Daniel Jaffe is a co-founding partner in the firm of Jaffe and Clemens in Beverly Hills, California.
Born in Ohio, Dan studied at the University of Michigan and was awarded a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in 1959. Pursuing a career in law, Dan earned his J.D. degree from the UCLA School of Law in 1962 and was admitted to the State Bar of California in the same year. Dan is a certified specialist in family law, having been certified by the Board of Legal Specialization of the State Bar of California.

Dan is listed in: The Best Lawyers in America, “Most Respected Family Lawyers in California”, California State Bar Journal, 1987-1998. Town and Country Magazine, “America’s Top Divorce Lawyers,” January 1998, and the Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers, 1993-2000. He is a fellow at the American College of Family Trial Lawyers.

Practice Areas:

  • Family law


University:

  • University of Michigan, B.B.A. 1959.

  • University of California, Los Angeles, School of Law, J.D. 1962.


Memberships:

  • State Bar of California, Family Law Section Executive Committee (1986-1989)

  • Los Angeles County Bar Association, chairman of Family Law Section, (1,500 members) (1976-1977)

  • Beverly Hills Bar Association, chairman of Family Law Section  (1975-1976)

  • Fellow, American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers; chairman, Divorce Taxation Committee (1998); member of Professionalism in the Practice Committee (1998-1999); counsel to president (1992)

  • Diplomate, The American College of Family Trial Lawyers (Top 100 family law trial lawyers)

  • Fellow, International Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers

  • American Bar Association, Family Law Section, Council (1991-1994), Taxation and Continuing Legal Education Executive Committees


Professional Acknowledgements:

  • The Best Lawyers in America, 1987 through 2009

  • “Most Respected Family Lawyers in California”, California Lawyer, September 1989

  • The Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers, Martindale-Hubbell, 1993 through 2009

  • Town & Country Magazine, “America’s Top Divorce Lawyers”, January 1998

  • Jaffe and Clemens Law Firm 2003 Zephyr M. Ramsey Award honoree

  • Recipient, Spencer Brandeis Award, 2004

  • Southern California Super Lawyers, 2004-2011, Top 100 L.A. County Super Lawyers

  • Lawdragon, 2005; one of 500 top lawyers in U.S.

  • Best Lawyers in America since 1987, 2009 Southern California Family Law Lawyer of the Year


Speaker/Publications and Articles:

  • Panelist, “Tax Day” – American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (“AAML”) Annual Meeting, Chicago Illinois (2011)

  • Panelist, “Tax Vaccines-How to Immunize Your Clients from Income Tax Diseases” – AAML Southern California Chapter, 18th Annual Trial Advocacy Institute (1/14-17/11)

  • Panelist, “25 Q&A in 75 Minutes” – AICPA/AAML National Conference on Divorce, Las Vegas, Nevada (5/6-7/10)

  • Lecturer, “What Every Estate Planner Needs to Know About Family Law” – Harriet Buhai Center for Family Law, UCLA (12/3/09)

  • Panelist, “Representing High Asset Clients” – Beverly Hills Bar Association (“BHBA”) (11/14/09)

  • Panelist, “Advanced Tax Planning and Creative Ways to Structure Settlement” – AAML/AICPA Conference, Las Vegas, Nevada (5/11/06)

  • Panelist, “Intellectual Property Rights” – AAML Annual Meeting, Chicago, Illinois (11/03/05)

  • Lecturer, “High-Profile Cases Aren’t Just for the Rich and Famous” – ABA Family Law Section, CLE Conference, San Diego, California (9/28/05)

  • Lecturer, “Goodwill, Bad Will or Ugly?  Has the Intangible Value Iceberg Started to Melt?” – AAML So. California Chapter, Sonoma, California (4/30/05)

  • Lecturer, “Family Law Over the Years: Historical Overview” – Los Angeles County Bar Association (“LACBA”) – 2/1/05

  • Lecturer, “C.E.O. Divorce” – USC Tax Institute (1/25/05)

  • Lecturer, “Presumption…or Preemption? Copyright Law and Its Effect on Community Property Law” – AAML (1/15/05)

  • Lecturer, Mock Trial and Accounting Issues – California CPA Family Law Conference (11/11-12/04)

  • Lecturer, “Family Law/Federal Law” – Cypriot Judges (8/12/04)

  • Lecturer, “Special Types of Valuations” – AICPA/AAML, Las Vegas, Nevada (5/13-14/04)

  • Lecturer, Tax Panel – BHBA (12/6/03)

  • Lecturer, “Taxes” – American Bar Association (“ABA”) (8/9/03)

  • Lecturer, “The Divorce Process and Divorce Therapy” – UCLA (6/14/03)

  • Lecturer, “Child Support Guidelines and High-Income Cases: How Much is Enough” – ABA (5/3/03)

  • Lecturer, “Negotiating, Writing and Presenting Argument” – AAML, Chicago, Illinois (3/11/03)

