Case Manager: Kathleen Emma
Specializing in Family Law and Probate
Hon. Verna Adams (Ret.) is a nationally recognized expert in mediation and adjudication of complex family law and probate cases.
She is a judicial leader and retired Superior Court Judge with more than two decades of service on the Marin County Superior Court bench. A graduate of Wellesley College (A.B., summa cum laude) and Stanford Law School, Judge Adams has devoted her career to justice, equity, and pioneering systemic change in the family law and probate arenas.
Appointed to the bench in 1999, Judge Adams served in every division of the court—criminal, civil, probate, and juvenile—but her most impactful contributions were made during her 14-year tenure in the Marin Unified Family Law Court and eight years in Probate. As Supervising Judge of those divisions and as Presiding Judge of the Marin County Superior Court, she distinguished herself as an innovative, compassionate, and effective judge.
Judge Adams has always approached the law with a strong belief in minimizing adversarial harm, particularly in emotionally charged matters involving families. She developed and launched California’s first Interdisciplinary Settlement Conference program, a model for resolving high-conflict custody disputes through collaboration among judges, attorney-mediators, and mental health professionals. Her leadership extended to the creation of Marin County’s Mental Health and Domestic Violence Courts and chairing the task force that established the Legal Self-Help Center of Marin—each initiative driven by her deep commitment to accessibility and holistic problem-solving.
Before joining the bench, she was a Certified Family Law Specialist and highly regarded practitioner in the Bay Area. Her work as both trial and appellate counsel in the landmark case Marriage of Epstein (1979) 24 Cal.3d 76 led to the now-codified reimbursement principles in California Family Code section 2640. She was recognized in every edition of The Best Lawyers in America from 1993 until her judicial appointment and held leadership roles including President of the Marin County Bar Association and Board President of the Center for the Family in Transition.
Judge Adams’ career is marked by accolades that reflect both peer and community respect: she was inducted into the Marin Women’s Hall of Fame (2016); the Marin Trial Lawyers Association named her Judge of the Year (2017); and she has received two Special Congressional Commendations (1986, 2016). Most recently, she was honored with the Marin County Bar Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award (2024), the first woman in the organization’s 90-year history to receive the distinction.
Judge Adams is particularly sought after for complex family law and probate matters, including high-conflict custody issues, characterization and division of assets, support disputes, breach of fiduciary duty, contested conservatorships, financial elder abuse, trust and estate accounting disputes, real property transfers, trust contests, trust administration disputes, and will contests. With an unparalleled depth of experience, Judge Adams brings a rare combination of legal expertise, human understanding, and a pragmatic approach to settlement. She understands that resolving family law matters is about more than just the legal outcome—it’s about preserving relationships, fostering stability, and ensuring that all parties feel heard and respected. Judge Adams’ approach is grounded in the belief that virtually every case can be resolved with the right preparation, patience, and perspective. To accomplish this, she prioritizes pre-mediation engagement with the parties through pre-conferences in order to uncover obstacles and set the tone for collaboration. She listens deeply, encourages the parties to articulate their true concerns—including those that may not appear in pleadings—and uses techniques like whiteboard visualization and mediator’s recommendations to facilitate resolution. Most of all, Judge Adams recognizes the power of non-monetary settlement terms and strives to identify creative solutions tailored to each family’s unique needs. Her ability to distill complex issues into manageable solutions, coupled with her steadfast commitment to fairness and efficiency, makes her an invaluable resource for those seeking a resolution outside of the courtroom.
Her post-mediation follow-up is equally proactive. Judge Adams often secures signed, judicially enforceable Memoranda of Understanding at the close of sessions, assigns deadlines for the completion of written agreements, and schedules follow-ups to ensure execution. Her diligence, coupled with her unwavering dedication to helping families move forward, results in outcomes that are not only effective but lasting.
Marin County Superior Court, California, Judge (1999 – 2024)
Private Family Law Practice, Bay Area (Before 1999)
Family Law
Probate, conservatorships, estate and trust matters:
“I have had the privilege of knowing Judge Verna Adams for over 15 years, and I can confidently say that her expertise in the law is truly exceptional. Her deep and nuanced understanding of legal principles, combined with years of judicial experience, makes her an outstanding mediator who can navigate even the most complex disputes with clarity and precision.”
“Beyond her legal acumen, Judge Adams brings a sense of fairness, integrity, and professionalism to every case she mediates. She has a remarkable ability to foster productive discussions, helping parties find common ground and reach mutually beneficial resolutions. Her approach is both compassionate and pragmatic, ensuring that all sides feel heard while keeping the focus on efficient and just outcomes. Her presence commands respect, and those who work with her know they are in the hands of a true professional who prioritizes efficiency and equitable outcomes.”
“Anyone seeking a skilled, knowledgeable, and highly respected mediator would be fortunate to work with Judge Adams. Her reputation for excellence and her unwavering commitment to justice make her an invaluable asset to the mediation field.”
