Carla Boyd Terre - Santa Rosa, CA

Overview

Carla's Credentials:

• Certified Family Law Specialist, State Bar Board of Legal Specialization
• Rated "AV Preeminent" by Martindale Hubbell Peer Review Ratings
• Named to the exclusive list of Northern California Super Lawyers five years in a row (2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024)
• Named one of Northern California's "Rising Stars" ten years in a row by Super Lawyers Magazine from 2010 to 2019
• Past President of Sonoma County Bar Association
• Past Chairperson of the Sonoma County Bar Association, Family Law Section
• Past Member of the Family Law Advisory Commission of the State Bar of California

Carla's Background:

Carla Boyd Terre, family law attorney and mediator, is a Certified Family Law Specialist by the California State Bar Board of Legal Specialization and is rated an "AV Preeminent" attorney by Martindale Hubbell Peer Review Ratings. Carla was the President of the Sonoma County Bar Association (SCBA) in 2015. She was one of the founding members of the Mental Health Liaison Committee, a subcommittee of the Family Law Section of SCBA. She served as a Commissioner on the Family Law Advisory Committee of the California State Bar from 2013 through 2016.

Carla is currently a member of the Family Law Section of the State Bar of California, SCBA, the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts, Women in Law, and the Family Law Section of SCBA. Carla has been named one of Northern California's "Rising Stars" ten years in a row by Super Lawyers from 2010 to 2019. Carla was named to Northern California Super Lawyers for the last five years (2020 through 2024).

Carla is a 2003 graduate of the University of San Francisco School of Law, graduating in the top 25% of her class. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree in English, with honors, from Mills College in Oakland, California. During her third year in law school, Carla served as an Extern for Justice Maria Rivera of the California Court of Appeal and then as a Law Clerk for the Sonoma County Department of Child Support Services.

Carla's Approach to Family Law Practice:

Carla Boyd Terre's practice is dedicated strictly to family law matters. She handles most aspects of family law proceedings, including custody and visitation, property division, registered domestic partnerships, same sex and LGBTQ family law matters, adoption, child support, spousal support, pre-nuptial/pre-marital and post-marital agreements, and mediation. Carla attends mediation with clients and serves as a mediator for parties with and without lawyers present. Carla also serves as Parenting Coordinator in custody cases and has served as a Private Judge.

Carla has appeared at numerous contested family law proceedings including appearances before the California Court of Appeal in San Francisco. She has appeared in Sonoma County Superior Court, Marin County Superior Court, Napa County Superior Court, Lake County Superior Court, and Mendocino County Superior Court. Carla is experienced in mediation and negotiation and has helped many clients reach settlements or limit the issues that proceed to litigation.

Carla believes that an effective family law attorney stays in close communication with her client, working together to reach appropriate resolutions to the unique situations in each case. Carla is compassionate and understands that clients that are working with her are often going through one of the most difficult times in their lives.

Carla also believes it is important to stay informed about developments in family law and attends regular trainings and seminars in addition to receiving weekly publications which provide important updates on recent family law cases and legislative changes.

Recently she has been serving more frequently as a Mediator in family law matters.

When Carla is not practicing law, she enjoys spending time with her husband, two children and their labradoodle, reading, doing Pilates, and hiking.