Samantha F. Spector is a Partner in the Firm's Family Law Department and Employment & Labor Department. Samantha has experience practicing in both the federal and state courts, and has represented clients in all stages of the litigation process: pre-litigation settlements and negotiations, mediation, arbitration, trial and appeals. In 2009 and 2010, Samantha was selected as a "Rising Star" in Family Law by Law & Politics Magazine.
As a member of the Firm's Family Law Department, Samantha practice focuses on dissolutions, legal separations, paternity, modification of orders, child custody related issues, marital settlement agreements, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements. Samantha's approach to her practice can be characterized as one that is focused on reaching resolution for her clients in an interest-based manner and as cost effective as possible. Samantha has completed interdisciplinary training courses with the Los Angeles Collaborative Family Law Association and encourages clients to resolve their divorce challenges, when and if possible, in the Collaborative Law Practice or Collaborative Divorce Process, or through mediation.
In addition, Samantha's employment and labor law practice includes providing advice and consultation to employers about employment law, conducting workplace investigations, and reviewing and drafting employment policies, agreements, handbooks and other personnel forms. Samantha routinely defends employers in sexual harassment, wrongful termination, discrimination, wage and hour, trade secrets, non-solicitation, unfair business practices, breach of contract and other employment matters in the courts, mediations, arbitrations as well as in administrative hearings before the Workers Compensation Appeals Board, the Department of Fair Employment and Housing and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Samantha also has lectured on employment and labor law topics to various groups located throughout Southern California.
On a personal note, Samantha continues to volunteer her time to local community organizations. She has served as a judge for Pepperdine University School of Law's Annual National Entertainment Law Moot Court Competition and is a founding member of The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) Young Leadership Division for Los Angeles. In 2008, Samantha dedicated her time as an instructor for the 2008 "Family Law Walk-Through Program" to assist new family law practitioners, paralegals and legal secretaries navigate and familiarize themselves with the family law departments, services and courtrooms at the Stanley Mosk Courthouse located in downtown Los Angeles. Samantha also was an Editor of the Firm’s quarterly newsletter, The Briefcase, for four consecutive years (2005-2009).
Samantha earned her Juris Doctorate from Loyola Law School in 1999 and received her Bachelor of Arts degree, magna cum laude, in political science from the University of California at Los Angeles in 1996. She currently is a member of the Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society, Golden Key National Honor Society, the Los Angeles Bar Association - Family Law Section, and the State Bar of California - Family Law Section.