I graduated from SDSU in 1982 with a degree in Public Administration by working during the day and attending night school. I completed 3 years of law school in 2 years and passed the California Bar Exam on the first attempt.
I established the Law Office of Vera A. Herbst in 1997 where I focused on business, transactional, personal injury and trial work.
Lucky for me, I met my husband in 1999, just prior to the new millennium. We were married in 2002 and have two, incredible, active children. My practice changed to Livingstone & Associates.
From 2002 through 2008, I worked at the YWCA Legal Clinic where I was mentored by a well-known family law specialist. I represented more than 100 men and women domestic violence victims in restraining order, family law, custody and visitation, and divorce cases. It was at the YWCA that I tackled difficult and unusual cases such as refugee and ICWA cases. I gained a significant amount of experience doing trial work and evidentiary hearings at the YWCA.
I continued my pursuit of unusual cases by winning cases for support under the Immigration and Nationality Act in Civil Court. I also brought a tree cutting case to a jury trial and mediated several other cases where an individual trespassed and cut down neighbor's trees.
I have successfully mediated, arbitrated, and litigated family law and business cases.
I act as Special Master for the Courts, private attorneys, and litigants and am listed with the California State Bar as a Special Master.
For the past 20 years, I have focused primarily on family law matters, where I have successfully litigated difficult custody issues, move-away trials, and financial issues. I have a robust family law, civil law, and transactional practice.
In 2021, I moved my office to Rancho Bernardo to team up with Godkin and Brengle, LLP. I continue my practice, but act as "Of Counsel" for the LLP.
My strengths include good, close client relationships, cross-examination, and depositions. At all times, I work toward case resolution with an eye toward efficiency and client satisfaction. My work speaks for itself in that I do not advertise. My clients are all referred to me from past, satisfied clients.
On personal note I enjoy cooking for my family, making jam, my volunteer work at Mission de Alcala, suffering through bootcamp, going to the Del Mar Races, performance art, happy hour, cheering on the Padres, and being active with my husband and teenage children.
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