Submit your evaluation of this attorney.

Contact Lawdragon about the information in this review.

Christopher C. Melcher is a partner in the family law firm of Walzer & Melcher LLP in Woodland Hills. He earned his law degree at Pepperdine University, and was admitted to the California bar in 1994. His practice focuses on complex family law litigation and the preparation of premarital agreements. He is a certified family law specialist and a member of the Family Law Executive Committee of the State Bar of California. He is a regular continuing legal education lecturer on family law issues statewide, and the author of several articles and treatise chapters on financial issues relevant to family law proceedings.

COMMITTEES

• 2010-2011, Vice Chair, California State Bar Family Law Section
• 2009-present, Task Force on Child Custody Consultation and Coaching, Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC)
• 2007-present, Family Law Executive Committee (FLEXCOM) The State Bar of California
• 2007-present, 2007 Conference of Delegates of California Bar Associations Los Angeles County Bar Association
• 2003-present, Judicial Elections Evaluation Committee Los Angeles County Bar Association

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

• Association of Certified Family Law Specialists
• State Bar of California, Family Law Section
• American Bar Association, Family Law Section
• Los Angeles County Bar Association, Family Law Section
• Association of Family and Conciliation Courts - California Chapter

See Library Tab for articles, publications and presentations
by Christopher Melcher

EVALUATION

Fill in the requested information below, then submit your evaluation to have your scores calculated as part of Christopher C. Melcher's Lawdragon ranking. By submitting this form, you agree to Lawdragon's TERM OF USE.

About You First name: Last name: Title: Company Name: City: State choose AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DE FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA DC WV WI WY Zip Code : Email: No fake e-mail addresses, please. We may need to contact you if there is a problem with your review.

Relationship How do you know the person you are reviewing? Select Represented me Opposing counsel Appeared in my court Work at same firm/court Other   If you answered other, please explain:   Type of legal matter involved (provide case name if appropriate):

Ratings On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being excellent, please rate the attorney or judge: EXPERTISE: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Did he or she demonstrate a high level of knowledge about the legal matter? SERVICE: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Did this lawyer or judge provide good service? Was the lawyer or judge respectful and professional in his or her dealings with others? QUALITY: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Is this the type of individual you are proud to have among the bar? OVERALL: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 How would you rate this attorney or judge overall from 1 to 10?

Your Review Please provide any information you have about the rates charged by this lawyer or judge. If you are reviewing a public judge, please mark n/a.   Please describe your overall experience with this attorney or judge in the space below: (1000 characters or less)   Would you recommend this lawyer or judge to a friend? Yes No

Biography Title: Firm: Law School: Pepperdine University School of Law, Malibu Graduation: 1993   Notable case(s), past or present (include date if possible):   Selected clients: Areas of Expertise: Family law, complex property division in divorce cases, premartital agreements, post-marital agreements   Bar Memberships: Certified Family Law Specialist, California State Bar Board of Legal Specialization   Clerkships:   Honors: Spirit of CEB Award, 2009

Q&A Best moment of career:   Worst moment of career:   Attorney you most admire:   Favorite activities (besides the Law):   Favorite Sports Team (if you have one), or Favorite Theater or Museum, etc:   If you weren’t a lawyer, what would you be?:   What do you read most often:   Notable law school classmates:   Why are you proud to be a lawyer?:

PUBLICATIONS

• Establishing, Modifying, and Enforcing Child and Spousal Support
  Chapter 7: Determining Spousal Support Amount
  Chapter 8: Grounds and Procedure to Modify or Terminate Spousal Support Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB)
  June 2010
  
  
• Mining Evidence Under the New Electronic Discovery Act
  Family Law News
  The State Bar of California, Family Law Section
  November 2009
  
  
• Evaluating the Enforceability of a Premarital Agreement Family Law News
  The State Bar of California, Family Law Section
  May 2008
  
  
• Use of Experts as Consultants and Witnesses in Financial Discovery Process
  Family Law Financial Discovery Handbook, Chapter 6
  Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB)
  June 2008
  
  
• New Business Valuation Standards - Statement on Standards for Valuation Services No. 1 (SSVS#1)
  Family Law News
  June 2008
  The State Bar of California, Family Law Section
  
  
• New Law Makes Significant Change to Notary Form
  Family Law eNews
  March 2008
  The State Bar of California, Family Law Section

ARTICLES

• "I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Sign Here" Wall Street Journal November 2010
  
  
• "New Weapon for Divorce Lawyers?" ABA Journal November 2010
  
  
• "Divorce Insurance" Time Magazine November 2010
  
  
• "Divorce Ceremonies Give Japanese Couples a New Way to Untie the Knot" CNN November 2010
  
  
• "6-Month Suspension Urged for Lawyer Who Claimed to Channel Client's Dead Wife" ABA Journal November 2010
  
