Current Employment Position(s)

Partner

Lawyer Overview

Christopher J. Donnelly is the head of the firm's Family Law Department. He is certified by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization as a Family Law Specialist. Chris devotes his practice exclusively to family law at all levels, from premarital and postmarital agreements to complex settlement negotiations, financial analysis, and pretrial, trial, post-judgment, and appellate representation.

Chris has been rated AV by Martindale Hubble since his first rating. He has been honored as one of Ten Leaders in Matrimonial and Divorce Law in San Francisco, California. He has been distinguished as a Northern California Super Lawyer in family law every year since that program's inception in 2004.

Chris graduated from San Francisco State University (B.A., magna cum laude, 1981) and the University of California, Boalt Hall (J.D., 1990), where he served as co-editor-in-chief of the Industrial Relations Law Journal, 1989-1990. He is the author of Broadening the Definition of Income in the Context of Spousal Support Litigation, 15 Family Law News, No. 4., and In re Marriage of Ilas (Appropriate Economic Analysis) , California Family Law Monthly (April 1993), and with co-author Carroll J. Collins, Esq., Witnesses Tell the Story, 21 ABA Family Advocate 22. He has presented accredited Continuing Legal Education programs for family law attorneys on the subjects of discovery and business valuation.

Chris served as the legislative liaison for the State Bar of California Family Law Section Standing Committee on Property, North, which he chaired from 1994 to 1996. In 1997 he was appointed to the California State Bar's Family Law Section Executive Committee by the State Bar's Board of Governors. In 1999 he served as the editor of The Family Law News. In 2003 and 2004 Chris served as Chair of the Bar Association of San Francisco's Family Law Section.

Chris provides pro bono services as a family law attorney mentor for the Volunteer Legal Services Program in San Francisco. He has been trained as and serves as an arbitrator for the Bar Association of San Francisco. He has provided private mediation services dealing with complex family law matters, and serves regularly as a settlement master for the Superior Courts of San Francisco and Marin counties.

Areas of Practice

• Family Law

West Practice Categories

Family Law

Bar Admissions

• California, 1990

Certification/Specialties

• Family Law Specialist, State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization

Professional Associations and Memberships

• State Bar of California, Family Law Section, 1994 - 1996 (Chair, Legislative Liaison, Standing Committee)
• California State Bar's Family Law Section (Executive Committee, Board of Governors, 1997-2000)
• San Francisco Bar Association, Family Law Section (Chair, 2004-2006)

Honors and Awards

• "AV" Rated by Martindale Hubble
• One of Ten Leaders in Matrimonial and Divorce Law in San Francisco, California
• Northern California Super Lawyer, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009

Pro Bono Activities

• Family Law Attorney Mentor, Volunteer Legal Services Program in San Francisco
• Arbitrator, Bar Association of San Francisco
• Settlement Master, San Francisco Superior Court, Unified Family Court
• Bench/Bar Panelist, Marin Superior Court

Education

• University of California at Berkeley, Boalt Hall School of Law, Berkeley, California, 1990
  J.D.
  
  Law Journal: Industrial Relations Law Journal, Co-Editor-in-Chief, 1989 - 1990
• San Francisco State University, 1981
  B.A.
  Honors: magna cum laude

Published Works

• Broadening the Definition of Income in the Context of Spousal Support Litigation, 15 Family Law News, No. 4.
• In re Marriage of Ilas (Appropriate Economic Analysis), California Family Law Monthly, April, 1993
• Witnesses Tell the Story, (Co-Author with Carroll J. Collins, Esq.), 21 ABA Family Advocate 22
• Editor, Family Law News, 1999

Address

199 Fremont Street
21st Floor
San Francisco, CA 94105-6640

Phones

(415) 957-1800

Faxes

(415) 974-1520

Emails

Contact Us

Websites

http://www.lpslaw.com