Divorce Lawyers Selected to Super Lawyers & Rising Stars
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It is with great excitement that we announce five members of The Reape-Rickett Law Firm are 2025 Southern California Super Lawyers Honorees. Shareholders James P. Reape, Matthew Breddan, Attorneys Steven L. Weiss, Melanie Gardner-Pawlak, and Of Counsel Attorney Larry Epstein, each received the 2025 designation. Each year, no more than five percent of the lawyers in the state are selected by the research team at Super Lawyers to receive this honor. Additionally, Matthew Chung, Esq. and Donald P. Reape, Esq. have been selected to the 2025 Southern California Rising Stars list. Each year, no more than 2.5 percent of the lawyers in the state are selected by the research team at Super Lawyers to receive this honor.
Each of our selected attorneys’ primary practice area is family law, specifically focusing on divorce, including high-net-worth divorce, property division, child custody and visitation, parentage actions, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, child and spousal support, and more. With offices in Santa Clarita, Calabasas, and Westlake Village, The Reape-Rickett Law Firm is one of Southern California’s leading family law and divorce firms.
Valencia Divorce Attorney James P. Reape receives 2025 Southern California Super Lawyers Selection
Santa Clarita Family Lawyer James P. Reape founded The Reape-Rickett Law Firm in 1992 with the goal of bringing high quality family law representation to the Santa Clarita Valley. With over forty years of experience, Mr. Reape is highly qualified in family law practice areas including divorce, prenuptial agreements, child custody and visitation, paternity matters, and more. Further, Mr. Reape has the experience and expertise to help clients navigate high-net-worth divorces and including complex compensation schemes, business valuation, and complex property division. As a highly experienced litigator and negotiator, Mr. Reape has a proven track record in and out of courtrooms across Southern California as a skilled and assertive advocate. Throughout his career, Mr. Reape has represented a diverse range of clients, from doctors to professional athletes, c-suite executives, small business owners, and trade professionals. Since establishing the firm, Mr. Reape has helped thousands of families resolve their divorce and other family law matters. He understands the profound impact that family law matters have on his clients and their children. Mr. Reape is committed to empowering clients with knowledge and information while guiding them through the family law and divorce process.
In addition to his eleven Southern California Super Lawyers selections, Mr. Reape was voted the Ultimate Family Law Attorney in Santa Clarita by Elite Magazine in 2019. He has also received Martindale-Hubble’s AV Preeminent® Rating Award from 2022-2025 in recognition of his excellence in legal experience, communication skills, and ethical standards. Mr. Reape has the knowledge, expertise, and ability to provide family law services second to none.
Calabasas Divorce Lawyer Matthew A. Breddan selected to the 2025 Super Lawyers List
Since 1994, Matthew Breddan has advocated for his clients and their children by fighting for their best interests while assuring that children are not used as pawns or bargaining chips to accomplish a goal or agenda of either party. Mr. Breddan is a fierce advocate for his clients in and out of courtrooms across Los Angeles and Ventura Counties. With over thirty years of family law experience, Matthew Breddan has represented countless families, helping them through divorce, child custody and visitation issues, domestic violence restraining orders, support matters, and beyond. He understands the emotional impact that family law matters has and helps his clients navigate the process through an empathetic and straight forward approach so clients have an understanding of the process that lies ahead as well as expectations of what they can expect. Mr. Breddan is committed to providing the highest level of family law services across Southern California.
Shareholder Matthew Breddan has received the Southern California Super Lawyers selection thirteen times since 2010 (2010, 2012, 2015-2025). Mr. Breddan also received Martindale-Hubble’s AV Preeminent® Rating Award consecutively from 2019-2025. When not representing his clients and resolving their family law matters, Mr. Breddan is active within the legal and non-profit community. He is the immediate Past President of the San Fernando Valley Bar Association, the current Vice President of the Valley Community Legal Fund, a member of the Board of Trustees for the VCC Boy Scouts of America and serves as Vice President of a domestic violence non-profit organization serving Southern California. Matthew Breddan is dedicated to his clients and community, with the goal of advancing justice and protecting your rights.
Conejo Valley Certified Family Law Specialist Steven L. Weiss, Esq. chosen to 2025 Southern California Super Lawyers List
Divorce Attorney Steven L. Weiss is a highly experienced family law litigator with a proven track record resolving divorces involving complex property division, child custody and visitation, post-judgment matters, as well as paternity and prenuptial matters. Mr. Weiss began practicing family law in 1983 and in 1994 he received his Certified Family Law Specialist designation by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. In addition to over forty years of experience in the courtroom, Mr. Weiss regularly utilizes alternative dispute resolution methods, such as mediation, to help clients avoid unnecessary litigation. He is a tireless advocate for his clients’ best interests and collaborates with clients to identify and resolve their family law issues.
Mr. Weiss received his first of fourteen Southern California Super Lawyers selection in 2006 and consecutively from 2013-2025.
