Child custody cases for Beverly Hills families are decided by the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles, under the California Family Code. Judges decide legal custody, physical custody and parenting time based on the child's best interest.
Custody disputes here often involve demanding work schedules, relocation requests, travel abroad and privacy concerns. The firms below have Beverly Hills offices, practice family law, and represent parents in custody, visitation, move-away and modification cases.
1. Benefield Faulk Law, Family Law Trial Advocates P.C.
- Attorney: Tamara Shari Benefield, Esq., Founding Attorney
- Founded: August 2004
- Address: 9454 Wilshire Blvd, Penthouse, Beverly Hills, CA 90212
- Phone: (310) 271-7675
- Website: beverlyhillsfamilylawattorney.com
- Practice Areas: Contested child custody, interstate custody, international and interstate child abduction, grandparents' rights, guardianship, child support
- Credentials: Loyola Law School Public Interest Scholar; National Bar Association Top 40 Attorneys Under 40 (2017); former Civil Procedure professor, West Los Angeles College of Law; fluent in Spanish
- Google Rating: 5.0 (44 reviews)
- Google Business Profile: View on Google Maps
- Social Profiles: Facebook | LinkedIn
About: Tamara Benefield has 25 years of experience with contested custody proceedings and international and interstate child abduction cases. The firm represents parents in Beverly Hills child custody matters, including sole and joint custody requests and enforcement when an order is violated. Ms. Benefield is a seasoned cross-examiner, a skill that matters when custody turns on disputed facts. Learn more on her attorney profile.
2. Provinziano & Associates
- Attorney: Alphonse F. Provinziano, Managing Partner and Senior Trial Attorney
- Address: 8888 W Olympic Blvd, Suite 100, Beverly Hills, CA 90211
- Phone: (310) 820-3500
- Website: provinziano.com
- Practice Areas: Child custody, emergency custody, move-away litigation, international child custody, grandparents' visitation, guardianship litigation
- Credentials: Certified Family Law Specialist; Fellow, International Academy of Family Lawyers; former prosecutor; President-Elect, Beverly Hills Bar Association
- Google Rating: 4.5 (78 reviews)
About: Provinziano & Associates handles urgent custody filings, including emergency orders when a child is at risk or a move is imminent. Its international practice covers cross-border custody disputes. Alphonse Provinziano reports more than 220 trials, and the firm offers client support in seven languages besides English.
3. Feinberg & Waller, APC
- Attorneys: Marshall W. Waller, CFLS; Adina H. Rosenfeld, CFLS
- Address: 9440 Santa Monica Blvd, Suite 301, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
- Phone: (310) 893-6960
- Website: feinbergwaller.com
- Practice Areas: Child custody, interstate and international custody, out-of-state custody proceedings, parental alienation, move-away, international child abduction, visitation and modifications
- Credentials: Marshall Waller: Certified Family Law Specialist; Fellow, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers and International Academy of Family Lawyers; co-author, California Family Law, Ninth Edition
- Google Rating: 5.0 (6 reviews)
About: Feinberg & Waller has dedicated pages and videos on jurisdictional custody disputes, parental alienation and Hague Convention abduction cases. The firm runs team strategy sessions on each case and offers a structured fixed-fee option. Offices are in Beverly Hills, Calabasas and Westlake Village.
4. Law Offices of Cathleen E. Norton
- Attorney: Cathleen E. Norton, Esq., CFLS, Firm Founder
- Address: 9465 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 300, Beverly Hills, CA 90212
- Phone: (310) 300-4021
- Website: cnortonlaw.com
- Practice Areas: Child custody and visitation, child support, domestic violence restraining orders, divorce
- Credentials: Certified Family Law Specialist; UCLA undergraduate and UCLA School of Law; Super Lawyers recognition for more than 10 years
- Google Rating: 4.5 (35 reviews)
About: Cathleen Norton has practiced family law exclusively for more than 20 years and handles custody arrangements and parenting time disputes. Her firm also takes on restraining order matters, which can directly affect custody. Offices are in Beverly Hills, Woodland Hills and Oxnard.
5. Emily Rubenstein Law PC
- Attorney: Emily E. Rubenstein, Founder
- Address: 9100 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 725E, Beverly Hills, CA 90212
- Phone: (310) 750-0827
- Website: emilyrubensteinlaw.com
- Practice Areas: Child custody and visitation, child support, divorce, prenuptial agreements
- Credentials: UC Hastings College of the Law (2013); Super Lawyers Rising Star (2020); former co-president, LGBTQ+ Lawyers Association of Los Angeles; LACBA Judicial Appointments Committee
- Google Rating: 4.8 (49 reviews)
About: Emily Rubenstein Law settles and litigates custody disputes using private custody evaluations, co-parenting counselors, parenting plan assessments and professionally supervised visits. The firm practices family law exclusively. Ms. Rubenstein appears regularly in Los Angeles Superior Court and has argued before the California Court of Appeal.
6. Duncan Family Law
- Attorney: Nicole Duncan, Esq., Founder and Managing Attorney
- Address: 468 N Camden Dr, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
- Phone: (855) 369-9993
- Website: duncanfamilylaw.com
- Practice Areas: Child custody, child relocation, parenting plans, child support, parentage, domestic violence restraining orders
- Credentials: Whittier Law School JD; USC Marshall School of Business BBA; international law certificate, King's College London; licensed in California (2019) and Colorado
- Google Rating: 5.0 (7 reviews)
About: Duncan Family Law handles custody, parenting plans and relocation requests, and publishes guidance on California's domestic violence custody presumption. Nicole Duncan has litigated high-conflict custody disputes. The firm also has offices in Los Angeles and Denver.
