Leslie Ellen Shear

Leslie Ellen Shear partners with family law trial counsel in complex parentage, custody and jurisdiction, as well as international family law matters, and handles all family law appellate matters. She also serves as an expert witness on international family law matters. Ms. Shear has taught numerous CLE programs and has many publications in family law scholarly journals and practice periodicals.

Ms. Shear graduated from the UCLA School of Law 1976, and was admitted to CA bar that same year. She was certified by the State Bar Board of Legal Specialization as a Family Law Specialist in 1983 and as an Appellate Specialist in 2009. Ms. Shear is a fellow of the International Academy of Family Lawyers, and of the American Bar Foundation. She was admitted to the US Supreme Court Bar in 1989, when she represented the minor child in Michael H. v. Gerald D. (1989) 491 U.S. 110. Ms. Shear has numerous published appellate opinions in the US Supreme Court, California Supreme Court, and intermediate appellate courts, including Marriage of Seagondollar (2006) 139 Cal.App.4th 1116., and Kristine H. v. Lisa R. (2005) 37 Cal.4th 156.

Ms. Shear is a contributing editor of CEB’s “Practice Under the California Family Code,” and contributes the Parenting Plan chapter to CEB’s “California Child Custody Law and Practice.” She has numerous publications and frequently teaches continuing education programs. Ms. Shear has served on the governing boards and committees of the Association of Certified Family Law Specialists; the Los Angeles County Bar Association Family Law Section; and the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts California Chapter.

Achievements & Other Notable Experience • Honors: AFCC Ambassador Award, Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (2013) • Joseph Drown Award for Service to Children, Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, California Chapter (2014) • ACFLS Hall of Fame Award, Association of Certified Family Law Specialists (2014) • CLA Family Law Lifetime Achievement Award, California Lawyers Association, Family Law Section (2022) • Fellow, The Fellows of the American Bar Foundation (2022)