“It’s no good, it’s no good!” says the buyer – then goes off and boasts about the purchase. Gold there is, and rubies in abundance, but lips that speak knowledge are a rare jewel. Proverbs 20:14-15
Making Experienced Representation More Accessible
After more 26 years as a Certified Family Law Specialist handling complex family law cases, I made a deliberate decision to restructure my practice.
Rather than continuing to operate a traditional law office with significant overhead, I transitioned to a fully remote, cloud-based practice, and eliminated the expense of maintaining a brick-and-mortar office. Those savings are now passed directly on to my clients.
My goal is simple: I will help you resolve your case whenever possible. If settlement isn’t the right outcome, I’ll make sure you’re fully prepared to move forward – understanding the risks, the costs, and the strategy – so there are no surprises along the way.
Partnering with Intentional Clients
It is no secret that family law is one of the most emotionally demanding areas of legal practice, and attorney burnout is common. To remain fully present for every client I serve, I am intentional about the cases I accept.
I look for clients who are ready to move forward with wisdom and integrity – not those whose primary goal is revenge or prolonged conflict.
If your objective is to inflict maximum damage on your spouse, there are attorneys who will gladly help you wage that battle.
That has never been the mission of this firm.
The family courts are designed to resolve legal disputes – not to satisfy personal vengeance. While litigation is sometimes necessary, lasting peace rarely comes through “winning” against another person.
True healing comes from letting go of bitterness and embracing forgiveness, wisdom, and the fruit of the Spirit.
My role is to protect your legal rights while helping you make decisions that position you (and your children) for a healthier future.
Honoring a Higher Calling
I understand that not everyone can afford legal representation. That is one reason I devote significant time each week to writing and maintaining a blog that is freely available to the public. It is my way of educating and serving families who need reliable information.
Of course, a blog is not legal advice. Every family and every case is unique, and legal advice requires a consultation tailored to your specific circumstances.
Our time on earth is precious. We have only twenty-four hours each day, and how we spend those hours matters.
Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures; yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away. If only we knew the power of your anger! Your wrath is as great as the fear that is your due. Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom. Psalm 90:10-12
Don’t spend your life trapped by past mistakes or consumed by anger. Choose your attorneys wisely as well.
Family law attorneys are advocates – not therapists. Healthy attorney-client boundaries allow us to focus our time and energy where it provides the greatest value: developing legal strategy, protecting your interests, and helping you move toward resolution.
For those seeking lasting peace in life’s storms, I encourage you to turn to Scripture and the words of Jesus Christ. The deepest wounds of divorce cannot ultimately be healed by a Judge or attorney. The hole in your heart is God-sized, and can only be filled by God.
This firm was built with purpose: to provide wise legal counsel while honoring my own calling to serve the Lord, serve my clients well, and spend my days focused on what truly matters.
Thank you for considering our firm. I pray that you find the attorney who is the right fit for your family and your future.
If you would like practical family law articles and biblical encouragement, I invite you to visit and subscribe to my blog. The link to my blog (where you can subscribe) is here: https://purposedrivenlawyers.com/blog/
Fees Listed Below (Click to Expand)
PRENUPTIAL AGREEMENTS / PREMARITAL AGREEMENTS (PMA)
Starts at $5,000 and up for drafting a PMA or reviewing existing PMA prepared by spouse’s attorney. (Additional fees apply for additional edits and drafts, rush, signing session, notary).
In general, if you are contemplating a PMA, we recommend you allot appropriate time prior to the wedding (at least 6 months). The law regarding PMAs is complex, and you should not rush the process.
Both parties MUST be represented by independent legal counsel. (Your fiance/fiancee MUST retain their own attorney). There are no exceptions to this rule.
Don’t know if you need a prenup? Schedule an initial consultation with our office BEFORE you get married.
ADOPTION SERVICES
Adult Adoption:
$3,000, which includes all work necessary to complete your adult adoption, including court appearance at the final hearing and a new birth certificate application.*
* In rare cases where the adoptee wants to be adopted and also have their existing parents keep their parental rights (so the adoptee could have three or four legal parents), additional fee of $1,000.
Foster-Adoption Finalization:
$850 ($400 is reimburseable), which includes the preparation and filing of all documents, coordination with the Department of Child and Family Services (DCFS), appearance at your final adoption hearing.
