Marshall S. Zolla, CFLS, AAML

Marshall S. Zolla is a Certified Specialist in the field of Family Law, a distinction granted by the Board of Legal Specialization of the State Bar of California. With more than 60 years of experience, his expertise is vast and includes Prenuptial and Postnuptial Agreements, retirement plan benefits, complex business valuations, issues concerning real estate, estate planning, and religious differences in child custody matters.

Mr. Zolla majored in Economics at the University of California, Los Angeles, graduating cum laude in 1960. He received his Law Degree from Berkeley Law at the University of California, Berkeley, in 1963, and was admitted to practice in California in 1964.

Mr. Zolla is a member of the State Bar of California, Los Angeles County Bar Association, Beverly Hills Bar Association, and the California Association of Certified Family Law Specialists. He is a Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. He served for many years as a mediator for the Family Law Department of the Los Angeles Superior Court. Mr. Zolla frequently lectures before legal and professional associations on evolving family law issues. In addition, he served for 30 years as an Editorial Consultant and Commentator for California Family Law Monthly, published by Matthew Bender & Company.

Mr. Zolla is active in numerous community and charitable organizations. Mr. Zolla studies with and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem and New York. He served as an officer and a member of the Board of Trustees of Wilshire Boulevard Temple, was as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Union for Reform Judaism (URJ) and Vice-Chair of the Department of Jewish Family Concerns. He is a member of the Los Angeles Board of Advisors of Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion, and was a member of the Steering Committee of the Kalsman Institute on Judaism and Health at Hebrew Union College – Jewish Institute of Religion. Mr. Zolla served as a member of the Commission on Social Action of Reform Judaism and the Religious Action Center (RAC). He also served on the National and Los Angeles Boards of the American Jewish Committee (AJC).

On April 1, 2009, Marshall S. Zolla and his wife, Barbie z”l, were honored by the American Jewish Committee with the prestigious 2009 Community Service Award, honoring their life-long commitment to community service.

Mr. Zolla has for many years had an AV Preeminent rating with Martindale-Hubbell and is listed in the Martindale-Hubbell Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers, 2005-2024, and is also listed as a Super Lawyer in the Southern California Super Lawyers, 2004-2023.

Mr. Zolla has authored and published the following articles in professional journals:

Mr. Zolla has lectured and given the following presentations:

  • Guest Speaker, U.S. Trust – Bank of America Private Wealth Management, Topic: The Interdisciplinary Nature of Substantive Family Law Issues, July 31, 2018 (Presentation Materials)

  • Guest Speaker, Los Angeles Estate Planning Council, Topic: Tales from the Trenches: What Happens (In The Real World) with End of Life Decisions and Advance Healthcare Directives?, March 28, 2018 (Presentation Materials)

  • Guest Speaker, Beverly Hills Bar Association – Trusts & Estates and Family Law Sections, Topic: Family Law and Estate Planning Crossover Issues, January 16, 2018

  • Guest Speaker, USC School of Law 43rd Annual Trust and Estate Conference, Topic: Tales from the Trenches: What Happens (in the Real World) With End of Life Decisions and Advance Healthcare Directives?, November 3, 2017 (Presentation Materials)

  • Guest Speaker, Los Angeles County Bar Association Family Law Symposium, Topic: Evolving Duties of Family Law Attorneys re Information Technology, Electronic Evidence [ESI], and Cyber Security, May 6, 2017 (Presentation Materials)

  • Guest Speaker, Glaser Weil, Topic: Important and Often Overlooked Issues and Concerns Regarding: Prenuptial Agreements, Postnuptial Agreements, Transmutation Agreements, Spousal Fiduciary Duties, Automatic Temporary Restraining Orders, Capacity to Enter into Binding Agreements, April 18, 2017

  • Guest Speaker, Alpha Analytics, Topic: Important and Often Overlooked Issues and Concerns Regarding: Prenuptial Agreements, Postnuptial Agreements, Transmutation Agreements, Spousal Fiduciary Duties, Automatic Temporary Restraining Orders, Capacity to Enter into Binding Agreements, March 8, 2017

