When L.A. law firm Brot & Gross opened in January, 2005, it filled a void in the San Fernando Valley for a full-service family-law firm, according to founding partners Mark P. Gross and Ronald F. Brot. "Before we opened here, all of the major family-law firms were located on the west side of Los Angeles," explains Brot. "The changing demographics of the city indicated to us that there was both a need and an opportunity to provide a similarly structured firm here with the manpower and experience to handle complex family-law cases."

Prior to establishing their LA firm together, both founding partners were well-established family-law attorneys with their own private practices. "I've been practicing family law exclusively for about 20 years. Ron's been practicing for about 30 years," explains Gross. The attorneys met several years ago on opposite sides of the courtroom, remembers Brot. "There's no better compliment than to have your opposing counsel say, 'I would like to be partners with you.'" The firm's third partner, attorney Lori A. Loo, offers clients years of experience in high-level complex divorce cases with a major Century City law firm. "Lori's judgment is just impeccable," says Gross. "She's also extremely compassionate."

Together with the firm's associate attorneys, Brot & Gross is fully staffed and able to take a comprehensive yet balanced approach to legal representation. Ronald Brot is "one of the best litigators walking," says Gross. "We're very different, and that's why it works. Ron is a very aggressive, proactive attorney. My reputation is that I am very focused on negotiated settlements, even in complex cases." Lori Loo works on Brot's team, sitting second chair on all of the firm's major litigation. "Our people bring their varied backgrounds and life experiences to their work," says Brot. "We offer a variety of alternatives for people to confront the disappointment and challenges that accompany the end of a significant relationship." (Detailed bios of all the attorneys can be found below.)

Gross and Brot work together when they deem it appropriate: "Sometimes, I'll take one role and Ron will take the other, or the alternative is that we'll just bounce ideas off one another," explains Gross. "We try very early on in the process to match the client with an attorney in terms of the experience and billing rate we think will best meet their needs." Each client is treated with the care, attention, and individualized respect they deserve, stresses Brot. "We recognize that to that client, this is the most important divorce in the world. They are right — for them it is." Whether it's through the process of negotiation or litigation, the attorneys at the firm always try to help clients get to the other side with dignity and self-respect. "We bring an empathy to people who you would think are at their worst point in life," says Brot. "I know they're not at their worst: I believe we deal with people at their best going through the worst of circumstances."

Brot and Gross practice in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, and throughout most of southern California. "Clearly, in the Valley, there is no one like us," insists Brot. "We're young, we're growing, and we're enthusiastic." Gross concurs: "We thought it would take years to create a certain synergy with the firm, but it happened almost instantaneously." In the two years Brot & Gross has been in practice, they have doubled in size. Gross added: "It's reflective of my and Ron's in dividual reputations amongst our peers." Together, they say they forcefully advocate the interests of their clients while retaining a commitment to both excellence and professional integrity. "Whether it's clients or opposing counsel, the bottom line is we're committed to what we do for our clients as well as for our profession: When we say something, we mean it", insists Gross.

Helping individuals get through one of the most difficult times of their lives and meeting all the challenges the divorce process brings remains highly satisfying to Brot and Gross. To those who are just beginning the divorce process, Gross offers these words of wisdom: Understand you're embarking on a process with a beginning, a middle, and an end, he concludes. "It will be challenging, but all the challenges are solvable. Always remember there is hope — there is always a light at the end of the tunnel."

Here are brief biographies of Brot & Gross' attorneys or visit our web site.

Mr. Brot is a Founding and Senior Partner in the Firm who has limited his practice to family law for over 20 years. He has successfully handled high conflict and complex issue cases from inception through conclusion involving all aspects of family law, including child custody, support, property, other financial issues, and paternity.  He has over three decades of trial and appellate experience. As a highly experienced family law attorney with a strong litigation background, he is tenacious in the representation of the Firm's clients both in the courtroom and at the negotiating table. He has held a variety of leadership positions in the Bar, including the chair of the Trial Lawyer's Section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association.  He is currently a member of the Executive Committees of the Family Law Sections of the Los Angeles County and San Fernando Valley Bar Associations. Mr. Brot has also lectured extensively throughout the United States for various local and national continuing legal education providers. In addition, Mr. Brot continues to be involved in the development of the law as a Sustaining Member of the American Law Institute. Mr. Brot has been recognized for excellence by his peers, and has been designated a "Southern California Super Lawyer in Family Law" for 2005 and 2006. He is AV-rated by the Martindale-Hubbell Registry. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree cum laude from the University of Michigan, and a Juris Doctorate degree cum laude from the University of Michigan Law School. He is admitted to practice throughout California in all State Courts, all U.S. Federal District Courts, and the U.S. Court of Appeals - 9^th Circuit.  Mr. Brot is also admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court.

Mr. Gross is a Founding and Senior Partner in the Firm, who has over 20 years of family law experience.  He has effectively handled the entire range of issues presented in family law. Mr. Gross has extensive experience in business valuation cases, which began with a clerkship for the first New Jersey Trial Court to determine and value professional good will. He also has particular expertise in complex custody cases, and is recognized by Judicial Officers as being adept at handling cases involving children with special needs.   He has a reputation as a vigorous but reasonable negotiator who promotes settlement of all cases when possible. Mr. Gross is also a leader in the Bar, and currently is a member of the Executive Committee of the Family Law Section of the San Fernando Valley Bar Association.  As a member of Divorce Magazine's Advisory Board, he is a regular contributor to the magazine.  Mr. Gross has lectured for various continuing legal education providers, and is a frequent guest speaker for talk shows and professional, bar and civic organizations on a wide range of family law topics.  Mr. Gross has also been recognized for excellence by his peers, and has been designated a "Southern California Super Lawyer in Family Law" for 2005 and 2006. He is AV-rated by the Martindale-Hubbell Registry. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Florida, and a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Florida Law School. He is admitted to practice in all State Courts throughout California.  He is also admitted to practice in New Jersey.

Ms. Loo has been a partner of the Firm since its formation.  During the last 15 years as an attorney, Ms. Loo has handled the entire range of issues presented in family law, including custody, support, property, and other financial issues.  Her experience includes the representation of clients with complex financial issues, highly contested custody disputes, and other high conflict issues.  She has participated in several "celebrity" and high net worth cases, but enjoys bringing her talent to all types of cases, whether they are resolved by negotiation or litigation.  Ms. Loo has also been recognized for excellence by her peers, and was designated a "Southern California Super Lawyer's Rising Star" for 2004 (for attorneys 40 years old and under), and was later designated a "Southern California Super Lawyer in Family Law" for 2006.  She is AV-rated by the Martindale-Hubbell Registry. She obtained her undergraduate degree from the University of California at Berkeley, and a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Southern California Law School.  She is admitted to practice in all State Courts throughout California.   Ms. Loo is a mother to a 7-year-old son, Quinten, and 9-year-old daughter, Delaney.

Ms. Streets been an associate of the Firm since its formation, and was associated with Mark Gross for more than six years prior to the formation of the Firm. She has over 15 years experience in the practice of family law, and has handled all issues presented by family law cases from beginning to end, including child custody, support, property division, other financial issues, modifications, adoptions, and domestic violence.  She has also served as a family law Mediator and Judge Pro Tem for the Los Angeles Superior Court.   She obtained her undergraduate degree from Western Washington University and a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of LaVerne.  She is admitted to practice in all State Courts throughout California, and the U.S. Federal District Court - Central District.  Ms. Streets is a mother to an 8- year-old son, Dylan.

Craig S. Pedersen, Associate

Mr. Pedersen has been licensed to practice law in the State of California for 12 years, and has practiced exclusively in the area of family law for most of his career. Mr. Pedersen has handled cases involving all of the myriad issues involved with family law, including child custody, support, characterization and division of property (including in "high asset" cases), and post-judgment modifications. His experience with child custody cases has included a number of relocation or "move-away" cases. Mr. Pedersen obtained his undergraduate degree from Azusa Pacific University, and his Juris Doctorate degree from Loyola Law School of Los Angeles. While attending Loyola, Mr. Pedersen served as the Chief Articles Editor for the Loyola of Los Angeles Entertainment Law Journal, in which his law review article regarding the powers of the Baseball Commissioner was published. He has served on Loyola Law School's Alumni Board of Governors since 1999, and in that capacity has assisted with the planning of Loyola's annual Pro Bono Adoption Day for two of the past three years. In connection with the 2004 U.S. Presidential Election, Mr. Pedersen volunteered his time as an attorney to monitor the fairness and integrity of the election process in the battleground State of New Mexico. Mr. Pedersen is admitted to practice in all State Courts throughout California. He is also admitted to practice before the Northern, Southern, and Central Districts of the U.S. District Court.

Marie A. LaMolinara, Associate

Ms. LaMolinara has been licensed to practice law in California for three years. Prior to joining the Firm, she worked as a contract attorney for various family law attorneys drafting pleadings and researching various family law issues. She has been a member in good standing of the Association of Trial Lawyers of America since 2003. Ms. LaMolinara received her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Southern California where she received Dean's List commendations in her Psychology major. She received a Juris Doctorate degree from Southwestern University School of Law in December 2002, where she received the honor of First Place Team and First Place Oralist in the Philip C. Jessup International Law Moot Court Competition Regional rounds. She is admitted to practice in all State Courts throughout California. Ms. LaMolinara is a mother to 3½ year-old son, Luca, and 2 year-old son, Brando.

Jennie R. Swanson, Associate

Ms. Swanson was recently admitted to the California bar in 2006. In 2004, she obtained her first hands-on family law experience at Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles' Santa Monica Domestic Violence and Family Law Clinic. She obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Biopsychology from the University of California at Santa Barbara in 2000. She received a Juris Doctorate degree from Southwestern University of Law in 2005, where her emphasis was family law. She is a member of both the Los Angeles County Bar Association and Beverly Hills Bar Association. She is admitted to practice in all State Courts throughout California.

  For more information, or to book an appointment, contact:

15260 Ventura Boulevard, Suite 1500
Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
Phone: (818) 594-0800  Fax: (818) 594-0796
info@brotgross.com
www.BrotGross.com

Mark Gross has written the following articles:

FAQs:

• "Is it true that whatever my spouse and I discuss during one-on-one negotiations can't be used against me in court?" 
• "What should I expect in terms of communication from my attorney?"
• "My spouse wants a divorce. I don't. How can I fight it?"
• "Is it true that one-on-one negotiations can't be used against me?"
• "My spouse cheated on me, and now this person is living with my spouse and our children. Is there anything I can do about this - and will this affect any of the issues in our divorce?"
• "If you live in a common-law marriage, are you entitled to the same support and property division as if you were legally married?"