We provide you with certified, embossed copies of your Adoption Agreement and Adoption Order, and provide your Adoption Agency with proof of payment of fees so that you may apply to L.A. County for reimbursement in the maximum amount of $400.00 per child.
Stepparent Adoption:
Uncontested (Absent parent can be located, and signs consent): $5,000, which includes all necessary paperwork, communication with the Court and the investigating agency, securing the non-custodial parent’s consent, an appearance at the final adoption hearing, and a new birth certificate request.*
*Does not include investigation agency and fingerprinting fees.
If non-custodial parent does not sign consent, the Court will require termination of parental rights before granting an order of adoption. Please note we do not handle termination of parental rights, and will refer you.
COLLABORATIVE DIVORCE
Family disputes should NEVER be handled by strangers in a courtroom. Attorneys, judges, child custody evaluators, forensic accountants, vocational experts, appraisers – these are all strangers.
Unlike other areas of law, family law deals with your FAMILY. This your marriage, your children, and your money. It absolutely hurts when your trust is broken by someone you used to love, but hiring strangers to put your pieces back together necessitates these strangers have your best interests in mind.
Unfortunately, this area of law breeds a lot of opportunistic strangers.
Our firm specializes in nondestructive methods of handling divorce, including collaborative law. You may read more about collaborative divorce here. In a collaborative divorce, both of you have attorneys, and are represented by separate atorrneys. However, unlike litigation, where parties typically hire lawyers to be their weapons of mass destruction, collaborative divorce attorneys refuse to engage in destruction. In order to avoid scorched-earth war tactics, collaborative attorneys promise NEVER to go to Court. Collaborative attorneys are disqualified from going to Court.
This enables the divorce process to be focused on finding solutions, instead of racing to Court.
Collaborative Divorce Fees: Starting retainer $8,000.
CONSULTING ATTORNEY/LIMITED SCOPE REPRESENTATION
We offer consulting attorney services, such as the following:
- If you are in mediation, we can provide consulting attorney services from advising to reviewing legal documents.
- We can provide ghostwriting services, to help you prepare your paperwork so you can represent yourself.
- If you need representation at one court hearing, you can hire us to provide limited scope representation at that hearing.
- Currently represented, but want a second opinion? We provide second opinion consultations.
- Brand new attorney or new to family law? We provide consulting services to attorneys.
- Why else to consider a consulting attorney?
Consulting services are $575 per hour.
DIVORCE MEDIATION
If you and your spouse agree to mediate, you can hire us to be your mediator. As mediator, we are a neutral third party to help facilitate an agreement. We would not be you or your ex’s attorney, and would not be representing either of you. In order to use this service, BOTH of you must be present and agree to use Kelly as your mediator.
15-Minute Telephone Mediation Orientation with BOTH Parties Present: FREE
To secure your first mediation session, we require a retainer of $5,000.
UNCONTESTED DIVORCE (PAPERWORK ONLY)
Document Preparation Fees
Law and Mediation Offices of Kelly Chang charges flat fees for preparing documents in uncontested divorces and mediations.
Generally, it costs $4,000 to process a divorce without children (inclusive of all filing, messenger and document fees), and $5,000 to process a divorce with children (inclusive of all filing, messenger and document fees). The flat fee includes all court filing costs ($450 per person) as well as our attorney service messenger fees for filing documents at the Courthouse. If the Judgment is rejected for any reason, we submit for you with no additional cost. We will hold your hand throughout the entire process until your Divorce Judgment is entered.
To read more in detail about Document Preparation and What to Expect, click here.
MEDIATIONS FOR CLIENTS REPRESENTED BY ATTORNEYS
We offer mediated private settlement conferences. Do you have a case that should settle, but hasn’t? Need to set reasonable expectations for your clients?
We have over 26 years of experience in Family Law litigation and can help you and your clients come to an agreement.
Our rate is $5,000 for full day of mediation, and $3,500 for half-day. Please see Mediated Private Settlement Conference.
REPRESENTATION IN LITIGATION
Minimum $12,000 retainer, billed against our hourly rate of $575. Prior to litigating, we highly encourage you to explore other more peaceful options. Protect your family – don’t destroy.
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