Ochoa

Yvette Ochoa is a partner at Farzad & Ochoa Family Law Attorneys, LLP.

Yvette attended Pepperdine University where she graduated with a Bachelors of Art Degree in English Literature with an emphasis in Philosophy. Her academic background in English and Philosophy at Pepperdine University have provided her with excellent writing skills, which is a necessary aspect of effective litigation of divorce and family law cases. Thereafter, she attended Western State University College of Law where she received her Juris Doctorate.

Yvette was an associate with the firm for nearly six years before she earned her partnership. Her exceptional litigation and communication skills, her no-nonsense approach to handling complex divorce and family law cases, and the rave reviews clients provided her made Yvette an easy choice for partnership.

Yvette is knowledgeable, intense and reliable, all traits a family law attorney needs for successful representation of clients.

Managing partner, B. Robert Farzad says,

"I have seen Yvette transform into a formidable family law attorney. I would not want to go up against her.

She is honest and direct. You know exactly where you stand with her because she is incapable of b.s.

I have come across a lot of lawyers in my career. I have seen the lack of integrity and the two faces so many of them wear. Yvette is exactly the opposite. She is professional and with a high level of character and integrity. There is nobody I trust more than Yvette. This firm is so fortunate to have her, as am I to call her my partner."

Yvette Ochoa has been a licensed California attorney since 2010.

• Yvette is an active member of the Los Angeles County and Orange County Bar Association and former member of the Peter M. Elliot Inn of Court.
• She works at and manages the firm's Los Angeles office.
• Yvette's skill and experience is in divorce cases that involve complex financial issues, significant assets and/or businesses.
• She is a volunteer, pro-bono attorney at Human Options in Orange County.

Yvette, like every attorney at the firm, only handles divorce and family law cases and is committed to the intelligent and effective representation of the law firm's clients.

We hope you enjoy the following interview with Yvette.

Of all the areas of law, why did you make the commitment to family law?

I knew my career choice would not only be my vocation in life, but it would also be an opportunity to make a difference. I wanted to feel like I knew my client, a person, whom I was able help.

After my first year of law school, I become a law clerk for an attorney, who gave me the opportunity to work on her family law cases to determine if I liked family law. I really enjoyed it and the rest is history. Family law satisfied my desire to help others, to get to know my clients, and to find my vocation in life.

What should a potential client expect from you when you represent him or her?

A potential client should expect me to ask questions, gather facts about their case, apply the facts to the law, and then provide them with competent legal advice. I am a proponent of constant communication. By keeping this constant communication, I ensure every one of my clients understands the legal process, the law, their legal options, and are continually informed about the status of their case and the next steps.

How do you adjust your representation of a client when the other party or other lawyer is high conflict and unreasonable?

I do not let the opposing party or opposing counsel derail my ability to strategize with my client and I move forward with my client's case in the same way I do with every case.

If I do make an adjustment, it is to memorialize all of my communications in writing, such that I may later use those written communications as evidence is support of any sanctions my client may seek from the opposing party or opposing counsel due to their unreasonableness. I also move the case toward an evidentiary hearing and/or trial at a quicker, but reasonable, pace so that the Court can make its orders on any disputed issues.

What efforts do you make to keep a client's attorney fees within his or her budget?

First, I delegate what I believe to be appropriate work to my secretaries or paralegals.

Second, depending on the facts of the case, I provide my client with estimates as to the amount of attorney time it will take me to perform a certain task. I weigh with each client the cost-benefit of taking certain positions in their case.

Lastly, I communicate with my client if a certain task or agreed-upon strategy will exceed his/her budget; we then collaborate to determine the best approach to take based on their budget.

If there were one word you could choose to describe yourself, what would it be?

I believe that the best word to describe me is "Honest".