Irwin B. Feinberg is our firm's lead litigator and a partner. Mr. Feinberg completed his undergraduate work at UCLA in 1976 and earned his J.D. from the University of California at Davis in 1979. He clerked for the Honorable Bertram Janes, Justice of the California Court of Appeal. Before founding FMBK, he originally practiced at the law firm of Buchalter, Nemer, Fields, Chrystie & Younger. Mr. Feinberg has an AV rating with Martindale-Hubbell.

Mr. Feinberg continues to serve on the Board of Directors and the Executive Committee of Our House, a grief support center, and previously served three years as its Board Chair. He continues to serve on the Board of Directors of Westview School, and previously was Chairman of that Board and recipient of the Champion Award for his services to the school. He is currently the Vice President of the Board of Directors of Claire's Place Foundation and previously served as a Member of the Board of Directors of Kayne ERAS and the Cure FD Foundation.  He was named as a Super Lawyer by Los Angeles Magazine, 2005 through 2011. Mr. Feinberg lives in Pacific Palisades with his wife, Deb, and has three sons.

Steven A. Mindel, a Certified Family Law Specialist* since 1998, is the Managing Partner of FMBK and heads our firm's Business Transactions Department. Mr. Mindel graduated Magna Cum Laude from UCLA in 1981 and from the USC Law Center in 1985.

Mr. Mindel currently serves as the Past President of the Board of Trustees of University Synagogue and previously served on the Governing Board of Directors of Los Angeles Free Clinic where he received two special recognition awards for his volunteerism. He was appointed and served a two year term on the California State Bar Family Law Section Executive Committee ("FLEXCOM".) He also served as an Advisor to FLEXCOM for four additional years. Mr. Mindel was named as a Super Lawyer by Los Angeles Magazine, 2004 through 2011, and was named one of Southern California's Top 100 lawyers, 2007 through 2011. In addition to being featured on the cover of the Super Lawyers insert in the 2009 issue of Los Angeles Magazine, he was featured in an article titled, "The Man Who Would De-Fang Divorce," in the 2009 Super Lawyers Magazine. Mr. Mindel was selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers® 2010 and 2011. He has an AV rating with Martindale Hubbell.

Mr. Mindel is a frequent guest lecturer. Some recent presentations include: "Premarital Agreements" and "How to Keep Your Law Firm From Becoming a Not For Profit Organization" for White, Zuckerman, Warsavsky, Luna, Wolf & Hunt; "The Intersection of Post Marital Agreements and Estate Planning" for the Legal Education Institute; "Marketing 101 for Attorneys" for the Beverly Bills Bar Association Barristers; and "Preparing for Child Custody Evaluations" for Divorce Magazine.

In addition, he is on the Levitt & Quinn Family Law Center Advisory Council. He is a lifetime member of the UCLA Alumni Association. Mr. Mindel is the author of " Cooking For Our Friends," a cookbook that includes step-by-step instructions on cooking meals for parties of more than 40 people. He is on the board of Pacific Coast Soccer Club (PCSC). In addition, he is a black belt in Tae Kwon Do and an Eagle Boy Scout. Mr. Mindel resides in Pacific Palisades with his wife, Nancy and their children.

View Mr. Mindel's recent television appearances:

Early Show - Schwarzenegger-Shriver split
Good Day LA - McCourt-LA Dodgers
Good Morning America - Michael Douglas' legal situation
Entertainment Tonight - Sandra Bullock's legal situation, Charlie Sheen's situation, Schwarzenegger-Shriver split, Lopez-Anthony split, Moore-Kutcher split
The Insider – Halle Berry's legal situation, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie's Engagement
Today Show - Schwarzenegger-Shriver split
AP Television - Tiger Woods' situation, Schwarzenegger-Shriver split
CBS 2 News - McCourt-LA Dodgers, Larry King's legal situation, Schwarzenegger-Shriver split 
KCAL 9 News - McCourt-LA Dodgers, Larry King's legal situation, Mel Gibson's legal situation, Tiger Woods' situation, Eva Longoria and Tony Parker's legal situation, Moore-Kutcher split
NBC 4 News - Dennis Hopper's legal situation
KTLA 5 News - General divorce advice Part 1, General divorce advice Part 2, McCourt-LA Dodgers, Schwarzenegger-Shriver split
E! News - Sandra Bullock's legal situation, Sandra Bullock's legal situation
CNN Prime News - Sandra Bullock's situation
ABC 7 News - Charlie Sheen's situation December 2009, April 2011, Tiger Woods situation, McCourt-LA Dodgers Divorce October 2009, March 2010, May 2010, December 2010, June 2011, Schwarzenegger-Shriver split, Kobe-Vanessa Bryant split

Listen to Mr. Mindel on NPR and The Michael Eric Dyson Show.

