Education
Mara received her law degree from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, in 1991. During law school, Mara was Note and Comment Editor and Staff Writer of the Loyola of Los Angeles Law Review and received the American Jurisprudence Award in Trial Advocacy. Mara obtained her Masters in Social Work from the University of Southern California School of Social Work in 1998 and earned Social Work Merit Scholarships. She majored in Sociology at the University of California, Berkeley, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree with honors in 1987 (top 20% of the College of Letters and Science).
Professional Associations and Memberships
- Former Board Member, Los Angeles Lawyer Editorial Board
- Former Board Member, Los Angeles Collaborative Family Law Association
- Founder and Chair, Santa Monica Pickleball Club Networking Group
- Child Custody Mediation, Los Angeles Superior Court, Family Court Services
- Collaborative Family Interdisciplinary Training, Los Angeles Collaborative Family Law Association
- Divorce Mediation training, Mosten Mediation
- Minor’s Counsel training , Los Angeles County Bar Association
- Parenting Plan Coordination training, Los Angeles County Bar Association
Mara Berke
Mara Berke has practiced family law for more than thirty years, which includes many years of practice with prominent Westside boutique family law firms. Mara has counseled high net worth clients on complex financial issues and negotiated settlements. Mara has counseled business owner clients in various fields, such as the gaming industry, automobile industry, technology, real estate and law firms to name a few. Mara has experience with child custody disputes, division and characterization of assets and debts, calculation of child and spousal support, business valuations, paternity disputes, post-judgment relief, and premarital agreements.
In addition to carefully focusing on legal and strategic issues, Mara has an unique background as a clinical social worker so she also recognizes the complex interpersonal dynamics at play in every family law matter. She provides the highest level of client service and understands that she represents her clients during a particularly difficult time in their lives. With the extra attention that she gives her clients along with her compassionate, patient approach to communication, Mara helps her clients feel both supported and confident that they have a highly effective advocate on their team.
Mara’s depth of experience in family and children issues includes leadership training at Children’s Hospital, Center for Child Development and Developmental Disabilities, non-public school assessments, advocacy in Individualized Education Plans, appointment as minor’s counsel, and appointment as a Court Assisted Special Advocate (CASA)/Guardian Ad Litem in Dependency Court. Mara has authored articles for the Daily Journal and Los Angeles Lawyer magazine. She served as a Board Member of both the Los Angeles Lawyer Editorial Board and the Los Angeles Collaborative Law Association.
Her unique background as a clinical social worker provided her with specific training in working with families with children with developmental disabilities and understanding the intricacies of school placements. As a pro bono contribution, Mara presented College Financial Aid Tips for Divorced, Separated and Unmarried Parents at Palisades Charter High School and the Los Angeles Unified School District College Palooza. With her training and experience, she addresses clients’ needs from an interdisciplinary perspective with compassion and thoughtfulness which assists clients in managing the complexities of child custody and financial issues.Mara’s other interests include national parks, art, and pickleball, which led her to found the Santa Monica Pickleball Club Networking Group which holds various events for the community. Mara is native to West Los Angeles and graduated from Brentwood High School.