  • Guest Speaker, Breakfast with the Experts, Los Angeles Jewish Foundation “Family and Estate: Prenuptial and Postnuptial Agreements, and Estate Planning During Divorce,” Co-Presented with Paul Gordon Hoffman, Esq., September 3, 10, 2014

  • Guest Speaker, RBZ LLP, Topic: Important and Often Overlooked Issues and Concerns Regarding Prenuptial Agreements, Postnuptial Agreements, Transmutation Agreements and Spousal Fiduciary Duties, August 20, 2014

  • Guest Speaker, Wilshire Boulevard Temple, Kalsman Institute of Judaism and Health & Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Jewish Wisdom and Wellness: A Week of Learning, Topic: Advance Health Care Directives: Practical and Sacred Decisions, April 23, 2013

  • Guest Speaker, Los Angeles County Bar Association Family Law Symposium, Topic: E-Discovery & Scope of Income Available for Support, May 19, 2012

  • Guest Speaker, University of California, Los Angeles/Continuing Education of the Bar, Tax & Estate Planning Conference, Topic: Family Law and Estate Planning Crossover Issues, May 12, 2012

  • Guest Speaker, U.S.C. Tax and Probate Institute, Topic: Family Law and Estate Planning Crossover Issues, November 18, 2011

  • Guest Speaker, Estate Counselors Forum, U.S. Trust, Bank of America Private Wealth Management, Topic: Family Law and Estate Planning Crossover Issues, January 20, 2011

  • Guest Speaker, UCLA Law School, Topic: Representing Clients in Mediation From a Family Law Perspective, October 6, 2010

  • Guest Speaker, Venable LLP, Topic: The Interdisciplinary Impact of Substantive Family Law Issues, December 8, 2009

  • Guest Speaker, Family Law Study Group, Topic: Evolving Concept of the Fiduciary Duty Between Spouses, January 9, 2007

  • Guest Speaker, White, Zuckerman, Warsavsky, Luna, Wolf & Hunt Study Group, Topic: Automatic Temporary Restraining Orders [ATRO’s], June 7, 2006

  • Guest Lecturer, Southwestern Law School, March 2, 2006

  • Panelist at the City National Bank Entertainment Division Seminar: Divorce Hollywood Style, July 14, 2005

  • Guest Speaker, RBZ, LLP, Topic: Practical and Sacred Decisions at the End of Life: Advance Health Care Directives Under the New California Health Care Decisions Law, October 29, 2002

  • Guest Speaker, 2002 State Bar of California, Annual Meeting, Program Title: Practical and Sacred Decisions at the End of Life: Advance Health Care Directives California’s new Health Care Decisions Law, effective July 1, 2000, and the California Supreme Court’s decision in In re Conservatorship of Wendland, have focused attention on the critical need for advance planning of health care decisions, October 10-13, 2002 (Presentation Material)

  • Guest Lecturer, Loyola Law School of Los Angeles, Topic: The Practice of Family Law, April 22, 2002

  • Guest Speaker, Temple Beth Hillel, Honoring Thy Parents: Decisions At The End Of Life, February 3, 2002

  • Guest Speaker, Women of Reform Judaism, Biennial Convention, Topic: Sacred Jewish Choices At The End Of Life, December 5-9, 2001

  • Guest Speaker, Union of American Hebrew Congregations, Biennial Convention, Topic: Religious Issues In Child Custody Disputes, December 5-9, 2001

  • Guest Speaker, Wilshire Boulevard Temple, A Time To Prepare: Facing The Medical, Legal and Emotional Issues At The End Of Life, October 23, 2001

  • Guest Speaker, State Bar of California, Joint Symposium of Probate/Family Planning Section and Family Law Section, San Francisco, CA: July 13, 2001, Los Angeles, CA: July 14, 2001

  • Guest Speaker, Beverly Hills Bar Association, Elder Law Committee Of the Probate, Trust and Estate Planning Section, Topic: End-of-Life Decisions: Bio-Ethics and In re Conservatorship of Wendland, February 28, 2001