Attorney Profile

Ms. Amado has been practicing law since 1977 and has been a certified appellate law specialist, certified by the State Bar of California, Board of Legal Specialization, since 1997.  Ms. Amado represents clients on appeal in both the intermediate Courts of Appeal and the state's highest review court, the California Supreme Court.

Although Ms. Amado does not represent clients in the trial court, she will become part of a litigation team in the trial court to assist in identifying issues, in creating a sufficient record for appeal, or in drafting or helping with post-judgment pleadings and motions. In cases before the Court of Appeal, she prepares all appellate briefs and pleadings and presents the oral argument. At the conclusion of the appeal, the case returns to trial counsel for any further trial court proceedings.

A substantial portion of Ms. Amado's appellate practice includes family law marital dissolution   issues.  Ms. Amado has represented clients in custody disputes involving sister-states and foreign countries, arguing issues relevant to the Uniform Child Custody Jurisdiction and Enforcement Act (UCCJEA) or the Hague Convention on Child Custody Jurisdiction.  Ms. Amado has worked on several cutting-edge issues regarding marital property, including cases defining the fiduciary duties between spouses and cases involving celebrity goodwill.

Ms. Amado has served as counsel of record in many high-profile and seminal appellate cases, including Marriage of Abargil 106 Cal. App. 4th 1294, 131 Cal. Rptr. 2d 429 (2003) which held that Israel is not a war zone.  She was counsel of record for Kristine H. in Kristine H. v. Superior Court (Lisa R)/Kristine H. v. Lisa R., 37 Cal. 4th 156, 33 Cal. Rptr. 3d 81 (2005) which held that a lesbian partner could be a presumed parent of her partner's biological child and which estopped the brith mother from denying the effects of a pre-birth judgement granting parental rights to her partner.

Ms. Amado has written and lectured extensively on issues of concern to family law or appellate law practitioners. She is well-respected for her knowledge and for the clarity of her writing.