Robert C. Brandt, CFLS*
Partner, Head of our Family Law Department
Family Law
rbrandt@fmbklaw.com Ext. 227

Robert C. Brandt is a Certified Family Law Specialist* and heads our firm's Family Law Department. He is a Fellow of both the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, where he serves as Treasurer of the Southern California Chapter, and the International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. Mr. Brandt graduated from San Diego State University in 1971 with Distinction in Speech Arts. He earned a Masters degree in Speech from UCLA in 1972 and his JD from Southwestern University School of Law in 1976.

Mr. Brandt belongs to the Los Angeles County and Beverly Hills Bar Associations, the Association of Certified Family Law Specialists, and the United States District Courts. He is the current Chair of the Los Angeles County Bar Association Family Law Section, former Chair Elect, Section Vice Chair, Treasurer and Secretary, and has been a member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association Executive Committee Family Law Section for more than six years. In addition, Mr. Brandt is a member of the Beverly Hills Bar Association Family Law Section Executive Committee (2009-2010). He has previously served as the Chairperson of the Continuing Legal Education Subcommittee. Mr. Brandt participated in the forming of the Family Law Branch of the American Inns of Court in Los Angeles and has been on its Executive Committee since 2006. Among other achievements is his experience as a volunteer mediator for the Los Angeles Superior Court and as a grader for the Family Law section of the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. Mr. Brandt frequently participates in Continuing Legal Education seminars as a lecturer, moderator and panel member. He was named as a Super Lawyer by Los Angeles Magazine, 2005 through 2011, one of Southern California's Top 100 lawyers in 2009 through 2011 and he was named one of the Top Ten Lawyers in Southern California for 2012. Mr. Brandt was selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers® 2010 and 2011. He has an AV rating with Martindale-Hubbell. Mr. Brandt co-authored Chapter 3A, entitled, "Family Law/Domestic Relations Issues Affecting a High Net Worth Athlete or Coach," in the Thompson West four-volume treatise, "Law of Professional Amateur Sports" (c) 2009. Mr. Brandt also co-authored the article, "Under Influence in Probate and Family Law Matters," with partner Howard Klein. The article was published in the September 2008 issue of Los Angeles Lawyer, and Brandt and Klein were featured on the cover of the magazine. Mr. Brandt resides in Calabasas, California with his wife Lynn, a school psychologist. They have three children, three grandsons and one granddaughter.

View Mr. Brandt's recent television appearances on:

Entertainment Tonight: Tiger Woods' situation, Schwarzenegger-Shriver split May 11, 2011, May 17, 2011
KTLA Channel 5 News: Sandra Bullock's situation and Social Media as Divorce Evidence
Legal Broadcast Network: Schwarzenegger-Shriver split

Listen to Mr. Brandt on KNX 1070

Howard S. Klein, a Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law** since 1993, heads our firm's Probate Department. Mr. Klein graduated Summa Cum Laude in 1958 from UCLA, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa in his junior year. He graduated from UCLA Law School in 1961, worked as a trust administrator, and has practiced law in Los Angeles County for over 40 years. Mr. Klein also holds an "AV" rating with Martindale-Hubbell.

Mr. Klein has practiced family law for over 35 years and has lectured, written and been a frequent panelist for Continuing Education of the Bar and most major local bar associations, primarily on probate/family law cross-over issues, on which he is an acknowledged authority. He is on the Los Angeles Superior Court Probate Mediation Panel and has mediated over 100 cases in the past decade.

Mr. Klein is the immediate past Chair of the State Bar Advisory Commission on Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law. He has chaired the Probate Section of the Beverly Hills Bar Association and sat for six years on the Executive Committee of the Los Angeles County Bar Association Trust and Estate Section. He was named as a Super Lawyer by Los Angeles Magazine, 2005 through 2011, and was named on of Southern California's Top 100 Lawyers in 2011. He was selected by his peers for inclusion in The Best Lawyers® 2010 and 2011. Howard Klein authored the article "Tales of Two Courts - Legal Changes in marital status can have a dramatic impact on existing estate plans", which was published in Los Angeles Lawyer Magazine, April 2005. Mr. Klein also co-authored with Geoffrey M. Murry the article "Estate Planning for Non-traditional Couples", which was published in the California Board of Legal Specialization Digest, 2007. In addition, Mr. Klein authored the article "Transmutation and the Ascendance of Undue Influence", which was published in the California Trusts and Estates Quarterly, Fall 2008. Also, Mr. Klein co-authored the article, "Under the Influence in Probate and Family Law Matters," with partner Robert Brandt. The article was published in the September 2008 issue of Los Angeles Lawyer, and Klein and Brandt were featured on the cover of the magazine. Finally, Mr. Klein authored the article, "Parting of the Ways: Clients contemplating divorce need to consider revision of their estate plans," which was published in the June 2010 issue of Los Angeles Lawyer. A past member of B'nai B'rith International ("BBI") Board of Governors, Mr. Klein resides in Porter Ranch with his wife, Rosalind, who is a former Senior International Vice President of BBI.

