Los Angeles · Divorce Guide
California is a no-fault, community-property state, so the questions that actually decide a Los Angeles divorce are about timing, cost and who divides what, not about blame. We compared three Los Angeles divorce firms on their State Bar of California licence records, the fee terms they publish, and verified Google reviews, and set out who each one suits and where each falls short.
DJA Editorial · Legal Directory Research
Checked against state bar licensee records, court sources and public review platforms · Last updated September 2026
The short answer
Three firms, each built for a different kind of Los Angeles divorce. This is a shortlist rather than a ranking, and the firm in the top slot is not the one with the largest review base.
1
Fernandez Law Group
Best for a high-net-worth or celebrity-adjacent divorce that needs to stay out of public view
2
Provinziano & Associates
Best for an international or cross-border divorce, or a client who wants exact fee numbers upfront
3
Cage & Miles
Best for a high-conflict custody dispute that may go to trial
At a glance: Divorce Lawyers in Los Angeles, compared
| Firm |
Best for |
Focus |
Bar record |
Fees |
Rating |
| Fernandez Law Group |
Best for a high-net-worth or celebrity-adjacent divorce that needs to stay out of public view |
High-net-worth, celebrity and contested divorce |
Steven Fernandez, CA Bar #139293, active |
Free consultation; retainer and hourly figures not published |
5.0. 04
Google |
| Provinziano & Associates |
Best for an international or cross-border divorce, or a client who wants exact fee numbers upfront |
International family law, high-asset and contested divorce |
Alphonse F. Provinziano, CA Bar #233231, active |
$7,500 to $15,000 retainer; $490 to $900/hr |
4.5 · 79 Google |
| Cage & Miles |
Best for a high-conflict custody dispute that may go to trial |
High-conflict custody and contested divorce |
Avi Levy, CFLS 2011, admitted 2002 |
Not published |
4.8 .144
Google |
Divorce in Los Angeles: the local picture
$490 to $900/hr
What representation actually costs
Los Angeles family law runs on hourly billing against an upfront retainer, commonly $5,000 to $15,000 depending on complexity, with senior-attorney rates near the top of that range and associate rates lower. Only one of the three firms below publishes exact figures; ask the other two for both numbers in writing before signing anything.
6 months + 1 day
The earliest your divorce can be final
California requires 6 months of state residency and 3 months of county residency before you can file, then a further mandatory waiting period of 6 months and 1 day from the date your spouse is served before any judgment can be entered. Filing early does not shorten this; the clock starts at service, not at filing.
$435
If you cannot afford any of these firms
The Los Angeles Superior Court filing fee for a divorce petition is $435, and the same amount applies to a response. Anyone at or below 125% of the federal poverty line, or receiving benefits like Medi-Cal or CalFresh, can have that fee waived using Form FW-001. The court’s Family Law Facilitator office, free in every county, helps unrepresented filers with paperwork on uncontested and default cases.
What clients in Los Angeles say: Across the visible Google reviews for all three firms, the praise centers on a named person, not the firm: a paralegal who stayed five steps ahead, an associate who guided someone through their first court appearance, an attorney who kept a high-conflict custody case calm. Almost none of the reviews mention cost. The pattern that matters most for a reader comparing these three is who you will actually be working with day to day, since two of the three firms route most files through a team of associates rather than the named partner alone.
How we chose these Divorce Lawyers in Los Angeles
We compared three Los Angeles divorce firms on what a reader can check independently: the State Bar of California licensee record for the lead attorney, the fee terms the firm actually publishes rather than the ones it advertises, the office that handles Los Angeles cases specifically, and the visible Google reviews for that address.
The three are a shortlist, not a ranking, and each leads for a different situation. Firm details come from each firm’s own site, cross-checked against Google Business Profile listings, the State Bar of California, and professional directories including IAFL and AAML. Bar numbers we could not confirm during this update are flagged on the page rather than filled in, and no case result, recovery total or case count appears here unless the firm publishes it itself, in which case it is labelled as the firm’s own figure.
