Bruce Clemens is a co-founding partner in the firm of Jaffe and Clemens in Beverly Hills, California.

A California native, Bruce received his B.A. degree (with high honors) with a major in mathematics from Michigan State University, Honors College, in 1967.  In 1971, Bruce was awarded an M.S. degree with a major in Computer Science from Stanford University and earned his J.D. from the University of California, Los Angeles School of Law in 1974.  Bruce was a member of the Moot Court Honors Program, was recognized with a Distinguished Advocate Award and was recipient of the Wilson Scholarship.  Bruce is (1) a certified specialist in family law, California Board of Legal Specialization, State Bar of California (1980 to present),  (2) a fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML), (3) listed in the 1997 and all subsequent editions of The Best Lawyers in America, including being selected as 2010 Best Lawyers in America Family Law Lawyer of the Year for Los Angeles (an honor that began in 2009), and (4) listed in the Los Angeles Magazine in the “Top 100 Southern California Super Lawyers” from all practice areas.  He is a former member of  Executive Committees of the Family Law Sections of the Los Angeles County Bar Association and the Beverly Hills Bar Association (BHBA).

Bruce has taught over 40 courses for CEB, the University of Southern California Law Center, the AAML, and numerous other professional organizations.  His publications include “Division and Taxation of Retirement Benefits in Dissolution Proceedings,” “Drafting and Litigating Prenuptial, Cohabitation and Marital Settlement Agreements,” “Marital Dissolution,” “The Business Divorce,” and “Tax Planning For Marital Termination Settlement.”

During the past 37 years of practice, Bruce has handled over 700 complex marital dissolutions with an aggregate net worth in excess of $20 billion dollars.  Client privacy is valued.  Bruce generally declines contact with the press and generally does not identify former or current clients.


Practice Areas:

  • Family Law


University:

  • Michigan State University Honors College, B.A., major in mathematics with high honors, 1967

  • Stanford University, M.S., major in computer science, 1971

  • University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law, J.D., 1974


Judicial Clerkship:

  • Clerk to Chief Justice of the High Court of Micronesia

Memberships:

  • State Bar of California (1974 – present)

  • Certified Specialist, family law, California Board of Legal Specialization, State Bar of California (1980 – present)

  • Fellow of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers

  • Listed in Best Lawyers in America (1997-2011)

  • Family Law Lawyer of the Year for Los Angeles award from Best Lawyers in America (2010)

  • Listed in Martindale-Hubbell Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers (1994), AV Rated by Martindale-Hubbell,

  • American Bar Association (Family Law Section)

  • Co-recipient with Daniel J. Jaffe of the Harriet Buhai 2003 Zephyr M. Ramsey Award

  • L.A. County Bar Association (Executive Committee, Family Law Section, 1987-1988)

  • Beverly Hills Bar Association (Executive Committee, Family Law Section, 1986-1987)

  • Association of Certified Family Law Specialists

 
Speaker:

  • CalCPA Education Foundation, Los Angeles and San Francisco (2010)

  • Lawyers’ Club of Los Angeles County, lecturer “Bridging the Gap” semi-annual family law presentation (1995 – present)

  • Harriet Buhai Center for Family Law (2009)

  • ABA Trial Advocacy Institute, Denver, Colorado, speaker and instructor (2008-2009)

  • AAML, lecturer “Litigating Tax Issues” (2001)

  • AAML, lecturer “Presenting Complex Pension and Retirement Issues at Trial” (1999)

  • AAML, lecturer “Teaching Old Dogs New Tricks: Family Law Update on the 1997 Tax Relief Act” (1997)

  • Southwestern University, lecturer “Representing High Profile Clients” (1997)

  • BHBA, Master’s Panel lecturer, “Cash Client, Controlling Experts, Fifth Amendment, Etc.” (1996)

  • CEB, lecturer and co-author “Employee Retirement & Deferred Compensation Plans on Dissolution of Marriage: Valuation, Distributions & Tax Aspects” (1995)

  • BHBA, lecturer “Avoiding the 10% Penalty for Early Distributions from Retirement Plans” (1994)

  • AAML, lecturer “Tax Traps in Divorce” (1994)

  • State Bar of Nevada, lecturer “Tax Traps in Divorce” (1994)

  • ABA, lecturer “Divorce Taxation: Property Division” (1993)

  • CEB, lecturer “Tax Planning for Marital Dissolution: Strategies and Traps in Divorce Taxation” (1993)

  • ABA, lecturer, “Use of Demonstrative Exhibits and Evidence” (1993)

  • BHBA, panelist, “Master Strategies for Modifying and Terminating Support” (1992)

  • Century City Bar Association, lecturer, “Collection Tips for Lawyers” (1992)

  • Valley Estate Planning Council, lecturer, “Dissolution of Marriage” (1991)

  • BH Estate Planning Counsel, lecturer, “Estate Planning for Divorce” (1991)

  • U.S. Commission on Interstate Child Support, Panelist, “Child Support Medical Insurance” (1991)

  • Wells Fargo Bank, lecturer, “Estate Planning for Divorce” (1991)

  • Family Law Symposium, lecturer, “Executive and Celebrity Goodwill in Family Law” (1990)

  • UCLA School of Law, Seminar instructor “Family Law” (1988)

  • USC Law Center Advanced Professional Program, Course Instructor “Family Law” (1981-1982)

Publications, Interviews and Articles:

  • CEB, co-author and lecturer, original and revisions “Division and Taxation of Retirement Benefits in Dissolution Proceedings” (1986, 1989)

  • CEB, co-author and lecturer, “Tax Planning for Marital Termination Settlement” (1987)

  • California Society of Certified Public Accountants, author and lecturer “Marital Dissolution” (1981)

  • CEB, co-author and lecturer, “Drafting and Litigating Prenuptial, Cohabitation and Marital Settlement Agreements” (1981)

  • CEB, co-author and lecturer, “Division and Taxation of Retirement Benefits” (1993)

  • CEB, author “The Business Divorce” (1987)