Client Reviews

I was lucky to find him during my emergency situation. My ex-spouse and I had, for the most part, gotten along fairly well over the few years we had been divorced. We drew up an MSA together that covered custody of our daughter, division of property, etc. when we divorced.

That was all thrown away when she blindsided me with court papers served late in the evening one night. She had not only lawyered up, but her lawyer had done a ‘short order’ which gave me very little time to find a lawyer and defend myself. She was essentially trying to take me for everything! I found Bernie and described my situation to him; he acted very quickly and was able to delay things in court long enough for me to get my bearings on the situation.

Bernie and his staff not only navigated the situation in court, but they also knew how to “deal” with the other lawyer, who was very aggressive and confrontational. He kept doing certain things that, at the time, confused me, but when things finally played out his strategy became obvious. And as a result, her lawyer ended up offering to settle.

The ex-spouse didn’t get nearly everything she wanted and the blow to me was softened quite a bit by Bernie’s actions. One thing I’ve realized about the court system is that it’s anything but fair, especially in my county. If you’re the father of a little girl and mom can’t be proven unfit, don’t expect anything more than 40% custody. Every lawyer I spoke to told me this and that’s exactly what ended up happening despite our best efforts. The judge that handles these cases is very gender-biased, in my opinion.

All in all, Bernie and his staff were always on top of things, they were also reachable and extremely knowledgeable and responsive. I would definitely recommend them to anyone.

I worked in the legal field for over 10 years and it is rare to find such an honest and ethical attorney like Bernie Kempen. He did an outstanding job for me regarding custody and support.

Some people say lawyers are not your friends. You are a mere one-time client for them but their relationships with the court are permanent as long as they are in business. If that’s so, it’s better to have a seasoned, experienced and recognized lawyer.
Mr. Kempen is very seasoned and conservative. He knows how the system works. He doesn’t sugarcoat harsh realities. I expect him to show his high qualities as a game-changer in these previous reviews for my case.

Very pleased and I feel at ease with Bernie Kempen representing my case in Stanislaus County. I reside almost 5 hours away and my ex tried to claim jurisdiction of our child in his county by false documents and lying about serving me. Bernie Kempen represented me two times in Stanislaus County court for which I was not able to be present for and handled everything quickly and professionally. I wish he was in Kern County to represent my case here! Very pleased!!!

I had the pleasure of consulting with Atty Kempen about some certain grey areas about my case. While one attorney said he will research and get back to me on this, Atty Kempen has a straight answer for me right away. He is very knowledgeable and direct in his answer, very creative in attacking a certain scenario and a game-changer in your favor if you are having issues or not satisfied with the outcome of your case.

Mr. Kempen took the time to answer all of my questions. He helped me by both providing his expertise and compassion, a combo you don’t find often in the profession. I would recommend him and will return to him if services are again needed. Thank you!

I went to Bernie with a dilemma regarding my ex-wife, which could have cost me $5,000 or more. She was trying to extort money from me before she complied with the judge’s order to sign over the house deed to me. I was in closing in my refinance and the timing was very important to get this done.

In any case, I had spoken with 3 other attorneys before Bernie, and it wasn’t until after our conversation that I felt confident enough to send her a letter. In this letter, I mentioned how this could go down for her if I took it to court. …i.e., how much it would cost her, and how I could potentially sue her for the injuries caused by her actions. All of this information was gathered in one conversation with Bernie.

I offered her $900 only, and she accepted, knowing if we went to court she would get nothing, I would win, and then I would sue her for damages.

Bernie knows his stuff. His office is pleasant, as is his staff. It feels like you are dealing with a friend, not an attorney. I am very happy with his services and would recommend him highly.

I worked with Mr. Kempen twice and both times I was pleased with my case outcomes. He is professional, thorough and explained the process very clearly. I did not have any unknown surprises.
When he handled my divorce I found he was fair and we eliminated much of the stress with his approach.

Mr. Kempen assisted me with my child custody and support matters. He was diligent, knowledgable, and fought hard for me in Court. I ended up with a result that was fair and beneficial for my children, I highly recommend Mr. Kempen and his staff.

Perhaps the most devastating time in my life and my trust in humanity was destroyed, yet I needed help to navigate the Californian legal system, and an advocate for my remaining family. Bernie Kempen and his staff were there to assist every step of the way. He conducted himself with honesty and dignity, he helped me to see past my initial emotional reaction and formulate a fair plan for my children and me.

I used Bernie and his staff during my first divorce over 10 years ago. I will be ever grateful for the guidance he gave me, as I was completely lost.

The other parent was a complete snake and used my own friends and family members to gain inside information during our divorce proceedings, even setting me up in unusual situations to make it appear that I was someone that I was not. I had no idea that people that I once trusted and loved would ever do this to me, but Bernie caught on and advised me that my divorce was very unusual and that there was someone giving my Ex information that he was using against me so that I would have to constantly contact my Attorney and pay more money. Bernie was very gracious and gave me discounts on my billing. If I would have just listened to him in the first place and kept people out of my divorce I would have been much better off but as I said, I would have never believed that those I loved would hurt me and my children for the sake of being paid off by my former husband. What a joke, my ex has like 8 kids, 3 with me and the others by different women. My Ex was so upset because Bernie uncovered his Self-employment income and he would not file taxes as he knew how the child support system worked, he thought he had Bernie fooled and he told me to keep Bernie off of his A–! It humors me now but back then it was devastating since my children would ultimately pay for his anger.

Bernie Kempen, Thank you so very much. In my opinion, I would pay all over again to have such a Seasoned Representation.

People beware when choosing an Attorney. Watch out for newly licensed attorneys, make sure they have at least 10 years under their belts so that they can Fight and Win for you. Thank you Bernie!

From the first phone conversation alone Bernie made me feel I have a shot at being with my children again. