an effective problem solver. Ms. Russo is adept at thinking creatively about each client's unique case in order to effectively address their concerns and achieve a favorable resolution. This often involves making effective use of an expert - such as a forensic accountant or child custody evaluator - or negotiating a resolution with a difficult opposing party.

Ms. Russo recognizes that for many of her clients this will be their first experience with the court system and that they may fear the court process. Ms. Russo works with her clients to enter the courtroom educated and empowered - knowing the possible outcomes that they may expect. She helps clients successfully navigate their cases, seeking out-of-court resolution where possible and never pressuring them to proceed in a manner in which they are uncomfortable. Ms. Russo's philosophy is to ensure that each client has all the information she needs to make a sound decision rather than to pressure a client to accept one course of action over another.

Ms. Russo also understands the needs of families, particularly those with children, to minimize conflict and expedite resolution. Ms. Russo's litigation philosophy is to be a steadfast advocate while avoiding becoming a further obstacle to settlement in any case. She provides legal services to clients throughout Solano, Napa and Contra Costa counties.

Ms. Russo attended the University of California, Davis, School of Law (King Hall) where she participated in the Civil Rights Clinic, representing prison inmates in constitutional tort actions. During her time at U.C. Davis, she also worked as a research assistant for the Civil Rights Clinic and as a law clerk. Ms. Russo represented U.C. Davis at the National Ethics Trial Competition, where she received several top advocate scores from the judges. Ms. Russo was also very active in several U.C. Davis student organizations, including serving as Co-Chair for the King Hall Women's Law Association. Before attending law school, Ms. Russo graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. in psychology from California State University, Sacramento, and worked as a Montessori school teacher.

In her free time Ms. Russo enjoys spending time with her daughters, her family, and her 2 dogs, as well as reading, traveling and learning new things.

Ms. Russo chairs the Family Law section of the Solano County Bar Association and is a member of the Family Law Section of the California State Bar.