1. Fernandez Law Group
Best for a high-net-worth or celebrity-adjacent divorce that needs to stay out of public view
The pick when privacy is as important as the outcome. Founding partner Steven Fernandez is a CFLS-certified attorney with more than 50 years of combined firm experience, and the firm runs separate pages for celebrity divorce, high-net-worth divorce, and mediation or collaborative divorce as alternatives to a public court record. For anyone looking for a Los Angeles divorce lawyer who can keep a complex split out of the news, this practice is built around that.
Identity and footprint
Legal nameFernandez Law Group, APLC (formerly Fernandez & Karney)
Lead attorneySteven Fernandez
Other named attorneysCraig Nadai, Jean Young Kim
Los Angeles office811 Wilshire Blvd #1736, Los Angeles, CA 90017
Santa Monica office429 Santa Monica Blvd #120, Santa Monica, CA 90401
Phone(310) 622-9434 main line, (310) 564-5710 Los Angeles office
LanguagesSpanish-language site available
Practice and scope
Core workDivorce, spousal support, complex property division, child custody and support
Sub-practicesHigh-net-worth divorce, celebrity divorce, military divorce, LGBTQ divorce, domestic partnership dissolution, move-away and relocation
Alternatives to litigationMediation, collaborative divorce and arbitration each have separate pages describing private, off-the-record resolution
CourtsLos Angeles Superior Court, with the firm’s own resource pages pointing to the Stanley Mosk self-help materials
Credentials and licensing
State Bar of CaliforniaSteven Fernandez, bar number 139293, admitted 1/17/1989, active status, no discipline shown
Specialty certificationCFLS-certified attorney, State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization
Firm experienceFirm states over 50 years of combined attorney experience
DJA listingNone found
Fees and consultation
ConsultationFree case evaluation
Retainer and hourly ratesNot published; the firm’s site gives no specific figures anywhere on its fee or practice pages
Payment plansOne review mentions the firm accepted payments on a client’s case, but this is not a published policy
What clients say
✓ Named staff praised by name
✓ Settled outside court to save time and cost
· Only 4 reviews on the current Los Angeles listing
The reviews visible on the firm’s Los Angeles Google listing are short but consistently name a specific paralegal or attorney (Karen, Crystal, Jean Kim) rather than praising the firm generically, and more than one describes a settlement reached outside court. The review base at this address is small, so treat the average as a light signal rather than a verdict.
Why they fit Los Angeles: The clearest fit of the three for a divorce where discretion matters as much as the legal outcome, backed by a genuinely deep bench of alternatives to public litigation. The caveat: the firm’s current Los Angeles Google listing carries only 4 reviews, below the level this guide treats as a reliable average, and the firm’s own client testimonials and several visible reviews still refer to it by its former name, Fernandez & Karney. Confirm you are speaking with the current Fernandez Law Group and ask directly which attorney would handle a case at this level of visibility.
2. Provinziano & Associates
Best for an international or cross-border divorce, or a client who wants exact fee numbers upfront
The pick for anyone who wants a written number before they sign anything. Managing partner Alphonse F. Provinziano is a CFLS-certified attorney and a Fellow of the International Academy of Family Lawyers, and among firms offering a Los Angeles divorce attorney, his is one of the only ones in this comparison to post its actual retainer range and hourly rates on its own site rather than asking a caller to find out on the phone. The firm’s international family law practice, covering custody and property matters across the UK, France, China, and elsewhere, is also a genuine specialty rather than a marketing page.