Agoura Hills Divorce Attorney Melanie Gardner-Pawlak named to 2025 Southern California Super Lawyers List
Melanie Gardner-Pawlak, Esq. has over 20 years of family law experience, including extensive trial experience in all aspects of family law matters including, property division, support, child custody and visitation, domestic violence restraining orders, and more. Throughout her career, Ms. Garnder-Pawlak has represented a diverse range of clients, from professionals to business owners, executives, entrepreneurs, and single parents. Ms. Gardner-Pawlak provides her clients with highly analytical and strategic representation, ensuring that no detail is overlooked in the negotiation and litigation of their matter. Further, Ms. Gardner-Pawlak is meticulous in preparing and presenting legal arguments for her clients’ rights in the courtroom. She has appeared in courtrooms across Los Angeles, Ventura, Kern and throughout Southern California. Ms. Gardner-Pawlak is a tenacious advocate, dedicated to protecting her client’s rights and future.
When not fighting for her clients, Ms. Gardner-Pawlak serves as a Trustee of the San Fernando Valley Bar Association and volunteers her time as a Family Law Mediator for the Los Angeles Superior Court. Ms. Gardner-Pawlak is a two-time Southern California Super Lawyers selectee, receiving her first designation in 2024.
Larry Epstein, Esq. Of Counsel, Selected to Super Lawyers
Attorney Larry Epstein has nearly fifty years of legal experience and expertise. As an Of Counsel member of our Firm, Mr. Epstein is able to apply his decades of family law knowledge to assist clients with post-judgment matters, palimony and spousal support, property division, and divorce in Los Angeles, Ventura and beyond. He is a highly skilled negotiator and protects his client’s rights while driving comprehensive settlement agreements. In addition to his years of experience advocating for his clients, Mr. Epstein has served the legal community as Chairman of the San Fernando Bar Association Family Law section and Executive Committee for the SFVBA for over fifteen years. He also served as a volunteer Daily Settlement Officer for family law matters in the Van Nuys, San Fernando, and Chatsworth Superior Courts throughout his career.
Mr. Epstein received his first of eleven Southern California Super Lawyers Selection in 2012 and has received fourteen consecutive selections since (2012-2025). He has also received the Martindale Hubbell DistinguishedSM distinction since 2019 as he is widely respected by his peers for his professional achievement and ethical standards.
Santa Clarita Divorce Lawyer Matthew Chung receives 2025 Southern California Rising Stars Selection
Matthew Chung, Esq. has helped countless families navigate divorce, paternity, child custody and visitation issues, post-judgment, and domestic violence matters with compassion and diligent advocacy since joining our firm in 2019. Mr. Chung is committed to fighting for and protecting his client’s best interests while avoiding unnecessary conflict. He collaborates with his clients to identify their concerns and provides results-based advice to help clients make informed decisions. Mr. Chung is focused on driving settlement whenever possible by exploring all reasonable options and conducting a thorough analysis of the family’s situation. When settlement is not an option, Mr. Chung works tirelessly to represent his clients and secure the best possible results in the courtroom. He is meticulous in presenting evidence to argue his client’s position and protect their rights in and out of the courtroom. As an experienced litigator, he regularly appears in family law courts across Los Angeles, Ventura, and Kern Counties. Mr. Chung received his first Southern California Rising Stars selection in 2024.
Valencia Family Law Attorney Donald Reape selected to 2025 Southern California Rising Stars List
Associate Attorney Donald Reape has extensive litigation experience to fight for his client’s rights and interests. Since joining The Reape-Rickett Law Firm, Mr. Reape has litigated matters including domestic violence, property division, spousal support, child custody, visitation, and support and more. Mr. Reape is an aggressive representative for his clients and ensures that his clients’ position is clearly presented through meticulous research and preparation. Throughout his tenure at our firm, Donald Reape has assisted a wide range of clientele from stay-at-home parents to business owners, executives, trade professionals and professionals. He is committed to assisting clients through any legal challenge.
Prior to joining our firm Donald Reape was a Public Defender with hundreds of appearances including trials. Mr. Reape also served as a Lead Appellate Counsel in the United States Court of Appeals. 2025 marks Donald Reape’s first selection to the Southern California Rising Stars List.
What is the Super Lawyers and Rising Stars Rating Process?
Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than seventy practice areas who have attained a high degree of peer recognition and professional achievement. The annual selections are made using a patented multiphase process that includes a statewide survey of lawyers, an independent research evaluation of candidates and peer reviews by practice area. The result is a credible, comprehensive, and diverse listing of exceptional attorneys. The Super Lawyers lists are published nationwide in Super Lawyers magazines and in leading city and regional magazines and newspapers across the country. Super Lawyers magazines also feature editorial profiles of attorneys who embody excellence in the practice of law. For more information about Super Lawyers, visit SuperLawyers.com.
