Firm Philosophy

Many people facing divorce feel that they are going through one of the most difficult experiences of their lives. Regardless of which party initiated the decision, both spouses typically feel intense emotional strain during this process. Although we understand that sadness, anger, and confusion are natural responses to the breakdown of a marriage, at the Law Offices of Ann Riley, we strive to help our clients understand the numerous positive aspects that are also a real part of even the most painful divorces.

Moving Forward

We work with clients to help them view divorce as an opportunity instead of a tragedy. For some people, divorce presents an opportunity to get out of an unhealthy relationship, paving the way for a more fulfilling one in the future. Divorce is also a time to re-assess life goals and ambitions, and to take steps to get your life back on the track you want it to be on. Viewed this way, divorce can be about moving on, moving forward, making a better life for yourself and your children, and having the autonomy to make your own decisions about the future.

Taking the Long View

Experience has taught us that decisions focusing on short-term goals or immediate desires can be impulsive and have the potential to backfire, failing to yield the most beneficial result over time. Instead, we counsel our clients to balance immediate needs with long-term planning, helping them work toward obtaining more capital and assets in the future.

Firm principal Ann Riley spends extensive time with every client discussing all aspects of the case in order to understand both their short-term and long-term goals, including those related to any children the marriage may have produced.

Your Life, Your Decisions

An important component of any divorce or separation is learning to think and make decisions for yourself. After years of deferring to a partner, many of our clients find they have difficulty determining exactly what they want. At the Law Offices of Ann Riley, we encourage clients to make their own decisions and re-learn to think and plan for themselves.

One important way to achieve a favorable outcome is to keep cases out of court whenever possible. We deter clients from letting go of responsibility for their case and “letting the judge decide,” instead encouraging them to find an amicable resolution through mediation wherever possible. However, in the event this proves inappropriate in a given situation, Ms. Riley draws on her years of extensive trial experience in the Bay Area to protect the interests of her clients – and the interests of their families – in court.