  • Lecturer, Divorce Taxation – AAML (1/19/03)

  • Lecturer, “The Art and Pitfalls of Child Support Modification. Is Your client Six Feet Under?” – BHBA Symposium (12/7/02)

  • Lecturer, “Marital Settlement Agreements” – CLE Marital Agreements Conference (6/21/02)

  • Lecturer, “Marital Property & Divorce Issues of the Highly Compensated” – AAML/AICPA, Las Vegas, Nevada (5/16-17/02)

  • Panelist, “Setting Aside Prenuptial Agreements” – LACBA (5/11/02)

  • Lecturer, “Appropriate Treatment of Stock Options as Property or Income” – Judicial Council of California (3/21/01)

  • Lecturer, “Family Law, Part 1 and 2″ – South Carolina Bar Tax Course (1/25/02)

  • Co-Author: “Should You Look a Gift Horse in the Mouth (IRC §1041)” – LACBA News & Review (Winter 2001-2002)

  • Lecturer, “Temporary Spousal Support” – BHBA (12/1/01)

  • Lecturer, “Division of Stock Options and New IRS Guidelines” – AAML (11/7/01)

  • Lecturer, Mock Trial – LACBA 2001 Symposium (5/12/01)

  • Lecturer, “Divorce in the Trenches” – USC Tax Institute (1/17/01)

  • Lecturer, “Litigating Tax Issues” – AAML (1/14/01)

  • Lecturer, “Prenuptial Agreements” – California CPA Education Foundation 2000 Family Law Conference (11/9-10/00)

  • Lecturer, “Bridging the Gap-What to Do Before You Divide by Two” – Lawyers Club of L.A. (6/4/00)

  • Lecturer, “Hot Tip on Family Law Issues for Intellectual Property” – AAML (6/22/00)

  • Moderator, “Deferred Compensation Issues” – LACBA 2000 Symposium (5/13/00)

  • Lecturer, “Family Law Issues for Intellectual Property” – AAML (2/19/00)

  • Lecturer, “Deductibility of Attorney’s Fees and Accountant’s Fees” – California CPA Education Foundation, 1999 Family Law Conference (11/3-4/99)

  • Lecturer, “Family Law Issues for Intellectual Property” – Century City Bar Association (“CCBA”) (10/20/99)

  • Lecturer, “Presenting Complex Pension and Retirement Benefit Issues at Trial” – AAML (1/16/99)

  • Lecturer, “Stock Options” – California CPA Education Foundation (12/9-10-98)

  • Lecturer, “When Worlds Collide–Divorce vs. Bankruptcy” – AAML (11/14/98)

  • Lecturer, “Stock Options – Identifying, Dividing, Evaluating and Their Tax Effect” – San Diego Bar Association

  • Lecturer, “Teaching Old Dogs New Tricks: Family Law Update on the 1997 Tax Relief Act” – American College of Family Trial Lawyers (“ACFTL”) (4/25/98)

  • Author, “Joint or Separate Tax Returns?  That is the Question” – ABA Family Advocate Magazine (4/98)

  • Lecturer, “Teaching Old Dogs New Tricks: Family Law Update on the 1997 Tax Relief Act” – AAML, Anaheim, California (11/22/97)

  • Speaker, “1997 Tax Act” – Family Law Section of the California Society of CPAs, Los Angeles, California

  • Panelist, “Common Tax Problems In Family Law” – LACBA Family Law Symposium, Los Angeles, California

  • Lecturer, “Litigating Tax Issues at Trial” – AAML, Las Costa, California  (1/17/97)

  • Lecturer, “Advanced Motion Practice” – BHBA (11/16/96

  • Lecturer, “Planning and Drafting for Business Buyouts in Divorce Cases” – (1996)

  • Lecturer, “Keeping the Client (and Yourself) Out of Jail II” – ABA, Orlando, Florida (8/2-5/96)

  • Lecturer and author, “Evidentiary Problems, II” – ACFTL, Naples, Florida (4/18-20/96)

  • Lecturer, “Negotiating and Drafting Tax Clauses in Marital Settlement Agreements” – ABA, Williamsburg, Virginia (4/12/96)

  • Lecturer, “Professional Goodwill and Alimony” – ABA, Beaver Creek, Colorado (9/95)

  • Lecturer, “Keeping the Client (and Yourself) Out of Jail” – ABA, Chicago, Illinois (8/5/95)

  • Lecturer and co-author, “Employee Retirement & Deferred Compensation Plans on Dissolution of Marriage: Valuation, Distribution & Tax Aspects” – California Continuing Education of the Bar (7/95)

  • Lecturer and author, “Hot Tax Tip” – ACFTL (4/95)

  • Lecturer and moderator, Divorce “Tax Hot Tips” – ABA, New Orleans, Louisiana (8/5/94)

