Ariel Winger was admitted to the California State Bar in 1996 and has practiced family law exclusively since 1999. After years of litigating domestic-violence cases, Ariel turned to Mediation and Collaborative Divorce as a more humane, holistic, and cost-effective alternative to the traditionally combative, court-based model of divorce. She has been offering non-adversarial, out-of-court divorce options since 2007.
With a background in psychology and counseling, as a child of divorce, and as a single parent after her long-term marriage ended, Ariel is especially sensitive to the emotional and financial issues that strain most family law cases.
Having assisted diverse populations and non-traditional families for over 20 years, Ariel has extensive experience working with LGBTQ+ and polyamorous couples, and those struggling with mental health issues, addiction, and trauma. Drawing on her study of Buddhism and Non-Violent Communication, Ariel offers compassionate and non-judgmental services to parting couples of all races, ethnicities, socio-economic statuses, sexual orientations, and gender identities.
Professional Associations and Memberships:
- State Bar of California, Family Law Section Member
- Alameda County Bar Association, Family Law Section Member
- Collaborative Practice East Bay: Modest Means Committee–Pro-Bono Clinic founding member, Steering Committee (past member)
- International Academy of Collaborative Professionals (IACP), Member
- Wiley W. Manuel Award for Pro-bono Legal Services, Recipient
Education:
- New College of California School of Law, JD
- Mills College, BA in Psychology with Honors
