What does a designation of Certified Family Law Specialist mean?

SANTA BARBARA: Family law attorney Drew Maley, founder of The Maley Firm, has earned the designation of “Certified Family Law Specialist,” the highest distinction for family law attorneys given by the State Bar of California. 

According to data from the State Bar of California, less than one percent of active California attorneys meet the requirements to be board-certified as specialists in family law. To become a Certified Family Law Specialist, an attorney must demonstrate their specialized qualifications, experience, and ethics in the field of family law. In addition to the required continuing legal education generally required for all attorneys, applicants for certification must take at least 45 hours of specialized continuing legal education in family law.  Applicants must also demonstrate broad-based and comprehensive experience in all areas of family law and receive favorable evaluations from other attorneys and judges familiar with their work. In addition, attorneys seeking the Specialist designation must pass a 6.5-hour written exam administered by the Board of Legal Specialization, which is only offered once every two years.

“I’m honored to be recognized as a Certified Family Law Specialist by the Board of Legal Specialization of the State Bar” said Maley.  “Certification provides an added level of trust and security for my clients. My career is focused on serving families in my community and this designation demonstrates my deep dedication to the practice of family law.”

Maley’s practice encompasses all areas of family law, including divorce, child custody, child support, spousal support, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, and adoption.  He earned his Juris Doctor degree Cum Laude from the prestigious Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Colorado.  After practicing at boutique law firms in both Los Angeles and Santa Barbara, Maley founded The Maley Firm in 2019, and serves families in the Central Coast and greater Los Angeles areas.

The Maley Firm’s success is rooted in the firm’s core values of integrity, innovation, and impact. A former product and business development manager at a local technology company, Maley brings his entrepreneurial spirit and problem-solving skills to the practice of family law.  His focus is to help his clients address their matters in a way that provides positive opportunities for the next chapter in their lives.  For more information on The Maley Firm, visit www.maleyfirm.com.

What makes for a good family law attorney?

For many people, going through a family law proceeding is their first contact with the legal system.  A family law proceeding—whether a divorce, domestic violence restraining order, or child support request—can have great personal and financial consequences.  Someone at the start of this process finds himself or herself in an unfamiliar system at the same time the foundation of his or her personal life is being tossed up in the air.  It’s a little bit like trying to climb a mountain by yourself.  Sure, some people do it, but it doesn’t have to be this hard. 

We believe that a family law attorney should be like a sherpa.  Like the sherpa who guides a climber up and down a tall mountain, the family law attorney should have been down the path the client is facing many times before. The attorney should know which routes lead to quagmires and which routes are the most straightforward to get to your goal: the end of the stress, waste of time & money, and distraction that come with almost any contested family law case. 

The attorney cannot walk the path for you—you still have to go through your own unique journey.  However, we believe that a family law attorney should be by your side, guiding you every step of the way.  To be a successful guide, your family law attorney must bring many talents and skills to bear, such as:

• the experience to help you get through the process as efficiently and successfully as possible

• the empathy to understand your perspective and goals

• the agility to adapt to new developments and find ways to achieve your goals

• the drive to put your interests above all other concerns

• the intellectual firepower to give you objective legal advice based on a thorough understanding of all the facts, circumstances, and relevant law, and

• the tenacity to be an effective advocate for you. 

It could be that you are facing a divorce, a custody or support proceeding, a request for a restraining order, or even some other family law matter. Whatever the specifics, the matter is sure to have great significance in your life.  We believe everyone deserves an attorney who will be an essential guide throughout your journey.