Meet Marissa Chen, J.D.
A law-trained mediator focused on helping families and business owners work through difficult conversations with structure, clarity, and respect.
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Practical help, from someone who understands the whole picture.
Marissa Chen is a law-trained mediator focused on practical family, business, and financial dispute resolution. She works with people who are stuck in a hard conversation and want a calmer, more structured way through it, one that leads to decisions they can actually live with.
Her background spans family law, business law, and tax-related issues. That range matters, because real disputes rarely stay in one lane. A divorce touches money and parenting. An inheritance touches property and old family history. A family business touches ownership, taxes, and relationships all at once. A legal education across those areas gives Marissa a practical foundation for helping people organize complex problems into workable parts.
What she does not do is take sides. The work is not about winning, and it is not about deciding who was right. It is about helping everyone at the table make practical decisions and move forward.
Marissa Chen, J.D. has earned a law degree and is not currently licensed to practice law in California. She provides mediation, not legal advice or legal representation.
A few principles that shape every session.
Practical Family Mediation is boutique by design. The goal is not to process a file. It is to genuinely understand your situation and help you reach decisions that hold up.
Neutral, always
Marissa does not represent either person or push an outcome. She keeps the process fair so everyone can speak and be heard.
Practical over perfect
The aim is a workable decision people can act on now, not a flawless solution that never actually gets made.
Plain language
No intimidating jargon. Every step is explained clearly so everyone understands what is happening and why.
Respect for the relationship
These are families and partners who often still need each other. The process protects the relationship wherever it can.
How Marissa works
Every engagement starts with a private consultation. It is a confidential, no-pressure conversation to understand your situation, answer your questions, and figure out together whether mediation is the right fit. Not every dispute belongs in mediation, and Marissa will tell you honestly if she thinks another path would serve you better.
When mediation is a fit, the work is structured but human. Marissa helps identify the real issues underneath the surface argument, makes sure each person understands what the other actually needs, and keeps the conversation focused on options rather than blame. The pace is calm and the tone is respectful, even when the subject is not easy.
The output is practical: clear, workable next steps you can act on, and take to independent legal counsel to review or formalize if you choose. You can see the full walkthrough on the How Mediation Works page.
Marissa Chen, J.D. is a law-trained, neutral mediator who helps families and business owners in the San Fernando Valley turn a stuck, expensive conflict into a set of practical decisions everyone can move forward with.
The conversations Marissa mediates.
Divorce & Separation
Property, parenting, and financial conversations, without turning every decision into a fight.
Explore Legacy & careInheritance & Sibling Disputes
Estates, family property, caregiving responsibilities, and unresolved family tension.
Explore BusinessFamily Business Mediation
Ownership, succession, role clarity, and communication breakdowns among relatives and partners.
ExploreTalk it through with a neutral, practical mediator.
A private consultation is a calm first step. Tell Marissa a little about your situation, and you can decide together whether mediation is the right fit.
Schedule a Private Consultation