Attorney Samera I. Habib
Samera Habib has been a licensed attorney since 2011 and is a partner at The Dadvocates P.C., a firm that handles family law and criminal defense matters. She is licensed in California, Colorado, and local federal jurisdictions. Samera's practice is focused on complex family law litigation, including protection orders, domestic violence, child abuse, child welfare, custody issues, property settlement, division issues, and financial support. Her criminal defense practice focuses on misdemeanor and felony charges such as sexual assault, sex crimes, child abuse, and domestic violence charges. Samera also represents children in court when appointed or sought out by counsel.
Samera built her reputation as a renowned family law attorney. She is an experienced attorney with an extensive and exhaustive focus on complex litigation relating to family law and criminal matters. Her family law practice also focuses on cases involving alienation, domestic violence, financial abuse, coercive control, and complex cultural components.
Samera is the recipient of multiple awards, including Super Lawyers, Top Ten Best Female Attorneys, and Top Family Lawyers. She has given presentations and courses. She has a solid understanding and command of both physical abuse and sexual abuse and non-physical abuse such as religious abuse, gender-based violence, financial abuse, mental abuse, emotional abuse, verbal abuse, and coercive control. Most importantly, she understands that domestic inter-partner abuse has a high likelihood of leading to child abuse once parents separate.
Samera has handled hundreds of cases as first chair and has forged a solid reputation among the legal community. She has a reliable and supportive network of professionals to consult with including private investigators, mental health experts, forensic accountants, business evaluators, and expert witnesses. She is known as a skilled and sharp litigator who presents strongly in court. While Samera is settlement-oriented, she does not settle a case for an unfair offer or for her client's worst possible outcome in court. If her client is offered his worst day in court, she is not afraid to go straight to trial and fight for a better outcome. Whether trying to win your custody case or fighting to rid you of criminal charges, she is a litigator you won't regret hiring.
Samera approaches each case with a new outlook and does not simply rely on what is already in the record. You can confide in her knowing that she harbors no preconceived notions about you or your situation. Judges have commended her for always being highly prepared and mastering the fine case details. She is a skilled problem-solver who brings ingenuity and creativity to the courtroom. Whether a father wants time with his children or is facing an indeterminate prison sentence, Samera is the commensurate legal professional who puts her money where her mouth is. With Samera, you will have solid representation and results. If your case harbors risks, she guarantees you that she will give you a fair case assessment from the onset so that you know what to realistically expect out of the court process and she works to properly advise you and strategize in order to devise a positive outcome.
Samera's skills and success rate in litigation have led her to resolve complex cases outside of the courtroom, without the need for hearings or trials. When a trial is necessary, Samera demonstrates a strong command of the court rules and rules of evidence, and that is apparent in her examination of witnesses and objections. Samera has dealt with complex cases involving felony charges, life sentence, international custody disputes, international criminal charges, sexual abuse, sexual assault allegations, domestic violence, and child abuse allegations, abduction to federally protected lands, complex service of process issues, personal and subject matter jurisdiction disputes, and child abduction and kidnapping. She also has a specialized level of knowledge in cases involving Middle Eastern, Muslim, and first and second-generation immigrant cultures within the context of criminal and family litigation. She has represented clients in dissolving high-asset multimillion-dollar estates and companies, including complex trusts, mergers and acquisitions, intellectual property, trademark and patent issues, and shareholder agreements. She has resolved matters that include multiple felony-level criminal charges, foster home placement, reunification treatment plans, drug and alcohol addiction, domestic violence, and civil and criminal protection orders. She has represented parties from all walks of life, including corporate partners, business owners, attorneys, physicians, professional athletes, active and retired military service members, stay-at-home parents, legal guardians, grandparents, and blue-collar workers.
Samera advocates for her clients by advising them realistically from the onset so that their expectations and goals are in line with the remedies available through the legal system. In other words, she will give you an honest evaluation even if it’s not what you want to hear, with the goal of rehabilitating your case so that you have a fighting chance in court. She is sensitive to the emotional, financial, and physical stresses caused by litigation. Her empathy as a litigator makes her a brilliant strategist who maximizes the results of the legal process through effective evidentiary strategy and preparation. One example of a success story is when Samera obtained an offer of probation for a defendant facing a lifetime prison sentence.
Samera understands when certain steps must occur in your matter to maximize the benefits attained by each step for the best possible outcome. When formulating an effective legal strategy, staging and timing are key. Samera is confident, knowledgeable, honest, respectful, kind, assertive, professional, intuitive, empathetic, sharp, and extremely impressive on her feet when in court. These traits empower her clients with confidence, strength, and the ability to remain steadfast throughout the most difficult time of their lives. In representing you, she holds herself accountable to the highest standard of excellence as though it is her case.
To learn more about what makes Samera empathetic, resilient, and strong, you can read more about her at:
https://www.the1891-cwba.org/post/arab-american-heritage-month-my-name-is-samera
LICENSES:
California State Bar License #349132
Colorado Supreme Court License # 43118
United States Federal District Courts of Southern California
United States Federal District Courts of Colorado
Certified Minor’s Counsel, California
Certified Colorado Child and Family Investigator, Colorado
Child Legal Representative, Colorado
Note: Eligible to waive into New York and 28 other states/ jurisdictions
SERVICES/ ROLES:
Trial Attorney, family law, and criminal defense
Child and Family Investigator
Child Legal Representative
Minor’s Counsel
CERTIFICATION AND TRAINING:
Child Abuse and Domestic Violence Training
Effect of Child Abuse and Domestic Violence on Individual, Child, and Family
Minor’s Counsel Training
Dependency and Neglect Training
EDUCATION:
Cleveland State University, Cleveland-Marshall College of Law, Cleveland, Ohio
Juris Doctor, July 2010
California State University, Los Angeles, California
Bachelor of Art, English Literature, 2004
AWARDS:
Super Lawyers Rising Stars
American Family Institute of Family Law Attorneys 10 Best
Avvo “Superb” rating
Avvo Client’s Choice Award
Lead Counsel Rated in Family Law
National Advocates Top 40 Under 40 Matrimonial and Family Law
MEMBERSHIPS:
Colorado Bar Association
Colorado Women’s Bar Association
Denver Bar Association
Los Angeles Bar Association
Beverly Hills Bar Association
OTHER LANGUAGES:
Arabic
