Business Details
Family Law Attorneys in San Jose
Mello & Pickering is a dedicated family law practice led by Certified Family Law Specialists Jennifer Mello and Traci Pickering. With over 40 years of combined experience, we prioritize personalized legal representation tailored to each client's unique needs. Our firm specializes in divorce, child custody, spousal support, and other family law matters, combining legal expertise with compassionate advocacy.We serve clients throughout Santa Clara County, offering strategic guidance and litigation support to achieve equitable resolutions. Our approach emphasizes transparency, responsiveness, and empowering clients to make informed decisions during emotionally challenging times. We maintain a commitment to professionalism, ethical standards, and community engagement within the legal field.
Services
Divorce
Child Custody
Spousal Support
Mediation
Legal Separation
Domestic Violence
Property Division
Paternity
Restraining Orders
Grandparent Rights
Highlights and features
- We are Certified Family Law Specialists with over 40 years of combined experience.
- Our attorneys are recognized by Super Lawyers and Forbes as top legal professionals.
- We prioritize personalized, responsive communication tailored to client needs.
- We offer cost-benefit analysis to help clients make strategic legal decisions.
- Our team includes experienced associates and paralegals to optimize service efficiency.
Associations and certifications
- State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization
- Super Lawyers
- Forbes Best Divorce Lawyers
What people say
Fantastic throughout entire process
Made divorce very easy
Well-spoken and professional
Truly cares about clients
Highly recommend
Services
Divorce
Our firm specializes in guiding clients through California divorce proceedings, addressing child custody, property division, and spousal support. We navigate no-fault divorce requirements and residency timelines while advocating for equitable outcomes. With extensive courtroom experience, we represent clients in contested divorces and negotiate settlements tailored to individual needs.
Child Custody
We help parents establish custody arrangements that prioritize children's well-being, handling both legal and physical custody determinations. Our attorneys craft visitation schedules, modify existing orders, and address complex custody disputes. We work closely with courts to ensure arrangements align with children's best interests while respecting parental rights.
Spousal Support
Our team assists clients with temporary and long-term spousal support matters, considering factors like marriage duration and financial disparities. We calculate support amounts using California guidelines and advocate for fair arrangements during divorce proceedings. We also handle modification requests and enforcement of existing support orders.
Mediation
We provide mediation services as a cost-effective alternative to litigation, facilitating mutually beneficial agreements for family law disputes. Our certified mediators help couples resolve custody, support, and property issues amicably. This process maintains client control while minimizing conflict and courtroom involvement.
Domestic Violence
We assist victims in obtaining protective orders and address domestic violence implications in custody and visitation cases. Our attorneys handle emergency restraining orders and exclusive possession requests while ensuring client safety. We advocate for clients in court proceedings related to abuse allegations.
People
Jennifer A. Mello
Partner
Certified Family Law Specialist with 20+ years of experience, recognized by Super Lawyers and Forbes. Provides compassionate legal representation in divorce, custody, and spousal support cases. Prioritizes client education and strategic advocacy to achieve favorable outcomes for families.
Traci J. Pickering
Partner
Certified Family Law Specialist offering 20+ years of litigation and mediation expertise. Focuses on protecting clients' rights in complex custody and property disputes. Recognized as top Northern California attorney by Super Lawyers for consistent legal excellence and client-centered service.
Jessica A. Pellerin
Partner
Ten-year veteran of family law with Super Lawyers Rising Star recognition. Handles divorce, child support, and modification cases while maintaining personalized client attention. Leverages extensive courtroom experience to advocate for clients across Santa Clara County.
Valerie G. Juntunen
Associate Attorney
Recent University of Oregon graduate who passed the California Bar Exam. Provides emerging legal expertise in family law matters while working under senior partners' mentorship. Focuses on document preparation and client support for diverse family law cases.
Jamie Brittain
Office Manager
Supports legal team operations while managing office logistics and client interactions. Ensures smooth firm functioning through administrative leadership and coordination of staff responsibilities to maintain high service standards for all clients.
Questions
What family law services does Mello & Pickering offer?
We specialize in divorce, child custody, spousal support, mediation, domestic violence cases, property division, and paternity determinations throughout Santa Clara County.
How does Mello & Pickering approach client communication?
Our attorneys prioritize responsiveness through multiple channels, offering after-hours email access and dedicated voicemail systems for client convenience.
Can I schedule a consultation with Mello & Pickering?
We offer discounted initial consultations via phone at (408) 288-7800 or through our online contact form for prospective clients.
What payment methods does the firm accept?
We accept Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover credit cards for all legal services and consultations.
What areas does Mello & Pickering serve?
We represent clients throughout Santa Clara County including San Jose, Campbell, Los Gatos, Palo Alto, and Sunnyvale jurisdictions.
Reviews (4)
Louis R.
Feb 01, 2022
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Jennifer and her whole team at Mello Pickering were amazing from day one. They were professional, caring and genuinely looked out for my best interests. Navigating a divorce can be highly charged and emotional and Jennifer made sure to keep things moving forward in a way that did not enflame an already difficult situation. Needless to say, divorce is expensive but Jennifer and her team made sure to keep things direct and to the point in order to not increase my costs. I really can't say enough good things about Jennifer and everyone at Mello Pickering for helping me through an extremely contentious
Brett Chapman
Dec 24, 2021
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Positive:Professionalism,Quality,Responsiveness
Jennifer and Samantha were great to work with on my case. Their attention to detail and legal advice every step in the process helped considerably in the final six months of my case. Their support staff was amazing and very efficient in the requirements for my case.
Jennifer and Samantha were great to work with on my case. Their attention to detail and legal advice every step in the process helped considerably in the final six months of my case. Their support staff was amazing and very efficient in the requirements for my case.
Richard K.
Sep 12, 2021
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For over a year I was using another much bigger firm, Hoover, who were always right on time with billing (a lot$), but as for many other things you were treated as just another client, often taking 3 or more emails just to get an answer to a relevant question. In the time I worked with them, I had 3 different associates, one of whom even forgot to file certain documents in time!. I had enough, and so I started looking around and found Mello & Pickering through great reviews on Yelp. I wish I stared here first, they are the best. This firm is attentive and understanding. Compassionate about
Hsiu L.
May 11, 2021
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I was filing for divorce, and ask this firm to look over my paperwork basically to make sure it doesn't get rejected or missing any forms needed. Due to covid, they weren't able to meet with me so everything was over the phone and through email for communication. They charged me for one hour, and at the end my paperwork still got send back by the court and I had to googled and find answers to correct the mistake that this firm failed to helped me on. I think the price they charged and the service provided wasn't bad until my paperwork was sent back. It was a disappointment on my
