About Vanessa Candelaria

Throughout her legal career, Vanessa has practiced exclusively in family law. With her legal training and knowledge, she provides compassion and advocacy for her clients. Vanessa’s experience working on a broad spectrum of family law matters include divorce, pre-divorce counseling and planning, premarital agreements, complex marital property issues, high conflict child custody disputes, child and spousal support issues and domestic violence prevention and defense. Vanessa protects her clients’ assets and the best interests of her clients and their children. She represents clients in public court and before private judicial officers. In addition, she serves as a consulting attorney for clients who are preparing for divorce, going through the divorce process, are in mediation and who are seeking a second opinion on his or her family law matter.

Prior to earning her Juris Doctorate degree from Golden Gate University School of Law, Vanessa earned dual degrees in English and Psychology and Social Behavior and a minor in Political Science from the University of California – Irvine. While at the University of California – Irvine, Vanessa was the first recipient of the “Most Inspirational Student” Scholarship Award. At Golden Gate University School of Law, Vanessa was accepted into the Honors Lawyering Program and she was a judicial extern the San Francisco Unified Family Court.

Vanessa received excellent training and experience from the well-known and highly respected Bay Area law firms, Fox & Bank LLP and Viola Law Firm, P.C. In 2012, Vanessa completed an intense, weeklong trial training course through the National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA). She participated in the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML) Mentoring Group from 2010 to 2012 and completed the AAML Trial Practicum in 2016.

Vanessa has been selected for inclusion in the 2021 Northern California Super Lawyers List. Each year, no more than 5% of lawyers in the state are selected.