Mary J. Martinelli

Partner

621 Capitol Mall
18th Floor
Sacramento, CA 95814

Areas of Law:

Family Law, Dissolution of Marriage, Legal Separation, Domestic Partnership, Guardianship, Custody, Paternity, Prenuptial and Postnuptial Agreements/Cohabitation Agreements

Admitted to Practice in:

California

Experience

Certified Family Law Specialist, State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization.

Emphasis:

Advocacy, mediation and private judging in dissolution of marriage, legal separation and domestic partnership actions, including custody, contract actions resulting from contracts arising during cohabitation and guardianship; negotiation and preparation of cohabitation, prenuptial, postnuptial and domestic partnership agreements; analysis of community property claims in business, tax and probate/estate planning matters.

Summary of Representative Work:

Resolution of sophisticated separate and community property disputes involving business, farming, industry, and professional practices. Custody advocacy and litigation in complex custody disputes. Coordination of mental health, medical, real estate, pension and accounting experts.

Clients include:

National and regional automobile dealerships, vast real estate holdings: extensive tracing issues, child custody and spousal and child support issues.

National trucking business: extensive tracing issues, income tax issues and spousal support issues.

Restaurant chain: corporate and stock redemption issues.

High earner (film actor/director/professional athlete/musician/band): child, and spousal support issues.

Developer: complex valuation and tax issues.

Lobbying firm: income tax and pension issues.

Large farming business: tracing issues and real estate valuation issues.

Hydroplant business: business valuation issues.

Family held appliance business: business valuation issues.

Medical and Dental practice: business valuation issues and spousal support issues.

Legal practice: business valuation issues and reimbursement issues.

Film production business: business valuation issues and buy-sell agreement issues.

Engineering firm: large commercial and rural real estate holdings, pension and business valuation is sues.

Real estate development business: business valuation, spousal support, and tax issues.

General
Manager of Downey Brand's Family Law & Wealth Planning Practice Management Group.

MEMBERSHIPS

Association of Certified Family Law Specialists, Member, Past Member Board of Directors and Legislative Analyst

State Bar of California, Family Law Section, Member

Sacramento County Bar Association, Family Law Section, Member

Association of Trial Lawyers of America, Member

American Bar Association, Member

Sacramento County Superior Court Pro Bono Assistance Committee, Member

Sacramento County Mediation Panel Member, Member

Sacramento Ballet Company, Former Board Member

Sacramento County Pro-Tem Judge, Member

California State ADR Standing Committee, Past Co-Chair

Milton L. Schwartz American Inn of Court, Former Barrister

Judicial Council Family Court Services Grants Advisory Committee, Former Member

EDUCATION

University of California, Davis (J.D., 1986)

University of California, Berkeley (B.A., 1980)

PUBLICATIONS

Legislative Update, ACFLS Newsletter, 1998-present, Writer

Irreconcilable Differences: When Family Law & Bankruptcy Collide, 1996, Writer

Child Custody and Visitation in California, 1995 and 2007, Writer

PRESENTATIONS

C.E.B., N.B.I., S.A.L.A., Employee Benefits Roundtable, Bankruptcy Law Forum, and County Bar Estate Planning Section; Barristers' Club: Seminar “Bridging the Gap”; Young Lawyers.

University of California, Davis School of Law, Marital Property; Family Law Practice/Clinic; Family Law Mediation, 2000 – 2006, Visiting/Adjunct Professor