“Judge Adams is fair, straightforward and compassionate. Whether in the courtroom or conference room, Judge Adams truly enjoys the art of helping others resolve their most challenging conflicts, especially those without legal representation. She brings both a sharp mind and an emotional intelligence to every problem she faces, no matter the complexity. She can distill a dispute down to its essential elements, then will work tirelessly with the parties to reach a resolution.”
“Judge Adams lowers tensions in any family law setting by practicing empathy, imparting respect, and being truthful. Her knowledge of the law is such that she could teach any course in law school but never comes across as condescending. Judge Adams’ sole agenda is to help families resolve conflict so that they can move on to the next phase of their lives.”
“I highly recommend Judge Adams in any capacity: as a mediator, a settlement conference judge or as a private judge. Judge Adams recently mediated to a successful conclusion a very high conflict financial case that I thought was clearly headed for trial. Before Judge Adams’ involvement, the case had been through two all-day mediation sessions that resulted in no change in the parties’ positions and was a complete failure. A final attempt to settle was made with Judge Adams as the mediator. Judge Adams’ many years of experience was clearly evident. She was fully prepared and had read and was familiar with all of the parties’ briefs and court filings. As a result of Judge Adams’ judicial demeanor, understanding of the issues and enduring patience, we were finally able to settle our case.”
“As a mediator, Judge Adams is prepared, diligent, perceptive and incredibly insightful. She devotes her full attention to understanding the dispute, the dynamics of the parties and their counsel and to reaching a resolution. You combine a comprehensive knowledge of the law with “people knowledge” – that puts Judge Adams among a select few who know how to effectively guide people through the minefield of a dissolution proceeding, for both financial issues and custody disputes.
“I have had cases in many counties in California, from Santa Barbara to Mendocino. I have practiced before many mediators and judges. None of them match the skills of the Honorable Verna A. Adams. Judge Adams is very skilled at getting parties to reach agreements. In my opinion, one of the reasons she is so effective is because she really cares about the parties. No matter what one’s financial circumstances, she does not like to see people waste money and will strive to find a quick and practical solution for both sides. If children are caught in the middle, she will use her experience working with Mental Health Experts to educate parents on their particular problem. Getting parties to reach agreement is the basic quality of a good mediator. Judge Adams goes far beyond that. No one knows more about the law than Judge Adams. No one is better prepared than Judge Adams. Her experience with family-owned businesses, corporations and other complex financial issues is vast. If a party has a complex problem, as is often the case, she will write a solid agreement no practical person would challenge. Please do yourself a favor and hire Judge Adams for your next mediation.”
“I have known Judge Adams for nearly 30 years and appeared before her many times when she was on the bench. She is whip smart, an extremely quick study, and has a broad background in many areas of civil law. She is particularly effective in resolving trust and estate disputes. That said, Judge Adams is also empathetic, kind, and thoughtful. I highly recommend her as a neutral.”
“Judge Adams is one of the most well-respected judges to have served on the Marin County Superior Court. She has always been balanced and fair, and has always listened with an open mind to everyone who participates in the legal proceedings before her. Judge Adams’ experience and temperament make her an excellent mediator. Litigants and their attorneys listen to Judge Adams, knowing that her wisdom and suggestions are based on all that she’s seen in her long-time service on the bench. She is also adept at “reading the room,” understanding the emotional and other non-legal issues at hand that need to be addressed when resolving disputes, in addition to the legal matters themselves. Judge Adams strives to ensure that all parties feel heard and respected, in an effort to make the mediation process one that leaves everyone involved feeling positive about the outcome. I wholeheartedly recommend Judge Adams as a mediator.”
“Judge Verna Adams brings experience, wisdom, and a true commitment to resolving cases. She is one of the most knowledgeable and insightful judges I have ever met. Her deep understanding of the Family Code and case law is truly unmatched. What sets Judge Adams apart is not just her expertise but her heart. She approaches custody matters with genuine care and compassion, always prioritizing the best interests of the children. She has an incredible ability to mediate property and support issues with clarity and fairness, ensuring that all parties feel heard and understood.”
“When she was in private practice, Judge Adams was considered the absolute best family lawyer in Marin County. Her approach to cases and her knowledge of the law was second to none. I also worked with Judge Adams as a volunteer mediator on Probate and Trust Cases when she was sitting as the Probate Judge in Marin County. Even though Trusts, Estates and Probate were not her initial areas of expertise before becoming a judge, her intelligence and approach to cases were outstanding. She easily grasped the nuances of the law and had a keen understanding of the interpersonal relationships of the parties to the cases.”
“I highly recommend Judge Adams as a neutral in any ADR matters involving Family Law and Trust, Estates and Probate. She is extremely qualified for such a role, both due to her experience as a lawyer in private practice and her time sitting as a judge of the Marin County Superior Court. She has a unique knowledge of the law in both of these areas and an ability to apply her understanding to the facts at hand. She is also truly effective in dealing with the participants involved in these disputes.”