View Mr. Klein's recent television appearances on:

Entertainment Tonight: Whitney Houston's Will

Jeremy B. Kline, CFLS*
Partner
Litigation & Family Law
jkline@fmbklaw.com Ext. 219

Jeremy Kline, Certified Family Law Specialist, graduated Cum Laude from UCLA in 1982 and from the USC Law Center in 1985. Mr. Kline is a partner and practices in the areas of business, real-estate and commercial litigation, as well as family law. He has briefed several appeals during his practice, including City National Bank v. Adams, 96 Cal.App.4th 315 (2002). Mr. Kline has an AV rating with Martindale Hubbell. He is a member of the LA County, Beverly Hills, American Bar Association and the Century City I, Professional Network Group. He was named as a Super Lawyer by Los Angeles Magazine in 2009, 2010, 2011. He is also a lifetime member of the UCLA Alumni Association. Jerry has a wife, Betsy, and two children.

Wallace S. Fingerett is a Certified Family Law Specialist. He has been an attorney for more than 30 years. He graduated from San Diego State University with a degree in business and the University of La Verne Law School. Mr. Fingerett practices Family Law exclusively. He was named as a Super Lawyer by Los Angeles Magazine in 2009, 2010 and 2011. Mr. Fingerett has an AV rating with Martindale-Hubbell.

His experience includes work as a solo practitioner for more than twenty years and a senior financial consultant for a major brokerage. Mr. Fingerett has lectured at adult continuing education courses; volunteer attorney at Senior Citizens Center in Van Nuys and Reseda; volunteer attorney at Haven Hills Women's Shelter in San Fernando Valley; volunteer attorney at Ventura County Family Services in Thousand Oaks; volunteer attorney on behalf of Asylum applicants in Texas. He resides in Woodland Hills with his wife, Rhonda, and two teenage boys.

Nancy L. Burt, CFLS*
Associate
Family Law
nburt@fmbklaw.com Ext. 204

Nancy Burt is a Certified Family Law Specialist.  She graduated Magna Cum Laude from UCLA in 1983 and received her law degree from the University of San Francisco in 1986. Her practice is devoted exclusively to the practice of family law. Prior to joining FMBK, Ms. Burt practiced with the law firm of Coleman-Schwimmer & Warren. She has published "Sex Discrimination: Isbister v. Boy's Club" in the University of San Francisco Law Review, 1985.

Ms. Burt serves on FMBK's Summer Law Clerk Program Committee along with Taylor Bouchard.

Alex Grager, CFLS*
Associate
Family Law
agrager@fmbklaw.com Ext.222

Alex Grager is a Certified Family Law Specialist.  He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in psychology from the University of Southern California in 2001 and a law degree from the University of Southern California Law Center in 2004. While in law school, Mr. Grager worked at Bet Tzedek Legal Service, a non-profit law group providing low cost/no cost legal counsel to the community. He is experienced in family law litigation representing clients in all aspect of family law including custody disputes and domestic violence.

Mr. Grager is a member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association and the Beverly Hills Bar Association, where he serves on the Board of Governors of the Barristers. He is a co-chair of the Roxbury Park Legal Clinic and of the Domestic Violence Project of the Beverly Hills Bar Association. Mr. Grager was recognized with the Beverly Hills Bar Association Barristers Lawrence J. Blake award for his community service. He has lectured to new family law attorneys at the annual Los Angeles County Family Court programs and has presented on cross-over domestic violence issues in family law and criminal law at continuing legal education programs. Mr. Grager was named a Rising Star by Los Angeles Magazine in 2009, 2010 and 2011. He is fluent in Russian.