  
• "Plaintiff Must Provide Access to 'Private' Facebook & MySpace Pages, Judge Rules" ABA Journal November 2010
  
  
• "Lawyers to the Stars" Series [CNN]: Lindsey Lohan, Mel Gibson, Robyn Gibson, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Angelina Jolie, Robert Blake, Michael Jackson, Tom Cruise CNN November 2010

PRESENTATIONS GIVEN

• October 21, 2010
  Identifying and Solving Tax Issues in Family Law Cases
  American Bar Association (ABA) Family Law Section
  Forth Worth, TX
  
  
• September 25, 2010
  Annual Family Law Update
  The State Bar of California Annual Meeting
  Monterey, CA
  
  
• September 24, 2010
  Drafting and Litigating Premarital Agreements
  The State Bar of California Annual Meeting
  Monterey, CA
  
  
• July 30, 2010
  
  Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB)
  Irvine, CA
  
  
• May 21, 2010
  Law Practice Symposium
  LexisNexis and The Disability Rights Center at Loyola Law School
  Los Angeles, CA
  
  
• March 28, 2010
  Trial Techniques for Enforcing or Attacking Transmutations
  Association of Certified Family Law Specialists (ACFLS)
  Indian Wells, CA
  
  
• February 20, 2010
  Drafting and Litigating Premarital and Postmarital Agreements
  UCLA Extension
  Westwood, CA
  
  
• February 17, 2010
  Evidence for Family Lawyers
  American Bar Association Teleconference
  
  
• January 21, 2010
  Conducting e-Discovery on a Budget
  California State Bar Solo and Small Firm Summit
  Long Beach, CA
  
  
• January 8, 2010
  Tax Issues Facing Family Law Practitioners When Dividing Assets or Making Support Orders
  27th National CLE Conference
  Law Education Institute and Colorado Bar Association
  Vail, Colorado
  
  
• November 6, 2009
  2009 Family Law Conference
  (Moderator and Speaker)
  Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB)
  
  
• November 4, 2009
  Hot Issues In Family Law
  Appellate Judicial Attorneys Institute
  California Center for Judicial Education and Research (CJER)
  Long Beach, CA
  
  
• November 3, 2009
  Un-Real Estate
  American Inns of Court, Southern California Family Law Section
  Beverly Hills, CA
  
  
• September 12, 2009
  Recent Developments in Family Law
  The State Bar of California 2009 Annual Meeting
  San Diego, California
  
  
• July 28, 2009
  Initial Pleadings in a Family Law Action
  State Bar of California (webinar)
  
  
• April 8, 2009
  Family Law Ethics
  State Bar of California (webinar)
  
  
• February 7, 2009
  Coaching a Parent for a Child Custody Evaluation: A Call for Guidelines
  Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC), California Chapter
  San Francisco, California
  
  
• January 31, 2009
  Family Law Financial Discovery Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB)
  Los Angeles, California
  
  
• January 17, 2009
  How to Draft a Valid Premarital Agreement
  State Bar of California
  Section Education Institute
  Berkeley, California
  
  
• November 14, 2008
  2008 Family Law Conference
  Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB)
  San Francisco, California
  
  
• October 27, 2008
  Electronic Evidence: How to Get it and How to Use It
  San Fernando Valley Bar Association, Family Law Section
  Encino, California
  
  
• September 25-28, 2008
  Family Law Update
  The State Bar of California 2008 Annual Meeting
  Monterey, California
  
  
• June 5, 2008
  Crossover Issues in Estate Planning and Dissolution: When Death and Divorce Collide
  Continuing Education of Bar (CEB)
  San Diego, California
  
  
• May 30, 2008
  Crossover Issues in Estate Planning and Dissolution: When Death and Divorce Collide
  Continuing Education of Bar (CEB)
  Los Angeles, California
  
  
• May 16, 2008
  Crossover Issues in Estate Planning and Dissolution: When Death and Divorce Collide
  Continuing Education of Bar (CEB)
  Costa Mesa, California
  
  
• May 14, 2008
  Drafting Premarital and Postmarital Agreements
  University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) Extension
  Westwood, California
  
  
• March 18, 2008
  Roadmap Through Divorce Proceedings:
  • On the Road: Your Key to Getting Started
  
  National Business Institute (NBI)
  Pasadena, California
  
  
• February 9, 2008
  Ethical and Effective Coaching One Parent During a Child Custody Evaluation: Reconciling the Demands of Advocacy and Impartiality
  Association of Family and Conciliation Courts - California Chapter (AFCC-CA)
  Santa Monica, California
  
  
• January 19, 2008
  Death and Divorce
  The State Bar of California Section Education Institute
  San Diego, California
  
