Hello. I’m Helene L Taylor.
I’m a California family law consulting attorney and divorce mediator certified by Stanford University Medical School’s Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education in Applied Compassion Training.
For nearly 30 years I’ve worked with the most formidable attorneys, judges, mediators, and experts in Hawaii, Marin, Napa, Los Angeles, Silicon Valley, and the San Francisco Bay area. I’ve helped thousands of people litigate, mediate, and negotiate prenuptial, postnuptial, and settlement agreements in complex contentious high-net-worth cases.
Today I provide virtual hourly legal consulting and mediation for California Family Law matters including child custody, prenups, postnuptial agreements, marriage, separation, divorce, spousal support, and domestic partnerships. I mentor people of all identities who want to navigate complex legal issues with compassion and resilience.
If you have questions about California family law or seek a compassionate divorce mediator, consult with me virtually and in confidence.
Professional Experience
Associate family law trial attorney to Max Gutierrez of Morgan Lewis, who has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America in both family law and trusts and estates. Morgan Lewis is a global law firm with 2,000 employees in North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East working with global Fortune 100 companies.
Associate family law trial attorney to Super Lawyers Stephen Bruce Bley and Samantha Bley DeJean, who specialize in high-asset, high-conflict divorces. Clients included CEOs, national celebrities, and business owners with significant wealth and diverse asset holdings. Bley and Bley is AV rated by Martindale Hubble.
Co-counsel with Stephen Bruce Bley and Bernard N. Wolf in the family law trial preceding In re Marriage of Kieturakis (2006) 138 Cal.App. 4th 56, which resulted in a landmark decision about the mediation privilege.
Appeared before mediator Donald B. King, a RETIRED ASSOCIATE JUSTICE of the California COURT OF APPEAL, First Appellate District, Division Five, and private Judge Roderic Duncan (ret.)
Associate construction defect litigation attorney at Cooper White and Cooper
Mediator for the Sonoma Superior Court No-Fee Mediation panel
Family law mediation instructor for San Francisco Community Boards, which operates the oldest, longest-running public conflict resolution center in the United States with 350 volunteer Mediators.
In the Media
Entrepreneur.com – Business Law: Have you heard the one about the lawyer becoming an entrepreneur? It’s no joke
Time Magazine Online – How to Tell If Your Relationship Will Survive the Holidays
Main Street – Splitting Up Your Finances After You Split and Hell Hath No Fury Like an Expensive Divorce
Expert Beacon – Considerations When Dating a Man Who Has a Different Parenting Style
Education + Training
Applied Compassion Training (ACT) at Stanford University Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education (CCARE) under the mentorship of ACT co-founder Monica Hanson and the direction of James Doty M.D., Clinical Professor of Neurosurgery. CCARE undertakes the clinical study of empathy, compassion, and altruism and the development of methods people can use to become more compassionate and altruistic. Applied Compassion Training is a year-long immersive education on the art and science of compassion that culminates in a publicly delivered capstone project, which for me was, a Continuing Legal Education self-study article “Lawyer Love Thyself – Apply Self-Compassion in the Practice of Law.”
The Harvard Negotiation Project with Roger Fisher, the director, and co-author of the books Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In, Getting Ready to Negotiate and Beyond Reason: Using Emotions as You Negotiate. Fisher teaches that conflict is not simply a ‘zero-sum’ game in which a fixed pie is divided through haggling or threats. Instead, he showed that by exploring underlying interests and being imaginative, parties could often expand the pie and create value. Fisher’s seminal contributions changed the way millions of people around the world approach negotiation and resolve disputes.
Understanding conflict mediation training with Gary Friedman, founder of The Center for Understanding and Conflict and author of Challenging Conflict: Mediation Through Understanding and A Guide to Divorce Mediation: How to Reach a Fair, Legal Settlement at a Fraction of the Cost.
Equanimity – In the Dharma and In Your Brain, one-day retreat with Neuroscientist Rick Hanson, PhD, Author of Buddha’s Brain: The Practical Neuroscience of Happiness, Love and Wisdom, and former Board Member of Spirit Rock Meditation Center
Integrative Way Tai Chi with Kenn Chase 28 day immersion, Esalen Work Study program
Master’s student in spiritual psychology at the University of Santa Monica
Meditation student at the Self Realization Fellowship
Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration
Juris Doctorate in law
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