Our Team

Family Law Attorney Patricia C. Van Haren has been a practicing attorney since May of 2011. Prior to attending law school, Patricia was a family law paralegal for approximately 20 years.  In that time she acted as a Paralegal for several attorneys. For several years before becoming an attorney, she assisted couples through uncontested divorces as a paralegal and document preparation assistance. After establishing her own practice, she used all of her skills and knowledge to develop her family law, estate planning and wealth management practice.

Ms. Van Haren raised her three children as a single mother while working and attending law school at nights and on weekends. As a single parent and a person who has gone through a Divorce in her past, Ms. Van Haren understands how the divorce process can impact the future of the family.  Ms. Van Haren believes that where possible issues can be settled outside of the Courtroom even in the most contentious cases. She works with her clients to advocate for them and to be able to strategize and choose which issues are appropriate for litigation and which issues are appropriate for settlement.  

After graduating law school, Ms. Van Haren established her first office and opened her doors as a sole practitioner.  The focus of her practice is to assist families in their life transitions and growth.  Our office prides itself on being able to establish personal connections with our clients. When working at law firms, Ms. Van Haren realized that very often the attorney knew little about the client or the family that they were working with. Ms. Van Haren wanted to practice differently.  She understands that the key to being a trusted counselor and advisor and the key to achieving the clients objectives is to know the client on a personal level.

Ms. Van Haren focuses solely on family law ranging from prenuptial agreements, paternity actions, divorces, child custody & visitation, child and spousal support and property division. She also focuses on guardianships and conservatorship. Ms. Van Haren is also a member of various bar associations throughout Southern California and has been nominated as a SuperLawyer. 

Ms. Van Haren believes in educating the public and providing her clients and the public the ability to be informed in the Divorce Process.  She regularly publishes blog articles, creates educational videos, hosts workshops and has written a book intended to educate people who have questions about Family Law.

Our office handles contested and uncontested divorces, paternity and custody matters, mediations, adoptions, guardianship, conservatorship matters as well as family law litigation. We have offices in Torrance and Irvine and handle cases throughout Southern and Central Los Angeles County and all of Orange County.

Tammy has over 26+ years’ experience working in multiple legal fields and has been everything from a sales associate to owner and operator of her own company. It all started in 1990, working as a sales associate for a small Pharmacy by day and an Insurance company by night, in a small community shopping center in Malaga Cove Plaza, Palos Verdes. She became exposed to a new legal world, reading medical and legal journals, the latest legal regulations on pharmaceuticals and insurance companies thus realizing she liked all that legal “mumbo jumbo” and wanted to become part of that world. So in 1991, she decided to make it happen and landed a job that lasted over 20+ years working for a Court Appointed Receiver / Conservator for the State of California Courts. She began her legal endeavor receiving her first clerical certificate as a legal assistant preparing court forms and filings and worked her way up from there. Over the years, she enjoyed the variety of different legal fields that the Receiver / Conservator got to dabble in and fell in love accounting. So she sought an accounting certificate to further her successes in understanding accounting and bookkeeping practices earning her new positions within the company.  Eventually, during those years she became what is called “A Girl Friday” to the owner – becoming a recognized asset to the company in all of its facets maneuvering everywhere without having a “title or job description” to limit her. The most celebrated achievements in her career include working with the Department of Corporations and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation for the State of California assisting with forensic accounting to regain 100’s of Million Dollar back to the People of the State of California during various Receiverships and Conservatorships. Thus, it became a natural progression for her to then pursue opening her own company which she did becoming very successful over the years.

The need to put all of her attention into the Law Offices of Patricia C. Van Haren became very important in 2011 and Ms. Herrada was asked to assist with the firm more hands on. Therefore, Tammy’s journey with the Law Office of Patricia C. Van Haren began in the procurement of our foundation by putting the law office on the map in early 2012 in Torrance, California.  Our office was welcomed and presented by the City of Torrance Chamber of Commerce, Elected Officials, Friends and Family in our first “Ribbon Cutting Ceremony”.  The roots of Patricia C. Van Haren were deeply established already in the community, amongst fellow attorneys and the courtrooms throughout Los Angeles County making her presence easily established and welcomed by all. Tammy’s next challenge was to take Patricia C. Van Haren to the next level and voyage to Orange County. It became the next critical step into our newly growing practice as clients began demanding more territory coverage.  In 2013, it was no longer an option but a must to spread our wings to cover both Los Angeles and Orange County thus establishing our second office in Irvine, California.  Furthermore, in 2019, we opened our doors to the San Diego and Riverside Counties. Tammy has created a pathway for the business to flourish wherever the legal expertise of Patricia C. Van Haren goes and is excited to explore and expand further into other counties with the assistance of our team.

Danielle has always wanted to pursue a legal career. She is currently a third-year law student at Chapman University Fowler School of Law. She will graduate with her J.D. in May of 2021. Danielle received a B.A. in Sociology and a B.A. in Criminal Justice Studies from California State University San Marcos. She is passionate about working with people and helping families, which is why she was drawn to family law and working at the Law Office of Patricia Van Haren.