Laura Wasser

Laura Wasser’s reputation of representing high-profile clients like Angelina Jolie, Kim Kardashian, Johnny Depp and Maria Shriver as well as becoming the face of an online mediation tool to aid pro per litigations negotiate their own divorces, traces her roots back to when her own father, Dennis A. Wasser, who launched his firm in 1984.

“Although growing up family law was not at all something I aspired to, the problem solving skills and interesting insight into human nature I watched my father employ and experience were inspiring to me as a young attorney,” Wasser said.

In the past year, she said she had two notable victories in enforcing prenuptial agreements. In both cases, her team represented the party who upheld the agreement and was willing to pay more than the contracted amount.

The opposing parties and their attorneys believed they could achieve a better outcome in court or had nothing to lose by challenging the agreements. However, the judge ruled that the agreements were valid and enforceable in both cases.

“Attorneys who see no downside in challenging a prenuptial agreement because they get paid either way, or parties who feel that a challenge is appropriate because they ‘have nothing to lose’ are perpetuating a problem in our system,” Wasser said.

The losing party had to pay the winner’s attorney fees and lost some of what would have been theirs under the agreement due to prevailing party clauses. One case received media attention, and Wasser hopes it will serve as a warning to those who attempt to overreach.

Regarding public-facing, high-end clients, at the end of 2022, she settled Kardashians’ split from Kanye West, who will pay his ex-wife $2000,000 per month in child support, according to published reports.

As for becoming the “Chief of Divorce Evolution” at divorce.com, Wasser said she believes that people going through the divorce process can have a more amicable and cost-effective experience if they educate themselves about the process.

While complex family law matters will always require attorneys, Wasser said she believes that most divorces could be settled by the parties themselves with online guidance.

“But the truth is that the majority of divorces could be settled by the parties with some online guidance,” Wasser said. “... Working with them to improve the platform and get the word out is an important part of my professional life as I feel strongly that more online guided self-resolved diverse makes for healthier families overall.”