Accomplishments

Honey Kessler Amado is an accomplished and respected appellate practitioner in Southern California. Practicing appellate law since 1984, Ms. Amado is certified by the California State Bar Board of Legal Specialization as an appellate law specialist.

She has lectured on numerous panels and seminars, including "Pointers for Family Law Appeals: Trial and Appellate Procedures" for the Los Angeles County Bar Association (May 2006), "Representing Celebrity Clients" for the American Bar Association Annual Meeting (Atlanta, GA - August 2004), "Custody and Burgess Solutions, Focus on Litigating Complex Family Law Issues," for the Institute of Trial Advocacy, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Southern California Chapter (January 2004); as a presenter and panelist of a mock appellate court argument in the "2003 Court of Appeal Walk-Through," presented by the Los Angeles County Bar Association (May 2003), and as a speaker, "The Court Has Now Ruled, What Next?," presented by the Beverly Hills Bar Association, Family Law Section (May 2002).

In 2002, Ms. Amado traveled to Germany as part of a small delegation from the American Jewish Committee, hosted by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, the think-tank associated with the German Christian Democrat party, to participate in discussions regarding post-Holocaust relations between Germans and Jews and Germany and Israel. In 2005, Ms. Amado returned to Germany, again with the Konrad Adenauer Foundation and as a representative of the American Jewish Committee, to observe several days of the chancellorship election campaign, meeting with several candidates for direct election to the German Bundestag. In addition to her work with the American Jewish Committee, Ms. Amado has worked nationally and locally with the Jewish National Fund and other community organizations.

Ms. Amado has sat on the Editorial Board of Los Angeles Lawyer magazine since 1996 and served as its chair for the 2000-2001 term.

Ms. Amado has authored several articles on the role of appellate counsel in litigation, on appellate procedures, and on various family law issues. To read these articles, please visit the Articles page of this website, or see the Cutting Edge Issues page for her article written on celebrity goodwill.

Ms. Amado has represented clients on appeal in several significant cases in California, including:

• In re Marriage of Reynolds 63 Cal.App.4th 1373, 74 Cal.Rptr.2d 636 (4th Dist. 1998). Reynolds held that 65 years old is the retirement age in California, at which time support can be calculated on one's actual earnings rather than one's earning capacity.
  
  
• In re Marriage of Gavron 203 Cal.App.3d 705, 250 Cal.Rptr. 148 (2d Dist. 1988). Gavron held that a supported spouse must be given notice that he or she is expected to become self-supporting or to contribute to his or her own support.
  
  
• In re Marriage of Abargil 106 Cal.App.4th 1294, 131 Cal.Rptr.2d 429 (2d Dist. 2003). Abargil held that Israel is not a war zone and, by implication, that Israel is trustworthy partner in enforcing foreign orders.
  
  
• Kristine H. v. Superior Court (Lisa R.) 37 Cal.4th 156, 33 Cal.Rptr.3d 81 (Cal. Supreme Court, 2005). (Argument found at Archived Audios on Supreme Court's website: http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/courts/supreme/) Kristine H. involved the creation of parental rights between lesbian mothers. Ms. Amado represented Kristine H., the birth mother.

To speak with Ms. Amado or to make an appointment to see her regarding your client's matter and possible appellate representation or assistance, please contact her at (310) 550-8214.