For one, Lawyers don't place children anywhere. The courts make that decision. If the court found a reason to place any child in a specific home, there was obviously a reason. No court would place a child with a registered pedophile. For anyone reading a negative comment, know that there is always two sides to the story. Clearly someone didn't get their way and they have to blame someone. The attorneys at Yelman and Associates spend countless hours on their case loads. They are on top of everything, highly recommended by many, and very professional. I had a very exhausting trial that lasted nearly 9 months and never once doubted my attorney, Sara Neumann, or anyone at the firm assisting in my case. She always kept me up to date on things and ALWAYS talked me through hard times during the trial. She is very dependable and I would recommend her or anyone at Yelman to anyone and everyone. You also have to understand that no matter how much you pay someone, the courts must follow the law and look out for the best interest of the child. Not the best interest for you or grandma, the child. The judge makes the decision, not the lawyer. Sara Neumann is an outstanding attorney and very well respected by the courts and her clients. She will fight until the very end for her clients and if the outcome isn't what you wanted, then maybe it wasn't what was best for the child. If you disagree, try again. But to completely defame someone who fought for a child's best interest, whether for or against the other party, is just pathetic and shows everyone else that maybe the COURTS were right in placing the child where they did. As for money, lawyers aren't free. They cost money and they tell you their fees before hand. You might understand all that they actually do behind the scenes if you chose to represent yourself.There's hours of preparation, it's time consuming, draining, and it's all for someone else. Not themselves. read more

I went through a "very challenging" divorce with 4 children that kept me in court for a decade on and off. I used another firm with two different lawyers and was able to measure how effective they were as compared with Sara @ Yelman. Without hesitation, I can say Sara and her team were twice as effective at half the cost. I cannot begin to express the complexity of my situation, but it was challenging given the circumstances. Unfortunately I became fairly experienced at the process, language and arguments used in my cases over the past 10 years. I've seen the quality of the arguments made on my behalf and Sara always had clear thoughts and rational behavior with opposing counsel and the court. The team at Yelman did great work. Most important in this process is the cost. Clients are often driven apart by their lawyers, which benefits only the firms involved. Trust me -- I experienced this before Yelman, as did my ex. Sara did not inflame for the benefit of further court actions (and therefore fees). She protected me as a client but was always rational about the options presented to me concerning my decisions. Moving to Yelman over the past 4 years was the best financial choice I made over this extraordinarily challenging phase of my life. I am so grateful for their representation and guidance, and I highly recommend them for complex family law representation. read more

I'm so happy that I chose Yelman & Associates to represent me in my divorce case. My case was fairly simple, but it was my first divorce and my husband had controlled all the finances during our marriage, so being on my own for the first time in 18 years was a very scary and confusing time for me. Heidie and her team assisted me every step of the way, and took time to explain everything to me in a way I could understand. Heidie is very efficient, detailed, and pro-active. She responded immediately to any questions I had. She's also a pitbull when it comes to arguing a case, and helped me negotiate a settlement with my reluctant ex-husband that I was ultimately very happy with. I also appreciated that she seemed to respect the fact that her time was billable, and didn't waste my time or money with extra un-necessary work. Yelman & Associates isn't the cheapest firm in town, but I firmly believe that you get what you pay for, and their professionalism and quality of service is outstanding. read more

I highly recommend Tara Yelman and Yelman & Associates in Family law and related cases. Tara represented me for over 8 years (as I had a very litigious former spouse). Her knowledge of family law, understanding what the Judges want to hear, (we had 3 different judges in the 8 years of litigation) and her organizational skills, resulted in me receiving full custody of my child. Yelman & Associates (and Tara) were always responsive and fought for what was in both my daughter's and my best interest, but she also gave straightforward advice on what to request from a court and how to act in order to maximize the possible results. In addition to her professionalism, she has always been very fair and cognizant of the ongoing costs. In addition, her staff is knowledgeable and kind, which is important when you are dealing with highly emotional circumstances. In my opinion - there is no better firm to represent. read more

I am so pleased with my experience with Yelman and Associates over the past year. Heidie and the staff were extremely personable, informative, and professional. Heidie was the only one who personally returned my call while I was looking for legal services, and took the time to explain the firm's services and listen to my situation. They were also generously responsive and reliable during the entire process. Heidie patiently answered all my questions and concerns, sometimes multiple times, to keep me feeling informed and calm. What I appreciated most were Heidie's efforts to keep my case as non-litigious as possible, despite all the obstacles and delays from the other side. It ultimately spared everyone unnecessary time, money, and negative emotions and I am very grateful. Based on my experience, I highly recommend Yelman and Associates to anyone seeking assistance in matters involving family law. read more

My husband and I appreciated having the opportunity to work with Jennifer Bunyan on an arduous high-conflict case. Jennifer is professional, kind, compassionate, supportive, understanding, responsive, and personable. She is passionate about helping others; putting every effort into achieving the outcome your case deserves. It is rare to find an attorney who will listen to what you have to say and who will work collaboratively to navigate the stressors these cases often bring. We felt supported, heard, understood, and valued by Jennifer. With Jennifer's support, we felt we had someone in our corner giving voice to our needs and concerns with our family's best interest at heart. We trust Jennifer and the team at Neumann Family Law (formerly Yelman & Associates) with any family matter we may have. We highly recommend this law firm to help you navigate your family law matter. read more

