Alphonse F. Provinziano

BEVERLY HILLS - Alphonse F. Provinziano is the founder, chief executive officer and senior trial attorney at Provinziano & Associates, a five-lawyer family law boutique whose staff includes a client concierge team and whose website features a California Child Support Calculator.

Speaking in late February as he emerged from a custody hearing, the fast-talking Provinziano explained that he's accustomed to keeping the dialogue flowing at high speed because in overcrowded divorce courtrooms, where calendars are jammed and judges don't have time for long-winded speechifying, "Family law tends to be litigation by sound bite."

Provinziano opened the doors in 2008 after working as a deputy district attorney in San Bernardino County. "It was a great experience, but I dreamed of owning my own firm and maintaining the tempo of my own office. Here, I can have a real impact on the community by keeping children away from domestic violence, getting the right custody arrangements and arranging for spousal support."

In his spare time, Provinziano writes Perspective columns for The Daily Journal. In September 2022, he reflected on the U.S. Supreme Court's Dobbs ruling on abortion in an article titled "California as a Safe Haven for Red-State Women." He noted that "The repeal of Roe v. Wade has set in motion a state-by-state fight over the legal treatment of women that could lead some to seek refuge in safe havens like California."

For example, a pregnant woman from Missouri fleeing domestic violence from her husband is in a double bind because, under Missouri law, a woman may not get a divorce if she is pregnant. And Missouri law bans abortions that are not medically necessary. But the woman could get both an abortion and a domestic violence restraining order in California -- and force her spouse to financially support her here.

"Already we are seeing women come to California for abortions, and more are expected," Provinziano wrote. In an interview, he added, "And you don't have to live in California to get a restraining order; you only have to be present in the forum. This is a potential exit route for many."

Provinziano specializes in difficult cases, such as one in which the mother had a bad alcohol problem and the father was the stable parent.

Provinziano was able to reverse that situation and gain custody for the father.

"Los Angeles courts really apply the presumption that custody should be 50-50," Provinziano said.

Meanwhile, his docket is crowded. "During COVID, there was a 200% increase in domestic violence resulting from people cooped up together," he said. "We're now down to pre-pandemic levels -- and we're still very, very busy."

- JOHN ROEMER