Megan E. Green is a Certified Family Law Specialist. She graduated Cum Laude from Auburn University with a B.A. in Political Science and Spanish. At Auburn, Ms. Green served as the President of the College of Liberal Arts and interned for the Supreme Court of Alabama. She earned her J.D. from Southwestern University School of Law, where she was a member of the Trial Advocacy Honors Program, the symposium editor for the Journal of Law and Trade in the Americas, President of the Family Law Society, and Southwestern's liaison to the American Bar Association. During law school, Ms. Green externed for the Honorable Roy Paul, a family law judge. She was named a Rising Star by Los Angeles Magazine in 2010 and 2011.

Ms. Green is a member of the Beverly Hills Bar Association; she is also a former board member of the Beverly Hills Bar Association and the Barristers' board. In particular, she served as the Homeless Project Chairperson and Treasurer for the Beverly Hills Bar Association Barristers. In 2007, Ms. Green was recognized with the Beverly Hills Bar Association Barristers' Lawrence J. Blake award for her outstanding achievement in community service. Ms. Green is also a member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association and the Inns of Court. She is a founding friend of the Los Angeles Trial Lawyers Charities ("LATLC"), an organization dedicated to community service, and a member of Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles ("CAALA"). Ms. Green has volunteered for the Harriett Buhai Center for Family Law and served as a co-lecturer in a presentation entitled, “Oh What A Tangled Web We Weave When First We Practice To Deceive,” for a Continuing Legal Education seminar on the subject of spouses' fiduciary duties as interpreted in the case Marriage of Feldman. She also wrote a summary for Divorce Magazine on division of retirement plans upon dissolution. Ms. Green speaks Spanish.

John Adam Lazor is a Certified Family Law Specialist. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa with Departmental Honors and Distinction in psychology from Stanford University in 1987 and received his law degree from the University of Michigan in 1992.

Mr. Lazor has practiced family law for over 17 years. He was appointed and will serve on the California State Bar Family Law Section Executive Committee ("FLEXCOM") for 2010-2013. He is the Chair of both the FLEXCOM Membership Committee and Vice-Chair of the FLEXCOM Affirmative Legislation Committee. Mr. Lazor serves on the Executive Committee of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Family Law Inns of Court.  Mr. Lazor was named as a Super Lawyer by Los Angeles Magazine in 2011.   Mr. Lazor is a member of the Family Law Sections of both the California Bar Association and the Los Angeles County Bar Association. Mr. Lazor is a Past President of the Family Law Indigent Paternity Panel, has worked with the Levitt & Quinn Family Law Center, and has volunteered for the Harriett Buhai Center for Family Law and Aids Project Los Angeles.

Mr. Lazor has been the featured guest on two one-hour television shows designed to educate parents regarding their legal rights and responsibilities. He has been a guest lecturer speaking with high school students about the realities of teenage parenthood in a Family Law context.  Mr. Lazor's published articles include Negotiating with the Child Support Services Department at Central Civil West in Los Angeles Lawyer Magazine.

Mr. Lazor is a lifetime member of both the University of Michigan Alumni Association and the Stanford University Alumni Association.  In addition, Mr. Lazor is a composer, conductor, lyricist and performer.  He wrote the book, music, and lyrics for a musical comedy entitled “The Elixir, “ which had its premiere in 1983.  Mr. Lazor is a member of Broadcast Music, Incorporated, for film scoring. Mr. Lazor resides in Culver City with his wife, Pam, and their two daughters.

Donna L. Shapiro graduated with Honors and Distinction from Stanford University in 1986, attended Harvard Law School and completed her J.D. at Stanford University in 1989. Her practice is devoted to the area of estate planning. Prior to joining FMBK, Ms. Shapiro practiced with the law firm of Rosenfeld, Meyer & Susman in Beverly Hills. She currently serves on the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees of University Synagogue. She is also a lifetime member of the Stanford Alumni Association. Ms. Shapiro resides in Pacific Palisades with her two sons.

Ms. Bouchard serves on FMBK's Summer Law Clerk Program Committee along with Nancy Burt.

Gregory A. Girvan holds a B.A. in Political Science from the University of California at Davis and a law degree from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles. He graduated law school in the top quarter of his class.While attending Loyola Law School, Mr. Girvan served as a Family Law judicial extern for the Honorable Harvey Silberman of the Los Angeles Superior Court.

Mr. Girvan formerly served as a legislative deputy for the California State Assembly. While working for the Legislature, he drafted legislation to prepare California's communications infrastructure for natural disasters and to curb harassment in the workplace. He remains active in local politics in the San Fernando Valley and has organized numerous political events, including hosting Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa at FMBK.