Phillips, Lerner & Lauzon, L.L.P.

Law Firm Overview

Challenges continue to mount in today’s society and there are no greater challenges than the ones that present themselves in defining or, in many cases, redefining the family structure. It takes great skill and tremendous insight to help families through such difficult transitions—most of which are fraught with legal issues.

The multi-faceted team of attorneys and paralegals at the Family Law firm of Phillips, Lerner & Lauzon, L.L.P understand how stressful family changes can be and they work diligently to meet every client need. The true measure of their skill and alacrity is their ability to handle their clients from both an objective and subjective vantage point—to strike a comfortable balance between advocating for their client’s rights and, at the same time, taking great care in appropriately handling their client’s most personal feelings and concerns.

“The field of Family Law is really quite different from that of any other legal practice,” says Senior Partner Stacy D. Phillips, “You’re not only dealing with business matters such as dividing properties and belongings—you’re also dealing with people’s lives—their pasts and their futures—and, in a very personal way.” She goes on to add, “I think the difference between our Family Law firm and the others in the same field is that we take the time to understand all aspects of a case and especially the family dynamics as they relate to the needs and the wants of the people involved.” To that end, the lawyers and paralegals at Phillips, Lerner & Lauzon, L.L.P. often include family therapists, accountants, business managers, clergy and other professionals and family members involved in a client’s inner circle to help the firm guide its clients toward making appropriate choices and decisions.

Moreover, the entire team at Phillips, Lerner & Lauzon, L.L.P. prides itself on taking time with their clients; for making themselves readily available to the client; and for helping them through life-altering transitions with optimism and a positive outlook.

While the Century City, Calif. firm handles film and television celebrities, as well as professional athletes, it also represents high-worth executives, business professionals and homemakers. The firm offers legal assistance in the areas of: dissolution of marriage; custody disputes; paternity matters; post-judgment proceedings; guardianships; pre-nuptial, postnuptial and cohabitation agreements; non-marital family relationships; annulments; and mediation.

Each of the firm’s principals has extensive experience in the field of Family Law and have handled the most complex of disputes either through some type of mediation process, court proceeding or most cases a combination of both. In addition to having an excellent reputation as successful mediators, they are just as well reputed for being tough litigators.

Phillips, who was instrumental in garnering one of the largest spousal and child support awards for the former wife of actor Jean Claude Van Damme, and the widow of Mark Hughes, founder of Herbalife; has also represented Darryl Strawberry, Toni Taupin (ex-wife of lyricist Bernie Taupin), Erin Everly (ex-wife of heavy-rocker Axl Rose), and many other celebrities.

Lerner, who has handled a variety of areas of law before choosing Family Law exclusively, is best known for his representation of the husband whose wife had won the lottery, divorced him, and then hid the winnings from him. Lerner was instrumental in winning the case for the husband, and as a result, the court awarded the entire lottery jackpot to Lerner’s client.

Lauzon, who also has worked for a number of celebrities, including film director John McTiernan (of Die Hard and Hunt For Red October fame), is also well known as a leading expert for his work in handling interstate and international marriage dissolution and international custody cases.

Of counsel at Phillips, Lerner & Lauzon, L.L.P. is Gerald F. Phillips, a veteran attorney with a long list of successes who is highly regarded as one of the country’s most knowledgeable and effective lawyers in the area of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) techniques. An adjunct professor at Pepperdine University and lauded for his work in settling complex legal battles mostly in the entertainment industry, Phillips is also an author. One of his books includes a foreword by famed-attorney, Louis Nizer.

All of the principals at Phillips, Lerner & Lauzon, L.L.P., as well as Gerald Phillips, are sought after speakers, lecturers, and panelists who appear on a regular basis at various legal conferences and seminars. Each is also frequently asked to guest on various radio and television talk programs to lend their expertise and commentary. Additionally, all of them have been interviewed by the print media and by Internet sources. They have appeared on such shows as Good Morning America, The Insider, the BBC, Star TV, Celebrity Justice, VHI, Hard Copy, E! Entertainment Television, Judge For Yourself, Men Are From Mars; Women Are From Venus, Inside Edition, Dateline, The Today Show, CNBC, Court TV, CBS Market Watch, Leeza, National Public Radio’s “Tavis Smiley Show,” and various news programs. They also have been quoted or featured in such publications as Town & Country, The Los Angeles Business Journal, The Wall Street Journal, New York Post, Entertainment Weekly, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Los Angeles Magazine, In Touch with Women in Washington, Chicago Tribune, People Magazine, Los Angeles Daily Journal, Redbook, California Law Business, Sacramento Bee, Arizona Republic, Working Woman and Divorce Magazine. They also have appeared on various website postings such as Yahoo Personals, womenswallstreet.com, Amazon.com, and Court TV.com

All the partners, and Gerald Phillips, have also written articles for various trade publications such as The Los Angeles Daily Journal, California Law Business and California Lawyer. Ms. Phillips has been a columnist for Divorce, Los Angeles Family Magazines, and Women On Top covering various timely subjects related to “hot” Family Law issues. She is also authoring two books on the subject of divorce, one of which is due out in spring, 2005.

Although the firm is actively handling an array of client matters, each member of the Phillips, Lerner & Lauzon, L.L.P. team—from assistants to senior partners and associates—takes time out of their hectic schedule to participate in the firm’s various philanthropic pursuits. Several years ago, the firm created the Adopt-A-Center program wherein each year the firm chooses a worthy cause and works to help it raise community awareness and funds. The firm does so by sponsoring different events and activities over the course of a 12-month period. Their recipients include Vista Del Mar, Free Arts for Abused Children, Venice Family Clinic, Break the Cycle, Ocean Park Community Center and Children Uniting Nations. “Every year it’s a new program and new cause," explains Peter Lauzon, a founding partner of the firm. “We truly enjoy helping those in need. It not only brings us together with the community, it also offers a wonderful opportunity for those in the office to work toward a common and uplifting goal.”

Teamwork is evident in most areas throughout the offices at Phillips, Lerner & Lauzon, L.L.P. Many cases are handled with a cluster of staff members who gather at regular intervals to share various duties and responsibilities on many cases. A quarterly newsletter showcases the firm’s achievements and interesting personalities, along with updates of the many civic activities in which the firm is involved. “Although our type of work can be tense and highly-pressured at times," says Marc Lerner, “you always have the sense that there is a solid support system ready to step in and help whenever and wherever needed. It’s one of our strengths and it’s also what distinguishes us from other law firms in our field of expertise. Our group is tightly knit.”

Phillips, Lerner & Lauzon, L.L.P. handles cases throughout southern California as well as in others states. The team of attorneys and support staff are skilled in all areas of Family Law no matter how intricate a case may be.

Family Law
Divorce and Marriage Dissolution
California Community Property
Breach of Fiduciary Duty
Spousal Support / Alimony
Child Support
Child Custody and Visitation
Paternity
Domestic Partnerships
Domestic Violence and Restraining Orders
Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)


Phillips, Lerner & Lauzon, L.L.P., handles cases throughout Southern California and the LA area, as far north as Santa Barbara, west to Palm Springs, and south to Orange and San Diego counties. They represent clients in communities such as Beverly Hills, Burbank, Ventura, Riverside, San Bernardino, Santa Ana, Irvine, and Newport Beach, as well as handling interstate and international custody disputes.

Areas of Practice

• Family Law 50%
• Divorce 50%
• Adoption
• Child Support
• Custody & Visitation
• Litigation & Appeals

West Practice Categories

Family Law, Adoption, Child Support, Custody & Visitation, Divorce, Litigation & Appeals