Michelle C. Hopkins, Attorney at Law
Ms. Hopkins provides effective, affordable limited scope family law legal services in Los Angeles County, primarily focusing on legal coaching and court appearances. Having worked as a California licensed attorney for over 20 years in both private practice and with the Los Angeles Superior Court, she is well equipped with extensive knowledge of California family law and the court system. Ms. Hopkins has considerable courtroom experience in evidentiary hearings and long cause trials, taking a solution focused and results oriented approach which has earned her a strong record of successfully representing the interests of her clients and achieving their goals.
Appreciating the legal, emotional, and financial benefits of resolving cases without going to court, Ms. Hopkins understands the positive impact of reducing conflict to protect and preserve family relationships whenever possible. Clients are educated and empowered with knowledge of their legal options and encouraged to strive for compromise, negotiation, and mediation instead of courtroom litigation. Ms. Hopkins recognizes that those under the stressful conditions of a family law case can often struggle to identify their own goals and desired outcomes. With in-depth case assessments and diligent legal analysis, she guides her clients through the process of developing both realistic expectations and practical solutions.
Being a natural teacher, Ms. Hopkins has empowered thousands of families by helping them navigate the court system and resolve their cases. She was among the founding attorneys of the Court’s Stanley Mosk Resource Center for Self-Represented Litigants in downtown Los Angeles, one of the nation’s largest self-help centers, creating the curriculum and teaching hundreds of classes on all aspects of family law litigation to self-represented litigants. Currently she teaches family law classes and the adult name change class for the Los Angeles County Law Library.
Prior to her work with the Los Angeles Superior Court, Ms. Hopkins practiced law as an associate attorney at a family law firm in Culver City. For several years Michelle dedicated her time as a volunteer attorney and trainer at the Harriett Buhai Center for Family Law in Los Angeles. During her time at the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles Domestic Violence Clinic in the Santa Monica courthouse she served as a volunteer attorney, assisting litigants seeking domestic violence restraining orders. Ms. Hopkins started her legal career working as a civil litigator in a Century City law firm, managing the course of litigation and determining strategies for cases involving personal injury and premises liability.
Ms. Hopkins is a member of the Family Law Section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association and the State Bar of California. She was admitted to the State Bar of California in 1993 and is a proud past recipient of State Bar of California’s Wiley M. Manual Award for Pro Bono Legal Services. She earned her Juris Doctor from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law and her Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science from the University of California, San Diego.