Identity and footprint
Managing partnerAlphonse F. Provinziano
Office8888 W. Olympic Blvd, Ste 100, Beverly Hills, CA 90211 (main office)
Phone(310) 820-3500
Service areaLos Angeles County, including Santa Monica, Torrance, Pasadena, and Van Nuys
LanguagesFirm states support in Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, French, Russian, and Farsi beyond English
Practice and scope
Core workDivorce, high-asset property division, spousal support, child custody and support
International family lawSeparate practice covering international divorce and custody, with country pages for the UK, France, China and Spain
CourtsRegularly appears at Stanley Mosk, Pasadena, Santa Monica, and Van Nuys courthouses
Published resultsFirm states Provinziano has handled 2,000+ cases and 220+ trials
Credentials and licensing
State Bar of CaliforniaAlphonse Francis Provinziano, bar number 233231, admitted 12/1/2004, active status, no discipline shown
Specialty certificationCFLS-certified attorney, State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization
Fellowships and offices heldFellow, International Academy of Family Lawyers; President-Elect, Beverly Hills Bar Association
Ratings cited by the firmSuper Lawyers 2021 to 2026 and a 10.0 Avvo rating are the firm’s own stated figures, not independently re-verified this run
Fees and consultation
ConsultationFree initial case evaluation
Initial retainer$7,500 to $15,000 depending on case complexity
Hourly rates$900/hr for Provinziano himself, $490 to $610/hr for associate attorneys BillingHourly against the retainer; unused retainer refunded
What clients say
✓ International cases handled personally
✓ Steady and compassionate under pressure
· Team of associates named alongside Provinziano
The reviews on the firm’s Beverly Hills Google listing consistently describe Alphonse Provinziano as personally involved even when an associate did the day-to-day work, and several specifically praise the handling of international or cross-border matters. No detailed negative review was visible among the accessible text, which is itself worth noting given the review count.
Why they fit Los Angeles: The strongest fit of the three for a cross-border case, and the only one of the three that publishes exact retainer and hourly figures rather than leaving pricing to the first call. The trade-off: two different pages on the firm’s own site show two different sets of numbers for retainer and hourly rates, so confirm the current figures directly, and know that most of the hourly work will be billed at associate rates rather than Provinziano’s own $900 rate.
3. Cage & Miles
Best for a high-conflict custody dispute that may go to trial
The pick built for a fight. Among Los Angeles divorce and family law attorneys, this office is led by partner Avi Levy, a CFLS-certified attorney and Fellow of both the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and the International Academy of Family Lawyers, at a firm that puts several CFLS-certified attorneys on staff and is recognized by Best Lawyers as one of its Best Law Firms. Reviewers describe the firm as holding steady through combative custody litigation rather than steering every case toward settlement.
Identity and footprint
Los Angeles partnerAvi Levy
Los Angeles office9200 Sunset Blvd, Ste. 510, Los Angeles, CA 90069
Phone (310) 453-6226
Phone (Google Business Profile)(424) 855-1600
Office hoursMonday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Founding partnersJaime N. Cage and Shannon B. Miles, firm founded 2015 in San Diego
Other California officesSan Diego (headquarters) and Riverside/Murrieta
Practice and scope
Core workDivorce, child custody, child support, restraining orders, post-judgment modifications
Sub-practicesFamily law mediation, collaborative law, LGBTQ+ family law, paternity actions, family law appeals and writs
CourtsNames Stanley Mosk, Van Nuys, Pasadena, Long Beach, Chatsworth and Torrance courthouses among those it appears before
CFLS-certified attorneys on staffFirm lists Avi Levy, Evan Wender, Naomi Fribourg, Steven K. Brumer and John Sylvester as CFLS-certified attorneys
Credentials and licensing
Specialty certificationAvi Levy became a CFLS-certified attorney in 2011 and has practiced family law exclusively since 2002
Fellowships and offices heldFellow, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and International Academy of Family Lawyers; past Chair, Family Law Executive Committee of the State Bar of California
Firm recognitionBest Lawyers Best Law Firms badge and International Academy of Family Lawyers and American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers logos displayed on the firm site
Fees and consultation
ConsultationFree consultation advertised
Retainer and hourly ratesNot published; no fee or pricing page was found on the firm’s site
What clients say
✓ Calm and strategic in combative custody cases
✓ Individual attorneys named and praised
· Smaller review base than the firm’s San Diego office
Reviews on the Los Angeles Google listing describe Avi Levy and colleagues staying strategic through financially and legally complicated, combative custody disputes, with more than one reviewer naming the specific attorney who appeared in court for them. The 18 reviews at this address are a fraction of the 215-plus at the firm’s San Diego headquarters, so the Los Angeles track record specifically is thinner than the firm’s overall footprint suggests.
