Attorney Profiles

Michael L. Oddenino was born in Washington, D.C. and grew up in the D.C. suburbs of northern Virginia. A graduate of the University of Virginia School of Law, Michael is a litigator who also enjoys appellate work. It was his work in the family law arena which impelled him to write the book Putting Kids First: Walking Away From a Marriage Without Walking Over the Kids. Michael is fluent in Spanish which is most useful in southern California.

Areas of Practice

• Family Law

Litigation Percentage

• 90% of Practice Devoted to Litigation

Bar Admissions

• California, 1986
• Virginia, 1978
• U.S. District Court Central District of California, 1986
• U.S. Supreme Court, 1987

Education

• University of Virginia School of Law, Charlottesville, Virginia, 1978
  J.D.
  
  
• Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, 1973
  B.A.
  Major: History
  
  

Published Works

• "Putting Kids First: Walking Away From A Marriage Without Walking Over The Kids", Family Connections Publishing, 1995
• "Winning Strategies in Child Custody Litigation, Helping Your Client Negotiate Past the Shoals of a Child Custody Evaluation", American Journal of Family Law, Summer, 1994
• "The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: A Critical Analysis of the U.S. Supreme Court Decision in Michael H. v. Gerald D.", Family Law Quarterly, Spring, 1991
• "Constitutional Issues in Custody Litigation", American Journal of Family Law, Winter, 1988

Representative Cases

• Michael H. v. Gerald D., 109 S. Ct. 2333 (U.S. Cal. 1989)

Classes/Seminars Taught

• "The Workings of the Family Law Court as it Relates to Juvenile Court Proceedings, Los Angeles County Counsel", Juvenile Court in Los Angeles, California - March, 2002
• "Barbarians at the Gate or How to Fortify Your Custody Evaluation Against Attorney Attacks in Court", Association of Family and Conciliation Courts Conference, Kiawah Island, South Carolina - November, 2000
• "Fatherhood: Emerging Roles and Expectations, Second World Congress on Family Law and the Rights of Children & Youth", San Francisco, California - June, 1997
• "Children and the Changing Climate of Child Custody Determinations", CRC Annual Conference, Atlanta, Georgia - Spring, 1996
• "Fathers, Kids & Custody, F.R.E.E. Annual Conference", San Francisco, California - Summer, 1996
• "Historical and Systemic Factors in Child Custody Disputes", Georgia Children's Rights Council, Atlanta, Georgia - Summer, 1995
• "Gender and Politics in Custody Cases", Association of Family and Conciliation Courts Annual Conference, Montreal, Canada - Spring, 1995
• "Interstate and International Custody Disputes", CRC Annual Conference, Washington, D.C. - Spring, 1995
• "Child Custody Evaluations", California Psychological Association Annual Convention, La Jolla, California - Winter, 1995
• "Helping Your Client in a Child Custody", Evaluation, Family Law Seminar, Law Education Institute, Vail, Colorado: Caribbean - Winter, 1994
• "Positive Approaches for Resolving Custody Disputes", CRC Annual Conference, Washington, D.C. - Spring, 1992
• "American Bar Association", Third-Party Custody Rights, ABA Family Law Section Spring Meeting, Vail, Colorado, 1991
• "Underlying Problems in Custody Cases Involving Allegations of Sexual Abuse", VOCAL Conference, Sunnyvale, California, 1990
• "Constitutional Issues in Custody Litigation", Divorce Law Update, Vail, Colorado, 1989
• "Focus on Family Law", Scottsdale, Arizona, 1989
• "Family Law Seminar, Representing Clients Accused of Abuse in a Child Custody Case, American Bar Association, San Diego, California - Spring, 1994
• "Family Law Seminar, How to Win Custody Regardless of What The Court Rules", Law Education Institute, Caribbean, Winter, 1993
• "Family Law Seminar, How to Win Custody Regardless of What The Court Rules", Law Education Institute, Caribbean, Palm Springs, 1993
• "Family Law Seminar, How to Win Custody Regardless of What The Court Rules", Law Education Institute, Caribbean, Springs, 1993
• "Family Law Seminar, How to Help Clients Find Positive Aspects in Divorce and Custody Situations", Law Education Institute, Caribbean, 1992
• Guest Lecturer, Psychology and the Law, Scripps College, Claremont, California, Spring, 1994
• Guest Lecturer, California State University, Fullerton on Law and Psychology, Spring, 1990
• Taught History and Government, Colegio Internacional de Caracas, Caracas, Venezuela, Winter, 1973

Professional Associations and Memberships

• Los Angeles County Superior Court
  Judge Pro Tem
  
  
• California State Bar, Children Family Law Section, National Association of Counsel
  Member
  
  
• American Bar Association, Family Law Section
  Member, Custody Committee
  
  
• Los Angeles County Bar Association
  Member
  
  

Pro Bono Activities

• Coach, Girl's Softball
• Coach, Pony Baseball
• Coach, AYSO Soccer
• Manager, Little League
• Player, Manager, Arcadia City Softball League
• Marathon Runner, New York City Marathon
• Marathon Runner, Los Angeles Marathon
• Marathon Runner, St. George Marathon
• Member, Screen Actors Guild

Languages

• Spanish

Fraternities/Sororities

• Phi Kappa Phi

Birth Information

• January 21, 1951, Washington, District of Columbia, United States of America