A veteran attorney with four decades of legal experience, Richard Sullivan is widely regarded as one of the top family law attorneys in the Orange County area. He is compassionate and competent, always dedicated to securing the best possible result for his clients, whether this is accomplished inside or outside of the courtroom. He is a talented litigator with a background in criminal defense, using his experience to better protect his clients’ best interests.
Richard obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree from Southeast Missouri State University and his Juris Doctor degree, with honors, from Western State College of Law. After passing the bar, he began his career as a criminal litigator, where he was able to hone his courtroom skills. In 1996, Richard devoted his practice exclusively to family law and has tried over 15,000 cases in this field.
Associations & Experience
Richard is a member of the Orange County Bar Association and the Orange County Family Law Section of the State Bar of California. He has been appointed by the Orange County Superior Court to represent minors on a number of occasions and has acted as Special Master to the Court to address litigation in domestic relation actions. He has served as a lecturer, instructor, and panelist for the State Bar of California, Orange County Bar Association, Western State School of Law, and Chapman School of Law.
Richard is an executive committee member of the Orange County Bar Association, Family Law Section, and has served in this role since 2010. He is also a board member of the Orange County Community Service Program – CSP Victim Assistance.
Cases He Handles
Through the years, Richard has had the privilege of helping families across Southern California in complex matters related to:
- Adoption
- Divorce
- Child custody
- Child support
- Spousal support
- Property division
- Prenuptial and postnuptial agreements
- Post-divorce modifications
- Guardianship
- Domestic violence
He takes pride in delivering results-driven counsel tailored to his client’s unique needs.
Education
- South East Missouri State University, B.A. (1973)
- Western State College of Law, J.D. (1978)
Bar Admissions
- State Bar of California (1978)
- California Supreme Court (1978)
- U.S. District Court, Central District (1980)
- U.S. Federal Tax Court (1981)