I highly recommend Yelman & Associates. Tara Yelman is a great attorney with many years of experience. She is honest, trust worthy, and very transparent, which I appreciated. I first was represented by Tara three years ago and I have continued to be represented by them ever since. I can tell you, I would never go to another firm. Tara was passionate and dedicated to my case, which meant the world to me while I was going through this challenging time in my life. Her compassion and honesty made me feel at ease and really gave me peace of mind because I knew Tara had my best interest and my children's best interest at heart. Cecilia Preciado I don't know what I would have done without you, thank you! Honestly, if you are in a child custody situation I would highly recommend her firm hands down. read more

After years of endless stress and anguish as a result of numerous attempts to finalize my divorce, it is truly life-changing to see all of the chaos finally come to an end. As I move forward to another new chapter in my life, it is crucial for me to send a huge thanks to my lawyer, Ms. Heidi Trautwein, as well as Yelman & Associates, for guiding me through this difficult time with passion and support. Heidie is the best there is. She is very thorough, passionate and efficient throughout this entire process. As for other individuals who may be looking for great legal support especially in Military Divorce, I would highly recommend Ms. Heidie Trautwein, as well Yelman & Associates. They will not only handle your case with care, but continuously supply advice for the most difficult times. read more

I was referred to Yelman and Associates 2 years ago by a friend who went through multiple divorce lawyers in the San Diego area before landing here. He was very satisfied so I followed suit. Since then, I have worked with Heidie Trautwein to resolve my divorce, child custody, and retirement/asset division. Though it was a painful and difficult challenge emotionally, Heidie gave me absolute peace of mind and confidence regarding legal matters. With every piece of correspondence, meeting, and/or mediation appearance, Heidie was clearly superior to the opposing counsel. Her preparation, persistence, attention to detail, and overall expertise was far and away worth every penny I paid. I would, without question, recommend her to anyone seeking divorce assistance. BL read more

I was recommended to use Yelman & associates by my friend, Jeff. Ms. Yelman had previously helped him with his divorce. I have used Yelman & Associates for about two years and I am extremely pleased with the professionalism and the attention to detail that Ms. Yelman brings to each hearing and court filing. In my case she has not only done a superb job in being my advocate in ongoing complex custody hearings, she has also advised me on things I was doing outside of the courtroom that could have a beneficial effect on the helping me with the custody of my children. I would highly recommend Yelman & associates for any divorce or custody proceedings. read more

Tara Yelman was recommended to me by a friend and I am so grateful. I didn't know where to start to find someone I could really trust. Unfortunately most people don't find out until they are thousands of dollars in that their attorney is crap. She was fair in price and she knows her stuff. I didn't find out until I had a non-performing ex how well she wrote my MSA. Now I need her again and my mind is completely at ease! Her staff is efficient and friendly- it's such a blessing when you have someone like Tara on your side! read more

This company is amazing and if you are looking for an attentive, professional, and someone who actually cares about your case that will go above and beyond to look out for the best interest of their clients. Then I will recommend Jennifer Bunyan. She helped me so much with my case and she actually understood me and my case. She knew exactly my child and I was going through. She made this process smooth and less stressful that I had to deal with for many years. Thank you so much and I am so happy that I went with Jennifer Bunyan. read more

One of the best decisions that I made during my divorce was to choose Tara Yelman & Associates to represent me. Ms. Yelman is not the stereotypical "divorce attorney". She took the time to ask important questions, listened to the answers and put together a plan that fit my needs while giving me excellent advice and guidance. She and her amazing team were always there to answer my questions, be of support and to take action when needed. I would HIGHLY recommend Tara Yelman! read more

I live in New York and needed an attorney in San Diego. I happened upon this law firm and was very lucky ! Heidie Trautwein,esq accepted to represent me in my court case. I found her to be knowledgeable in family law and she was always willing to work with me. It wasn't all about billable hours she seemed to genuinely care about the case. I would highly recommend her to anyone looking for guidance and excellent advice mauvering through the court system. read more

I retained Tara Yelman several years ago in an effort to retain my spousal support. Her ability to organize and argue my case was outstanding. She listened to my input but also developed her own excellent strategies based on her knowledge or the law and exceptional logic. Her ability to retain the facts of the case and use them during oral argument was the most admirable I have ever experienced. I highly recommend her, especially for more complex cases. read more

Tara Yelman Fought for Me!When my ex and his attorney refused to discuss or negotiate any finances or terms, the only choice was to go to court.Tara came prepared with a list of Cases that supported our demands, as well as a list of Cases that proved they were being unreasonable.  The outcome left my ex and his attorney absolutely jaw dropped speechless, while my expectations .were very much exceeded. I highly recommend Tara Yelman. Chris W. read more

Absolutely, without a doubt, amazing representation. This team has helped me navigate the most difficult period of my life with strength and focus. Extremely thorough, respectful, and prepared. It was a difficult decision selecting someone to represent me in such unfamiliar circumstances. I absolutely made the right decision with this team. Thank you so much. read more

I'm overjoyed to finally receive the final judgment of my divorce. Tara Yelman is a great attorney - she is knowlegeable, firm, a good listener and compassionate. The office staff were all pleasant and accomodating. Tara always returns my call and explains everything in detail. I'm glad I had her on my side...thank you Tara!!! read more

Tara has a sharp legal mind and works hard to serve the best interest of her clients. Legal matters are always stressful and Tara puts you at ease. Tara is also highly connected to the community and has a vast network of colleagues that have a great deal of respect for her. I highly recommend Yelmen and Associates. read more