Professional Associations and Memberships
  • President-Elect, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML), Southern California Chapter
  • President, Orange County Bar Association, Family Law Section, 2014 – 2015
  • Orange County Bar Association – Board of Directors, 2008 – 2015
  • Member, Association of Certified Family Law Specialists
Certified Legal Specialties

Family Law, California State Bar – Board of Legal Specialization

 Areas of Practice

100% Family Law

 Bar Admissions

California, 2000

 Litigation Percentage

100% of Practice Devoted to Litigation

 Education

Whittier Law School, Costa Mesa, California

  • Juris Doctor, cum laude – 2000
  • Honors: Dean’s List
  • Law Review: Whittier Law Review, Associate Editor, 1998 – 1999
Honors & Awards
  • Fellow, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers
  • Past-President, Orange County Bar Association Family Law Section (2014)
  • Featured in Orange Coast Magazine “Ask the Expert” Column.  May 2015
  • Named “SuperLawyer” by the LA Times Magazine publication each year from 2014 to 2018
  • Listed in “The Best Lawyers in America” for Family Law published by U.S. News & World Report each year since 2014.
Bio

Robert A. Benavente is a Partner at Stegmeier, Gelbart, Schwartz, & Benavente, LLP.   Mr. Benavente has successfully litigated hundreds of cases involving some of the most complex and contested family law issues, such as custody, business valuations, breach of fiduciary duty, and cash flow of self-employed individuals.  His exemplary trial skills and his dignified and confident demeanor have earned him a reputation as one of the most respected family law attorneys in Orange County.

In 2014, Mr. Benavente served as the President of the Orange County Bar Association, Family Law Section.  In 2016, he was admitted as a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers – which is often considered the preeminent organization of family law attorneys in the nation.

Mr. Benavente regularly accepts invitations from various legal organizations to lecture on family law topics including strategic and practical considerations when litigating custody and support, the intricacies involved in tracing separate property interests at trial, and a detailed analysis of new developments in family law.

Read More

Mr. Benavente’s law practice has been exclusively devoted to family law since 2000.  He has been a board Certified Family Law Specialist since 2007.  He has been named a “SuperLawyer” by LA Times Magazine each year since 2014.  Prior to being named a SuperLawyer, he was included the SuperLawyers magazine “Rising Stars” edition in 2004 and 2005.

In addition, each year since 2014, Mr. Benavente has been listed in “The Best Lawyers in America” for Family Law published by U.S. News & World Report.

Mr. Benavente is a member of the Association of Certified Family Law Specialists.  From 2008 through 2015, he was a member of the Board of Directors of the Family Law Section of the Orange County Bar Association.

In May 2015, Mr. Benavente was featured in the “Ask the Expert” column in Orange Coast Magazine wherein he discussed various family law issues including criteria for selecting a divorce attorney and factors impacting child custody and spousal support.

Mr. Benavente enjoys traveling to tropical destinations.  When he is not traveling, he stays active with his two sons.

Classes / Seminars

  • Presenter, “Litigating Contempt Hearings in Family Court,” Guest Lecturer – Western State University College of Law, Family Law Course, April 2020
  • Presenter, “The Bell Curve (Using Statistics in Trial),” 2019 Trial Advocacy Institute, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Southern California Chapter, January 2019
  • Co-Presenter, “Important Cases of 2019,” AAML Southern California Chapter General Meeting, December 2019
  • Co-Presenter, “Marriage of Bonvino – Undue Influence…Who Cares?”  Riverside County Bar Association, Family Law Section, September 2019
  • Presenter, “Cross-Examination of Lay Witnesses” and “Introducing Written Discovery Into Evidence,” AAML Trial Basics Seminar, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Southern California Chapter, April 2019
  • Presenter, “Trial Tech – Cross Examination of Forensic Accountants,”  Association of Certified Family Law Specialists, May 2018
  • Presenter, “Cross-Examination and Closing Arguments,” AAML Trial Basics Seminar, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Southern California Chapter, April 2018
  • Presenter, “Cross-Examination and Closing Arguments,” AAML Trial Basics Seminar, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, Southern California Chapter, April 2017
  • Presenter, “See the Mix-Up: Practice Tips for Litigating Tracing Issues,”CLE Series, 2015
  • Presenter/Co-Chair, “Show Me the Money…Child and Spousal Support From A-Z,” OCBA, Family Law Section, 2014
  • Moderator:  “Affordable Care Act and Highlights of the Tax Aspects of Divorce.” OCBA, Family Law Section, 2014
  • Presenter/Co-Chair, “From Intake to Hearing”, Child Custody Practice Symposium, Family Law Section of the Orange County Bar Association, October  2013
  • Presenter, “Marriage of Alter – Did It Alter the Law of Parental Gifts as Income?,” CLE Luncheon. 2010
client
client
client
client
10.0Robert Anthony Benavente