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Carrie

Block

Managing Partner of Orange County

Certified Family Law Specialist

Carrie Block is the managing partner at the Orange County office of matrimonial law firm Holstrom, Block & Parke. With more than 25 years’ experience in top-tier family law firms, Carrie is an expert in all areas of family law, including divorce, custody, child support, spousal support, paternity and premarital rights. Her practice at HBP focuses on high asset family divorce, collaborative divorce and mediation in Orange County. Carrie helps clients achieve the legal outcomes they seek with compassion and sensitivity. She prides herself on being available for her clients while guiding them through the difficult transition of divorce so that they can move forward into a brighter future. Ms. Block specializes in representing clients in agreed-upon divorces, post-judgment modifications, enforcement of existing orders and premarital agreements. As a Qualified Domestic Relations Order (QDRO) expert, she is highly qualified to resolve unique issues that 401(k)’s, pensions and benefits present in divorce. Carrie’s expertise allows her to complete QDROs without outside experts, allowing difficult negotiations regarding retirement funds to be completed earlier in the divorce process. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1990 and earned her Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School in 1993. Carrie was awarded the status of California Certified Family Law Specialist (CFLS) by the California Board of Legal Specialization. Only a small percentage of all California family law attorneys achieve “Certified Specialist” status. To be certified by the State Bar of California, Block passed a rigorous exam and demonstrated a high level of experience and achievement in the area of family law. Carrie also holds the position of Associate Chapter Director on the ACFLS Board.

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Areas of Practice

  • Family Law
  • Divorce
  • Mediation & Collaborative Divorce
  • Legal Separation
  • Domestic Partnership Dissolution
  • Annulments
  • Asset Division
  • High Asset Divorce
  • High Wage Earners & Self Employed Divorce
  • Spousal Support
  • Business Valuations
  • Dividing Retirement Fund
  • Marital Debt Division
  • Child Custody
  • Rights of Unmarried Parents
  • Visitation Rights
  • Parental Relocation
  • Grandparents Rights’
  • Stepparent Adoption
  • Domestic Violence
  • Restraining Orders
  • Parental Alienation Cases
  • Post-Decree Modifications
  • Post-Decree Enforcements

Associations

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Carrie

Block

Managing Partner of Orange County

Certified Family Law Specialist

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Education

  • Loyola Law School – Juris Doctorate – 1993
  • University of California, Los Angeles – Bachelor of Arts, Psychology – 1990

Honors and Awards

  • Graduated summa cum laude, California Baptist University, Riverside, CA
  • Alpha Chi Honor Society Member (Top 10% of class)
  • President’s List 3.75+ GPA (All four years)
  • Speech and Debate Team Captain and 4-Year Member
  • Witkin Award (twice) for achieving the highest class grade in Trial Practice; Wills and Trusts Lab
  • Student Bar Association: 1L, 2L and 3L Class Representative; PILF Member

Professional Positions, Associations, and Memberships

  • Orange County Bar Association
  • Los Angeles County Bar Association
  • Association for Certified Family Law Specialists
  • California State Bar
  • American Bar Association
  • Pro Growth
  • Pro Visors
  • Women’s President’s Organization
  • Collaborative Divorce Solutions of Orange County
  • International Academy of Collaborative Professionals
  • National Charity League

Bar Admissions

  • California, 1993

Video FAQs

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What made you pursue a career in law?

I decided to go to law school because I wanted to do something in my life to help people. To help people with problems they had in their lives. People who are going through their divorce are having a very difficult time, and the right lawyer can help them through that difficult time.

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Why did you choose to specialize in family law?

The thing I like most about family law is that every day is different. One day I'm dealing with a domestic violence case, the next day I might be dealing with child custody. And sometimes I'm dealing with high-asset, financial cases with people that have billion-dollar businesses that we're dividing and figuring out what they earn to get support going.

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What are some qualities that make you stand out as an attorney?

My strength as an attorney is, I know when we can negotiate a case and when we need to prepare to litigate. You've always got to be preparing for litigation because you never know when the settlement's going to break down. So I work in both worlds. I'm willing to settle a case if it's the right thing for my client but if not, we're ready to go to war and litigate the case.

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What are your favorite types of cases?

I like dealing with complicated cases, whether it be someone with a lot of assets including business, including property that might be all over the country, all over the world. I like dealing with complicated payroll, when they get paid with stock options and things like that. I like dealing with complicated custody cases where people live far apart from each other. It's these new novel things that you're finding and you're dealing with and figuring out, and helping these people figure out what they need to do with their life to move on after divorce. No matter how complex or complicated your case is, my years of experience and my years of practicing family law, and the fact that I'm a Certified Family Law Specialist will help you get through the process.