CONTACT

Tel: (805) 962-0011, ext. 125
Fax: (805) 965-3978
proberts@ppplaw.com

AREAS OF PRACTICE

Family Law
Civil Litigation

 

   EXPERIENCE

Paul A. Roberts has been in practice in Santa Barbara since 1977 and has acted as Chief Executive Officer of law firms in Santa Barbara prior to his joining Price, Postel & Parma. He has tried cases in Ventura, Santa Barbara, Santa Maria and San Luis Obispo including more than twenty jury trials and represented litigants in mediation and arbitration in that time. He has been admitted by the Supreme Court of Nevada to serve as counsel pro hac vice in that state in a dissolution matter involving significant oil and gas interests and real property in multiple states. Mr. Roberts has an established practice at Price, Postel & Parma that includes handling complex, high asset marital dissolution proceedings which consist of litigating all issues including real estate, domestic and foreign, business valuations, spousal and child support and custody. Mr. Roberts has been involved as lead counsel in multiple cases involving CEO’s of public traded companies and has represented the spouses of the CEO’s as well.  He has represented members of legacy families where the responsibility was to protect family wealth and he has tried cases involving those issues.  He has been lead counsel in defending an international businessman against the allegation that he operated a multinational enterprise designed to avoid legal obligations regarding custody, support and property management and many other similar cases involving international issues. Mr. Roberts has been appointed by the Court to serve as a Judge Pro Tem and has been appointed by the Court to serve as a Special Master to manage and decide complex business and real property issues. He is also hired to serve as a private judge to resolve complex matters in dissolutions. Mr. Roberts has also represented numerous elected officials and their spouses in the dissolutions of their marriages.  He has also served as an expert witness in the legal malpractice field.  Notwithstanding his significant litigation experience, Mr. Roberts emphasizes and makes every effort to resolve contested cases by settlement or mediation. Mr. Roberts has attended and completed the Family Law and Mediation programs at the Strauss Institute of Dispute Resolution at Pepperdine University and is employed by local attorneys to serve as a private mediator to assist in bringing their cases to a mediated conclusion. He has taught Trial Advocacy to local attorneys. Mr. Roberts has been certified to act as Minor’s Counsel pursuant to California Family Code.

EDUCATION

  • University of California at Santa Barbara (B.A. 1969)
  • Hastings College of Law (J.D. 1972)

ADMISSIONS

  • California

 

MEMBERSHIPS

  • The State Bar of California
  • Santa Barbara County Bar Association

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

  • Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra, Founding Member and Board President (1978-1980)
  • Santa Barbara Lawyer Referral Service, Board of Directors (1980-1982)
  • Santa Barbara Contemporary Arts Forum, Board President (1996-2002)
  • La Mirada Homeowners Association, Board President (1988-1990)
  • Center for Urban Agriculture at Fairview Gardens, Board Vice-President (1997-2004)
  • Crane School, Board of Trustee (2000-2003)
  • California Rural Legal Assistance, Member, Advisory Committee (1995-1996)
  • Santa Barbara County Bar Association, Board (2014-2015)

   

INSTRUCTOR/LECTURER

  • Santa Barbara College of Law, Family Law and Community Property Instructor, 1985-1986

 

LANGUAGES

  • French and Spanish