About Mara Berke
Education
Mara received her law degree from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, in 1991. During law school, Mara was Note and Comment Editor and Staff Writer of the Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review and received the American Jurisprudence Award in Trial Advocacy. Mara obtained her Masters in Social Work from the University of Southern California School of Social Work in 1998 and earned Social Work Merit Scholarships. She majored in Sociology at the University of California, Berkeley, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree with honors in 1987 (top 20% of the College of Letters and Science). Mara is native to West Los Angeles and graduated from Brentwood High School.
Mara Berke has dedicated her practice exclusively to family law for more than twenty-five years, which includes many years of practice with prominent Westside boutique family law litigation firms. Mara’s practice includes traditional family law practice, consultation, collaborative law, mediation and parent coordination. Mara has counseled high net worth clients on complex financial issues and negotiated settlements. Mara has also handled less affluent clients cost effectively. Mara has experience with child custody disputes, division and characterization of assets and debts, calculation of child and spousal support, business valuations, paternity disputes, and post-judgment relief. Her depth of experience in family and children issues includes leadership training at Children’s Hospital, Center for Child Development and Developmental Disabilities, non-public school assessments, advocacy in Individualized Education Plans, appointment as minor’s counsel, and appointment as a Court Assisted Special Advocate (CASA)/Guardian Ad Litem in Dependency Court. She has performed pro bono work for Public Counsel, The Alliance for Children’s Rights and The Child Advocates Office. Mara has authored articles for the Daily Journal and Los Angeles Lawyer magazine. She serves as a Board Member of both the Los Angeles Lawyer Editorial Board and the Los Angeles Collaborative law Association.
Mara’s unique background as a clinical social worker provided her with specific training in working with families with children with developmental disabilities and understanding the intricacies of school placements. As a pro bono contribution, Mara presented College Financial Aid Tips for Divorced, Separated and Unmarried Parents at Palisades Charter High School and the Los Angeles Unified School District College Palooza. With her training and experience, she addresses clients’ needs from an interdisciplinary perspective with compassion and thoughtfulness which assists clients in managing the complexities of child custody and financial issues.
Memberships and Training
State Bar of California
Board Member, Los Angeles Lawyer Editorial Board
Board Member, Los Angeles Collaborative Family Law Association
Child Custody Mediation, Los Angeles Superior Court, Family Court Services
Collaborative Family Interdisciplinary Training, Los Angeles Collaborative Family Law Association
Divorce Mediation Training, Mosten Mediation
Minor’s Counsel training , Los Angeles County Bar Association
Parenting Plan Coordination training, Los Angeles County Bar Association
Education
Mara received her law degree from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, in 1991. During law school, Mara was Note and Comment Editor and Staff Writer of the Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review and received the American Jurisprudence Award in Trial Advocacy. Mara obtained her Masters in Social Work from the University of Southern California School of Social Work in 1998 and earned Social Work Merit Scholarships. She majored in Sociology at the University of California, Berkeley, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree with honors in 1987 (top 20% of the College of Letters and Science). Mara is native to West Los Angeles and graduated from Brentwood High School.
Education
Mara received her law degree from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, in 1991. During law school, Mara was Note and Comment Editor and Staff Writer of the Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review and received the American Jurisprudence Award in Trial Advocacy. Mara obtained her Masters in Social Work from the University of Southern California School of Social Work in 1998 and earned Social Work Merit Scholarships. She majored in Sociology at the University of California, Berkeley, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree with honors in 1987 (top 20% of the College of Letters and Science). Mara is native to West Los Angeles and graduated from Brentwood High School.
Mara Berke has dedicated her practice exclusively to family law for more than twenty-five years, which includes many years of practice with prominent Westside boutique family law litigation firms. Mara’s practice includes traditional family law practice, consultation, collaborative law, mediation and parent coordination. Mara has counseled high net worth clients on complex financial issues and negotiated settlements. Mara has also handled less affluent clients cost effectively. Mara has experience with child custody disputes, division and characterization of assets and debts, calculation of child and spousal support, business valuations, paternity disputes, and post-judgment relief.
In addition to carefully focusing on legal and strategic issues, Mara has an unique background as a clinical social worker so she also recognizes the complex interpersonal dynamics at play in every family law matter. She provides the highest level of client service and understands that she represents her clients during a particularly difficult time in their lives. With the extra attention that she gives her clients along with her compassionate, patient approach to communication, Mara helps her clients feel both supported and confident that they have an highly effective advocate on their team.
Mara's depth of experience in family and children issues includes leadership training at Children’s Hospital, Center for Child Development and Developmental Disabilities, non-public school assessments, advocacy in Individualized Education Plans, appointment as minor’s counsel, and appointment as a Court Assisted Special Advocate (CASA)/Guardian Ad Litem in Dependency Court. She has performed pro bono work for Public Counsel, The Alliance for Children’s Rights and The Child Advocates Office. Mara has authored articles for the Daily Journal and Los Angeles Lawyer magazine. She serves as a Board Member of both the Los Angeles Lawyer Editorial Board and the Los Angeles Collaborative law Association.
Mara's clinical social work background provides her with specific training in working with families with children with developmental disabilities and understanding the intricacies of school placements. As a pro bono contribution, Mara presented College Financial Aid Tips for Divorced, Separated and Unmarried Parents at Palisades Charter High School and the Los Angeles Unified School District College Palooza. With her training and experience, she addresses clients’ needs from an interdisciplinary perspective with compassion and thoughtfulness which assists clients in managing the complexities of child custody and financial issues.
Memberships and Training
State Bar of California
Board Member, Los Angeles Lawyer Editorial Board
Board Member, Los Angeles Collaborative Family Law Association
Child Custody Mediation, Los Angeles Superior Court, Family Court Services
Collaborative Family Interdisciplinary Training, Los Angeles Collaborative Family Law Association
Divorce Mediation Training, Mosten Mediation
Minor’s Counsel training , Los Angeles County Bar Association
Parenting Plan Coordination training, Los Angeles County Bar Association
Education
Mara received her law degree from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, in 1991. During law school, Mara was Note and Comment Editor and Staff Writer of the Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review and received the American Jurisprudence Award in Trial Advocacy. Mara obtained her Masters in Social Work from the University of Southern California School of Social Work in 1998 and earned Social Work Merit Scholarships. She majored in Sociology at the University of California, Berkeley, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree with honors in 1987 (top 20% of the College of Letters and Science). Mara is native to West Los Angeles and graduated from Brentwood High School.