Why they fit Los Angeles: The strongest fit of the three if the case is headed for a real fight over custody rather than a negotiated exit, with a deeper roster of CFLS-certified attorneys than either of the other two firms. The caveats: this Los Angeles office is a satellite of a San Diego-headquartered firm with a much smaller local review base, the firm publishes no fee figures anywhere, and the phone number on its own Los Angeles page does not match the number on its Google Business listing, so confirm you have the right line before you call.
What to check before hiring a Divorce Lawyer in Los Angeles
✓ Look up the bar record yourself
The State Bar of California runs a free licensee search showing bar number, admission date, current status and any public discipline. Search the individual attorney who will handle your file, not just the firm name, since a case is often handed to an associate rather than the named partner.
✓ Get the retainer and hourly rate in writing before you sign
Only one of the three firms above publishes its numbers. Ask for the exact retainer amount, every attorney’s hourly rate who might touch your file, and what happens to unused retainer funds if the case settles early or ends.
✓ Ask who will actually work your case day to day
At firms with a CFLS-certified attorney leading the practice, most of the hourly work is often done by associate attorneys at a lower rate. That is not a problem by itself, but you should know the assigned attorney’s name and what would trigger the lead partner getting personally involved.
✓ Confirm which courthouse hears your case and whether the firm appears there regularly
Los Angeles County family law cases are split across courthouses including Stanley Mosk, Van Nuys, Santa Monica and Pasadena depending on where you live. An attorney unfamiliar with your specific courthouse’s local practices is starting a step behind.
✓ Ask about mediation or collaborative divorce before assuming litigation
All three firms above offer some form of settlement-focused process alongside litigation. If your case is not high-conflict, ask directly whether mediation or collaborative divorce would be cheaper and faster, since a firm built for trial work does not always volunteer that a fight is optional.
✓ Check the fee waiver before assuming you cannot afford to file
If your household income is at or below 125% of the federal poverty line, or you receive benefits like Medi-Cal or CalFresh, Form FW-001 can waive the $435 filing fee entirely. The court’s free Family Law Facilitator office can help you complete it.
Divorce Lawyers in Los Angeles: frequently asked questions
How much does a divorce lawyer cost in Los Angeles?
Expect an upfront retainer somewhere between $5,000 and $15,000, billed against hourly rates that commonly run from roughly $460 to $900 an hour depending on which attorney at the firm does the work. Only Provinziano & Associates among the firms compared here publishes exact figures; the other two require asking directly.
California is a no-fault state, so does it matter who caused the divorce?
Not for whether you can get divorced. California only requires a claim of irreconcilable differences. Misconduct can still matter indirectly, for example if it affected the family’s finances in a way relevant to spousal support, but you never need to prove fault to file.
How long does a divorce take in Los Angeles?
The earliest possible date is 6 months and 1 day after your spouse is formally served, under California Family Code § 2339. That waiting period runs regardless of whether the case is contested, and a contested property or custody dispute typically adds well beyond the minimum.
Do I need to live in Los Angeles to file here?
You need 6 months of California residency and 3 months of residency in the county where you file, under Family Code § 2320. If you have not met the county requirement yet, you may still qualify to file in a different California county where you have lived long enough.
What happens if I cannot afford any of these firms?
The $435 Los Angeles Superior Court filing fee can be waived using Form FW-001 if your household income is at or below 125% of the federal poverty line or you receive certain public benefits. The court’s Family Law Facilitator office, free in every county, helps unrepresented filers with the paperwork for uncontested and default divorces.
Is mediation cheaper than hiring one of these firms for litigation?
Usually, if both spouses already agree on most issues. All three firms above offer mediation or collaborative divorce as an alternative to litigation, typically at a lower total cost than a contested court case, though none publishes a flat mediation rate, so ask directly for that specific figure rather than assuming it matches the litigation retainer.
DJA Editorial
Legal Directory Research
Compiles Distinguished Justice Advocates city guides from state bar licensee records, court and statute sources, and publicly visible client reviews. Firms appear as a shortlist rather than a ranking. Figures a firm publishes about itself are labelled as such, and anything that could not be verified is flagged on the page rather than estimated.
