Kristen is certified as a Specialist in Family Law by The State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization.  Kristen achieved her specialist status after being in practice for only five years, the earliest possible time to receive such a designation.  Kristen attributes her exceptional work ethic to many years of rising before dawn to work on her family’s strawberry farm in Oxnard where her family still lives today. 

In 2020, 2021, and 2022, Los Angeles Magazine has recognized Kristen as a Southern California “Rising Star,” an honor reserved for lawyers under the age of 40 who exhibit excellence in practice. Only 2.5% of attorneys in Southern California receive this distinction. In 2022, Kristen was selected for inclusion on The Best Lawyers in America® list for her work in family law.

Prior to Shebby · Hirashima LLP, Kristen was a partner at Shebby | Barnett LLP and Jacobson Scully Shebby LLP, handling complex child custody disputes, division and characterization of assets and debts, calculation of child and spousal support, business valuations, paternity disputes, and domestic violence actions. 

Memberships

  • Association of Certified Family Law Specialists (ACFLS)
  • Family Law Branch of the American Inns of Court
  • Beverly Hills Bar Association (BHBA)
  • Los Angeles County Bar Association (LACBA)
  • Japanese American Bar Association (JABA)
  • Korean American Bar Association (KABA)

Education

Kristen earned her J.D. from Loyola Law School, Los Angeles, where she was a Certified Law School Student at the Center for Juvenile Law and Policy to represent juveniles in children’s court accused of committing crimes.  Kristen also served as the Vice President of the Women’s Law Association.  Kristen graduated from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, with a B.A. in Social Science.  At Cal Poly, Kristen competed as a Division I Track and Field Scholarship sprinter in the 100m, 200m, 4 x 100m, and 4 x 400m races.

Publications

  • How to End a Marriage (Responsibly) – Fatherly Interviews Kristen Hirashima. Read the full article here.
  • Debunked: Five Marriage Law Myths – Kristen Hirashima Featured in Divorce Magazine. Read the full article here.
  • Kristen Hirashima shared the journey to founding the partnership and why she entered the family law sector with the Daily Journal. Read more about how David and Kristen came together and their path to success here