Brian J. Kramer

Certified Family Law Specialist
California State Bar Number: 179863 (424)228-4133
bkramer@bjkpc.com
4250 Kenyon Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90068 www.bjkpc.com

Experience

Brian J. Kramer, P.C. Los Angeles, CA 2008 - Present

  • Founder & owner of this boutique law firm that specializes in all aspects of California family law. Have represented hundreds of clients in various family law proceedings before both trial and appellate courts.

  • Extensive experience negotiating matrimonial agreements.

  • Have served as expert witness in cases involving matters involving California Family law.

Hersh, Mannis & Bogen Beverly Hills, CA 2005-2007

  • Handled scores of high-net worth and high-profile dissolution and parentage actions.

Seyfarth Shaw, LLP Los Angeles, CA 1997-2005

  • Employed as a commercial litigation associate, first-chaired several cases that went to trial and arbitration in complex civil matters.    

Latham & Watkins, LLP Orange County, CA 1994-1996

  • Employed as an associate that worked for corporate and litigation departments.

Education

  • Juris Doctor, cum laude, Univ. of Michigan Law School - Ann Arbor, MI 1991-1994

  • B.A., Japanese/East Asian Languages & Culture, magna cum laude, Univ. of Kansas - Lawrence, KS 1986-1990

Notable Matters

  • Successfully used a Califorina parentage action to prove that his client, Sean Sessums Means, was the lineal descendant of one of the beneficiaries of the famed Doris Duke.  Mr. Kramer’s successful representation of Sean Means was the subject of an 8-page article in Oprah Winfrey’s O Magazine.

  • Represented Actor Terrence Howard, the lead Actor on Fox’s hit TV drama series Empire, in successfully overturning his divorce judgment based on duress.  

  • Following Mr. Kramer’s widely publicized success in the Terrence Howard case he has been engaged in numerous cases involving challenges to divorce judgments including by a former CEO of a NYSE-traded pharmaceutical company that had been duped into entering into a judgment which had extraordinarily onerous terms.  

  • Mr. Kramer was engaged by the mother in a post-judgment matter in a parentage action against Actor Jack Nicholson to modify the child support award.  Mr. Kramer succeeded in getting his client’s child support increased tenfold.

  • Mr. Kramer has represented several mothers in high-profile parentage action against fathers who have asserted the extraordinarily high wage earner exception/defense including cases against Actors Mel Gibson, Jack Nicholson, former UFC Fighting Champion Chuck Liddell and several extremely high net worth fathers. 

  • Mr. Kramer has represented the wife of infamous music producer Phil Spector in her divorce as well as famous musicians Stanley Clark and Wes Scantlin.

  • Mr. Kramer successfully represented Director Tim Burton in demurring against a civil complaint in a Marvin Action.

  • Mr. Kramer has been engaged by family law clients to be co-counsel or lead counsel in related civil and bankruptcy cases, including malpractice and intellectual property claims involving multi-million-dollar civil claims.

  • Mr. Kramer has extensive experience negotiating and drafting prenuptial agreements.  He has represented celebrities and clients with substantial estates entering into matrimonial agreements. Mr. Kramer has also tried several cases involving challenges to the validity of prenuptial agreements. 

  • Mr. Kramer has prosecuted and defended parties in DVPA matters including against Actor Mel Gibson.

  • Mr. Kramer has been engaged by Amber Heard’s litigation team as an expert witness concerning California family law matters involving Johnny Depp’s civil claims for defamation.

  • Mr. Kramer has been engaged to represent family law clients in various appellate matters including the following matters: 

    • Marriage of Gehr (2011) 2011 WL 6739620 (handled appeal regarding characterization of property that had been gifted by a premarital agreement);

    • Marriage of Turkanis & Price (2013) 213 Cal.App.4th 332 (appeal involving a trial court’s authority to expunge Family Law Attorney Real Property Liens under Family Code § 2034);

    • Marriage of Slotkin (2016) 2016 WL 4385069 (appeal regarding an interim order for spousal support in which the trial court had previously affirmed a premarital agreement’s waiver of spousal support);

    • Marriage of Spector (2018) 24 Cal.App.5th 201 (appeal involved whether a family law court may reconsider sua sponte and retroactively modify orders of child or spousal support pursuant to Le Francois v. Goel);

    • Marriage of Goldman (2019) B292472 and B294638 (Mr. Kramer successfully invoked the disentitlement doctrine to bar the appellant from prosecuting appeals involving professional fees and custody orders for appellant’s failure to comply with court orders).

Professional Qualifications & Awards

  • Certified Family Law Specialist

  •  Super Lawyer in Family Law 2013 to present

  •  Author of articles published in the Family Law State Bar Family Law News

  •  Beverly Hills Bar Association, Family Law Executive Committee Member

  • Pundit/Legal Expert for Inside Edition for newsworthy family law cases.

  • Member Association of Certified Family Law Specialists.

  • Presenter at 2016 California Association of Licensed Private Investigators on use of social media in family law matters.

  • Rotary Club Scholar to Nanzan University in Japan (1989-1991)

  • High School National Debate Champion from Glenbrook North H.S. (1986)