  
• January 6, 2008
  Cross-Examining Psychologists in Custody Cases
  Law Education Institute (LEI) and The Colorado Bar Association
  Vail, Colorado
  
  
• November 30, 2007
  2007 Family Law Conference - Moderator and Speaker:
  • Legal and Professional Standards for Conducting Child Custody Evaluations
  • Parental Alienation - Problems of Proof and Remedies
  • Rules of Evidence Concerning Psychological Testimony
  • Psychological Testing in Child Custody Evaluations
  
  Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB)
  Los Angeles, California
  
  
• November 16, 2007
  2007 Family Law Conference - Moderator and Speaker:
  • Legal and Professional Standards for Conducting Child Custody Evaluations
  • Parental Alienation - Problems of Proof and Remedies
  • Rules of Evidence Concerning Psychological Testimony
  • Psychological Testing in Child Custody Evaluations
  
  Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB)
  Garden Grove, California
  
  
• November 9, 2007
  2007 Family Law Conference - Moderator and Speaker:
  • Legal and Professional Standards for Conducting Child Custody Evaluations
  • Parental Alienation - Problems of Proof and Remedies
  • Rules of Evidence Concerning Psychological Testimony
  • Psychological Testing in Child Custody Evaluations
  
  Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB)
  San Francisco, California
  
  
• October 9, 2007
  Preventing Critical Financial Mistakes In A Dissolution of Marriage:
  • Tax Traps
  • Ethics for Family Law Attorneys
  
  National Business Institute (NBI)
  Pasadena, California
  
  
• September 28, 2007
  How to Prepare a Parent for a Child Custody Evaluation: An Ethical and Effective Approach
  The State Bar of California 2007 Annual Meeting
  Anaheim, California
  
  
• September 24, 2007
  California Family Law Practice :
  • Ethical Issues for the Family Law Attorney
  
  National Business Institute
  Pasadena, California
  
  
• April 27, 2007
  The Power of Perception: Protecting Clients from Themselves
  American Bar Association, Family Law Section
  Monterey, California
  
  
• March 30, 2007
  Roadmap Through Divorce Proceedings:
  • Get the Lay of the Land: Discovery Tools and Tactics
  • On the Road: Your Key to Getting Started
  
  National Business Institute (NBI)
  Pasadena, California
  
  
• December 8, 2006
  2006 Family Law Symposium - Moderator and Speaker:
  • Handling a Contempt Action
  • Tax Traps
  • Allocating Separate Property
  • Advanced Support Issues
  
  Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB)
  San Francisco, California
  
  
• December 2, 2006
  2006 Family Law Symposium - Moderator and Speaker:
  • Handling a Contempt Action
  • Tax Traps
  • Allocating Separate Property
  • Advanced Support Issues
  
  Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB)
  Los Angeles, CA
  
  
• July 24, 2006
  California Family Law Practice:
  • Child and Spousal Support Issues
  • Ethical Issues for the Family Law Attorney
  
  National Business Institute (NBI)
  Pasadena, California
  
  
• April 28, 2006
  Fundamentals of Family Law Practice:
  • The Beginning of the Case
  • Disclosures and Fiduciary Duties
  
  Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB)
  Los Angeles, California
  
  
• December 10, 2005
  2005 Family Law Symposium - Moderator and Speaker:
  • Who is the Parent: Paternity, Parentage, and Surrogacy in the New Millennium
  • Advanced Spousal and Child Support Issues
  • Valuation of the Professional Practice
  • Premarital and Postmarital Agreements - Drafting and Enforcement
  
  Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB)
  Los Angeles, California
  
  
• September 16, 2005
  Obtaining the Best Result for Your Client in a Marital Dissolution - Procedures and Strategies for Effective Settlement and Litigation in California:
  • Getting a Marital Dissolution Case off on the Right Foot
  • Dividing Assets and Debts
  • Ethical Perils in Dissolution Practice
  
  National Business Institute (NBI)
  Pasadena, California
  
  
• February 2, 2005
  What Every Family Law Forensic Accountant Needs to Know about Support Programs and the Income and Expense Declaration
  Walzer & Melcher LLP
  Calabasas, California
  
  
• December 4, 2004
  2004 Family Law Symposium, Analyzing the Critical Issues - Moderator and Speaker:
  • Handling a Child Custody Case - Start to Finish
  • Family Law Alternative Dispute Resolution
  • Property Issues in Family Law
  
  Continuing Education of the Bar (CEB)
  Los Angeles, California
  
  
• October 29, 2004
  Handling California Divorces Cases from Start to Finish:
  • Ethical Perils in Divorce Practice
  
  National Business Institute (NBI)
  Anaheim, California
  
  
• September 23, 2002
  Domestic Violence: Family Law and Criminal Law Considerations
  San Fernando Valley Bar Association
  Encino, California