7. The Soleymani Law Firm, APC
- Attorney: Deborah Soleymani, CFLS, Managing Partner
- Address: 9701 Wilshire Blvd, 10th Floor, Beverly Hills, CA 90212
- Phone: (310) 909-7636
- Website: thesoleymanifirm.com
- Practice Areas: Child custody and visitation, child support, domestic abuse restraining orders, divorce, legal consulting
- Credentials: Certified Family Law Specialist; admitted to the State Bar of California in 2013; Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch (since 2025)
- Google Rating: 4.8 (129 reviews)
About: The Soleymani Law Firm represents parents in custody and visitation disputes, and states that nearly all of its attorneys are Certified Family Law Specialists. Limited-scope consulting is available for parents handling parts of their case. Initial consultations run 30 to 45 minutes.
8. Atighechi Law Group
- Attorney: Maryam Atighechi, CFLS, Principal Attorney
- Address: 9465 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 300, Beverly Hills, CA 90212
- Phone: (424) 476-1058
- Website: familylaw-firm.com
- Practice Areas: Child custody, move-away orders, child support, restraining orders, divorce
- Credentials: Certified Family Law Specialist; Super Lawyers Rising Star; National Academy of Family Law Attorneys Top 10 Under 40
- Google Rating: 4.8 (44 reviews)
About: Maryam Atighechi brings nearly two decades of family law and trial experience to complex custody cases. The firm handles move-away orders, which arise when one parent wants to relocate with a child. Its website publishes child custody FAQs for Los Angeles parents.
9. Kleeman Kremen Family Lawyers
- Attorneys: Dena A. Kleeman; Ruth S. Kremen, Of Counsel
- Address: 499 N Canon Dr, Suite 200, Beverly Hills, CA 90210
- Phone: (310) 247-0727
- Website: kleemanlaw.com
- Practice Areas: Child custody, child support, mediation, domestic violence, divorce
- Credentials: Dena Kleeman: Stanford Law School (1983), Certified Family Law Specialist since 1994, trained divorce mediator since 1998, Best Lawyers in America (since 2016)
- Google Rating: 5.0 (4 reviews)
About: Kleeman Kremen handles challenging custody situations and can litigate, collaborate or mediate depending on the family. Dena Kleeman's mediation training is useful when parents want to build a parenting plan outside court. Spanish-language service is available.
10. Berenji Divorce & Family Law Group
- Attorney: Hossein F. Berenji, Founder and Managing Attorney
- Address: 9465 Wilshire Blvd, Suite 333, Beverly Hills, CA 90212
- Phone: (213) 510-1539
- Website: berenjifamilylaw.com
- Practice Areas: Child custody, child support, paternity, domestic violence, orders of protection, divorce
- Credentials: Super Lawyers Top Rated Family Law Attorney; Fellow, International Academy of Family Lawyers; Loyola Law School JD
- Google Rating: 4.8 (94 reviews)
About: Berenji Divorce & Family Law Group practices family law exclusively and publishes a California child custody guide and FAQ. The firm represents parents from offices in Beverly Hills, Downtown Los Angeles and Pasadena.
How California Courts Decide Child Custody
Custody cases for Beverly Hills families are heard by the Los Angeles County Superior Court. Common family law locations include the Stanley Mosk Courthouse (111 N Hill St, Los Angeles, CA 90012) and the Santa Monica Courthouse (1725 Main St, Santa Monica, CA 90401). Confirm your courthouse on lacourt.org.
Key rules from the California Courts Self-Help Guide:
- Two kinds of custody: Legal custody covers major decisions such as school, health care and religion. Physical custody covers where the child lives most of the time. Each can be joint or sole.
- Equal rights until an order: Until a court order is made, both parents have the same rights to the child.
- Best interest factors: Judges consider the child's age and health, emotional ties to each parent, ties to school and community, each parent's ability to care for the child, any family violence and ongoing substance abuse.
- Visitation types: Orders can set a schedule, allow reasonable visitation, require supervision or deny visitation when contact would be harmful. Virtual visits can be part of a plan.
- Mediation: When parents disagree, they are generally referred to court mediation, called Child Custody Recommending Counseling in Los Angeles County, before a hearing.
About This List
This is an editorial selection, not a ranking by a bar association or court. Firms were included because they keep a Beverly Hills office, handle child custody matters, and have verifiable credentials and client reviews. Phone numbers and ratings come from each firm's Google Business Profile (snapshot October 18 to 19, 2026); credentials come from firm websites, State Bar records and legal directories.
Inclusion is not an endorsement or a guarantee of results. This article is general information, not legal advice. Verify any attorney's license through the State Bar of California attorney search.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between legal and physical custody?
Legal custody is the right to make major decisions about a child's health, education and welfare. Physical custody is where the child lives most of the time. California courts can award either type jointly or to one parent.
Does California favor mothers in custody cases?
No. Custody turns on the child's best interest, not the parent's gender. Until a court order exists, both parents have equal rights.
Can my child choose which parent to live with?
A judge may consider a child's wishes, especially an older child's, but the child's preference is not the deciding factor. Read more on whether a child can decide which parent to live with.
Can I move out of state with my child?
Not without the other parent's agreement or a court order. Move-away requests depend on the existing custody arrangement and the child's best interest. Cases involving another state may raise interstate custody jurisdiction questions.
Can a custody order be changed later?
Yes. Either parent can ask the court to modify custody or visitation. Parents who agree can submit a written agreement for the judge to sign; otherwise the court decides based on the child's best interest.
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