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AV Preeminent® 2026 · Certified Family Law Specialist

38 years.
One specialty.
Family Law.

A father-and-daughter team representing families across the South Bay since 1986. Divorce, mediation, collaborative resolution, and child custody — handled with the consistency only specialists can provide.

Schedule a consultation → Meet our attorneys
38+
Years practicing · Since 1986
AV®
Preeminent · 2026 recognition
2x
Certified Family Law Specialists
South Bay
Serving Los Angeles County
Practice areas

Family law,
and only family law.

Both attorneys are certified specialists by the State Bar of California, Board of Legal Specialization — a credential held by fewer than 200 family law attorneys in the South Bay region.

01 / Divorce

Dissolution & legal separation

Uncontested and contested dissolution, legal separation, annulment, post-judgment modification. Every case is handled by an attorney who has spent their entire career in family law — never as a side practice.

02 / Mediation

Private mediation & settlement

For couples committed to reaching agreement without litigation. We serve as neutral mediator or as your advocate in mediation with another attorney serving as neutral.

03 / Collaborative

Collaborative law

A structured, out-of-court process where both parties retain specially trained collaborative attorneys. Designed for families who need a divorce but want to protect long-term co-parenting and dignity.

04 / Custody

Child custody & support

Parenting plans, custody modifications, child and spousal support, complex property division. Pragmatic counsel for the decisions that will shape your family for years.

Attorneys

A father-and-daughter practice.

Two generations of family law specialists working under one roof. Different perspectives, the same standard.

DK
David K. Yamamoto
Founder · Attorney

David K. Yamamoto

Certified Family Law Specialist · State Bar No. 123313

Admitted to the California Bar in 1986. Thirty-eight years exclusively in family law, with a particular focus on collaborative resolution and complex property division. AV Preeminent® rated by peers in 2026.

  • Certified Family Law Specialist · California State Bar Board of Legal Specialization
  • AV Preeminent® 2026 · Martindale-Hubbell
  • Member · South Bay Bar Association, Family Law Section
  • Member · Los Angeles County Bar Association
HM
Heather Yamamoto Mariano
Attorney · Next generation

Heather Yamamoto Mariano

Certified Family Law Specialist

Began at the firm in 2007 as a part-time assistant, became a paralegal, then earned her JD while raising two children. Practicing attorney since 2021, certified specialist alongside her father.

  • Certified Family Law Specialist · California State Bar Board of Legal Specialization
  • Co-chair · South Bay Bar Association, Family Law Section
  • Co-chair · LACBA Barristers · Media and Marketing Committee
  • Liaison · LACBA Family Law Section

Family law is what we do — not one of many things we do. After thirty-eight years, that focus is the only thing we know how to offer.

— David K. Yamamoto, Founder

Insights

Notes from our practice.

Plain-language commentary on the questions families bring through our door. Updated when we have something worth saying.

April 2026 · Collaborative Law

Is a collaborative divorce the right choice for your family?

Collaborative divorce works when both spouses can sit at the same table and commit to settlement without court. Here is how to know if it fits your situation — and the structural risks if it doesn't.

Read article →
January 2026 · Child Custody

Move-away requests in California: what courts actually weigh

When one parent wants to relocate with a child, California courts apply a specific multi-factor analysis. The factors that matter most are not always the ones parents expect.

Read article →
October 2025 · Property Division

Separating community and separate property: the audit nobody wants

The cleanest way to handle property division is the one couples skip first: an honest, line-item inventory before negotiation begins. Why it matters and how to structure it.

Read article →
View the full archive →

The first conversation is confidential.

A consultation with one of our attorneys helps you understand your options before any commitment. Most consultations take 30–60 minutes.

Schedule a consultation →
Call the office
(310) 905-6463
Visit
23326 Hawthorne Blvd
Suite 370
Torrance, CA 90505