Practice Areas: Family Law, Real Estate, Civil Litigation; view more
Licensed in California since: 1993
Education: Southwestern Law School
Selected to Super Lawyers: 2020 - 2025 Call today:
310-793-9570
Virtual Appointments Stearns & Ryan, Lawyers
21250 Hawthorne BlvdSuite 310
Torrance, CA 90503 Visit website
Details
As managing partner of Stearns & Ryan, Ryan Stearns represents clients throughout all of California, maintaining offices in both the South Bay and Brentwood. Mr. Stearns has been trying cases for over 32 years in the areas of Family Law, Real Estate/Civil Litigation, Employment, and Probate/Trusts. He is a Certified Family Law Specialist certified by the State Bar of California. Mr. Stearns has tried and mediated in excess of 400 Civil/Business/Real Estate, Family Law and Probate/Trust matters, and handled in excess of 800 Request for Order and law and motion proceedings. He is often referred by retired judges.
His clients consist of real estate developers and small and mid-sized businesses. A former lecturer for the Los Angeles County Bar Association, he is also included in the National Institute of Trial Advocacy as an advocate.
He graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1987 with a Bachelor of Arts. At Southwestern University School of Law, he then earned a Juris Doctorate in 1992. Currently, Mr. Stearns is admitted to practice before all federal and state courts in California. Although a trial is the final option and he prefers finding solutions earlier in the game, he is fully prepared to go as far as necessary to help his clients.
Mr. Stearns is a member of the American Bar Association’s litigation section, the South Bay Bar Association, the Los Angeles County Bar Association and the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles. His community service and pro bono activities include former service on the Southwestern University School of Law’s board of visitors and the board of trustees for the Palos Verdes Art Center.
Practice areas
Family Law, Real Estate: Business, Civil Litigation: Plaintiff, Estate & Trust Litigation, Estate Planning & ProbateFocus areas
Alimony & Spousal Support, Child Support, Custody & Visitation, Dissolution, Divorce, Domestic Violence, Estate Planning, Guardianships & Conservatorships, Marital Property, Mediation & Collaborative Law, Power of Attorney, Prenuptial Agreements, Probate & Estate Administration, Same Sex Family Law, Trusts, Will Contests, Wills
- 20% Family Law
- 30% Real Estate: Business
- 20% Civil Litigation: Plaintiff
- 20% Estate & Trust Litigation
- 10% Estate Planning & Probate
First Admitted: 1993, California
Professional Webpage: https://sksrlawyers.com/our-lawyers/ryan-e-stearns/
- South Bay Bar Association
- Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles
- California, State and Federal Court, 1993
- American Bar Association, Litigation
- Los Angeles County Bar Association, Executive Committee, Family Law, 1993
- Obtain preliminary injunction against trustee for misappropriation of estate assets in excess of $8 million. , 2024
- In defending a class action wage and hour lawsuit where damages ranged $7 million and $13 million, negotiates final settlement in low-mid six figures. , 2020
- Successfully defend employer against Family Medical Leave Act claim where employee seeking in excess of $400,000 in damages. , 2023
- Settle highly contested marital dissolution, under which enforceability of premarital agreement at issue. Client retained separate estate valued in excess of $500 million. , 2022
- Publicly traded company to pay high six figures in confidential settlement to former employees for past due wages and attorney’s fees and costs incurred., 2017
- Verdict for plaintiff trust expunging and terminating deeds of trust against real property owned by trust for debts in excess of $3 million recorded by unaffiliated lenders in connection. , 2019
- Judgment for client wife that husband solely liable for $200,000 in alleged loans from parents, the trial court finding husband committed fraud in connection with the same and breached fiduciary duty., 2015
- Successfully defend Family Law judgment from being set aside on claim of fraud and duress following 8 day trial with client retaining approximately $35 million in assets awarded under judgment., 2019
- After balancing Family Code Section 4320 factors, spousal support in long-term marriage forever terminated where brain surgeon originally ordered to pay $26,000 in monthly spousal support, with periodic step downs thereafter, 2018
- Custody granted to mother in out of state move away, 2016
- Defense verdict for shareholders of corporation alleged to have aided and abetted other shareholder in commodities futures scam, 2018
- Restraining order denied and fees awarded against husband for filing baseless claim against wife, 2016
- Summary Judgment for defendant home developer on $23 million personal injury claim by construction worker, 2017
- Settlement reached day before trial. Wife to be paid approximately $2 million from husband for business husband alleges his separate property. Pre-trial settlement offer by husband, 2018
- Verdict in wrongful death action for children of mother killed by stepfather. Residue of marital estate awarded to children, 2018
- SAS Interior Modules, a Faurecia Company: a French and German automotive company specializing in assembling cockpits for vehicle manufacturers, notably, Tesla. , 2019
- CV3 Financial, a business purpose lender with aggregate loans in excess of $1 billion, 2023
- Tulare Village, LLC owner and operator of Tulare Village Shopping Center, 2024
- N & L Commercial Properties, LLC. Reals estate developer and investor. $100 million in assets. Outside counsel in transactions and litigation, 2015
- Wedgewood Enterprises, Inc. Real estate developer and commercial holding company. $250 million in assets. Outside counsel, litigation, 2019
- Rich Development Company-J.W. Rich Investments. Representing since 1995. Real estate development and management company. Approximately $100 million in assets, 2019
- Represented seller on sale of $19 million shopping center. Re-structured critical leases to ensure close of sale. , 2024
- Represented lender of Malibu property owned by Kanye West in structuring terms of new loan in connection with sale of $20 million property. , 2024
- Certified Family Law Specialist by the State Bar of California, 2011
- Board of Trustees, Palos Verdes Art Center. Outside Counsel, Pro Bono., 2017
- Represent certain indigent clients in various litigation matters, 2023
- Boys and Girls Club, Los Angeles. Contributor, 2018
- Family Law Mediator, Los Angeles County Superior Court. 2004 to Present, 2004
- Denominated as an "advocate" with completion of trial school., NITA, Trial Advocate, National Institute of Trial Advocacy, 2004
- Southern California “Super Lawyer”
- Graduate of trial school focusing on contested Family Law matters, Trial Advocate, Houston Family Law Institute, 2009
- University of California at Berkeley, 1987
- Lecturer, Los Angeles County Bar Association
- National Institute Of Trial Advocacy
Selections
- Super Lawyers: 2020 - 2025
Certificates and credentials
Family Law
