Alice A. Shaw (Purdy)

Alice A. Shaw (Purdy) is a Certified Family Law Specialist (certified by the CA State Bar Board of Legal Specialization) and a Principal of the firm. Ms. Shaw has a proven track record of successfully settling even the most complex and contentious family law cases in her nearly 15 years of practice. Ms. Shaw’s approach is based on detailed legal analysis and strategic thinking to effectively resolve matters without litigation where possible and at trial when necessary. Her practice includes all aspects of family law matters, from high-asset property division to straightforward matters, property characterization, equity compensation, business interests, child and spousal support, complex custody issues, domestic violence, prenuptial and postnuptial agreements, and post-judgment matters. Partnering with trusted experts, including forensic accountants, corporate counsel, criminal defense counsel, estate planning attorneys and real estate attorneys when needed, gives Ms. Shaw an advantage in litigation as well as laying the groundwork for creative settlement solutions and favorable long-term outcomes. Ms. Shaw is highly experienced in handling custody matters including relocations, refuse-resist dynamic, high conflict relationships, children with special needs, and other cases that involve custody evaluations and mental health professionals.

Ms. Shaw is skilled in a variety of representation forms including consulting for mediation, attorney negotiated settlement, proceedings before private judges, and litigation. When settlement is not an option, Ms. Shaw employs her civil litigation background to public and private trial proceedings. Since joining the firm in 2017, Ms. Shaw has honed her practice to include highly sensitive confidential matters, strategic planning for custom enforceable marital agreements, and litigation involving contested marital agreements.

Ms. Shaw has a breadth of experience with the Court in Santa Clara, San Mateo, and San Francisco counties, and she has been growing her practice in Santa Cruz and Monterey counties since 2019. Ms. Shaw is a proud Santa Cruz local that offers her clients the support staff and bandwidth of a larger firm with the approachability of her personal representation. Ms. Shaw is currently active in a historic statewide bar organization, serving on the Executive Board of California Women Lawyers, and previously serving as the 2021 President of the Queen’s Bench Bar Association of the Greater Bay Area. During her Presidency, Ms. Shaw led the organization’s efforts to host legal panels with judicial presenters leading their field in court assisted settlement.