  • Demonstration of cross-examination of tax expert – AAML, Florida Chapter (5/6/94)

  • Demonstration of trial closing argument – ABA, Charleston, South Carolina (4/16/94)

  • Panel on trial evidence – AAML, La Costa Symposium (1/15/94)

  • Lecturer, “Children and the Law” – LACBA (11/17/93)

  • Lecturer, “Divorce Taxation, Strategies and Traps” – Continuing Education of the Bar, State of California (10/93)

  • Lecturer, “Dissecting the Corporate and Partnership Tax Returns” – South Carolina Trial Lawyers Association, Hilton Head, South Carolina (8/19/93)

  • Lecturer, “Current Case Law Update from Community Property States” – American Institute of CPAs (6/3/93)

  • Lecturer, Family Law Symposium – LACBA (5/8/93)

  • Lecturer, “Selected Tax Issues in Marital Dissolution Matters” – California Society of CPAs (12/1-2/92)

  • Lecturer, “Mine is Mine and Yours is Yours: Pre- and Post-Nuptial Agreements” – State Bar of California Education Institute (11/13/92)

  • Lecturer, “Dissecting the Corporate and Partnership Tax Returns” – South Carolina Trial Lawyers Association, Hilton Head, South Carolina(4/9/92)

  • Lecturer/moderator, “Hot Tips from the Experts” – BHBA (2/26/92)

  • Lecturer, “Federal Income Taxation and Family Law” – AAML (1/19/92)

  • Lecturer, “Tax Issues at Separation and Divorce” – State Bar Family Law Section (1/11/92)

  • Co-Author, “Responding to Demands for Inspection of documents” – LACBA, Family Law News and Review (8/91)

  • Lecturer, “The Ten Commandments of Prenuptial Agreements” – BHBA (2/20/91)

  • Lecturer, “Computer-Generated Documents, Graphics and Other Programs as Evidence” – ABA (1/18/91)

  • Panelist, “Goodwill Colloquium” – Judicial Council Family Law Advisory Committee, LACBA (12/1/90)

  • Lecturer and author, “A Divorce Lawyer Looks at Real Estate Tax Problems” – University of Southern California Institute on Federal Taxation (1/16/90)

  • Lecturer, “Righting Family Wrongs” – ABA (8/90)

  • Lecturer, “Prenuptial and Postnuptial Agreements”-State Bar of California (1990)

  • Lecturer and author, “New and Novel Progressive Causes of Action” – State Bar of California (1990)

  • Lecturer and author, “Employee Retirement and Deferred Compensation Plans on Dissolution of Marriage, Valuation, Distribution and Tax Aspects” – California Continuing Education of the Bar (1990)

  • Panelist, “Recent Developments in Family Law” – LACBA (4/8/89)

  • Lecturer, “Valuation and Division of the Other Employee Benefits” – Law Education Institute (3/89)

  • author and Lecturer, “New and Novel Progressive Causes of Action” – AAML, Florida Chapter (3/89)

  • Lecturer, “Evidence in Family Law Cases” – California Continuing Education of the Bar (10/88)

  • Lecturer, “Drafting Clauses and Agreements: Qualified Domestic Relations Order-ABA (8/87)

  • Lecturer, “Taking the Profit Out of Lying” – AAML (3/9/87)

  • Lecturer, “Divorce Tax and the Tax Reform Act of 1986″ – BHBA (10/15/86)

  • Panelist, actuary panel – BHBA (7/86)

  • Lecturer, “Support Issues in Marital Settlement Agreements Which Are Affected by the New Tax Law” – BHBA (6/18/86)

  • Panelist, trial presentation “Sullivan Issues” – LACBA (4/26/86)

  • Lecturer, “The Division of Community Property and Dispersal of Spousal Support” – Legal Study Society (2/19/86)

  • Lecturer and co-author, “Drafting and Litigating Cohabitation, Prenuptial and Marital Settlement Agreements” – California Continuing Education of the Bar (1981, 1983)

  • Lecturer and co-author, “Division and Taxation of Retirement Benefits in Marital Dissolutions” – California Continuing Education of the Bar (1982, 1984, 1986, 1989)

  • Lecturer and author, “Practical Tax Consequences of Dissolution” – Practical Law Courses (1976-1978)


Reported Cases:

  • In re Marriage of Stephenson (1984) , 162 Cal.App.3d 1057

  • In re Marriage of  Iredale and Cates (2004), 121 Cal.App.4th 321

  • In re Marriage of Green (2006), 143 Cal.App.4th 1312

  • Said v. Jegan (2007), 146 Cal.App.4th 1375


Biography:

  • Admitted: State Bar of California, July 1962

  • Founding Partner: Jaffe and Clemens, Beverly Hills (1977-Present) 12-attorney firm with practice limited to high-asset family law

  • Certified specialist, California Board of Legal Specialization, State Bar of California (1980-Present)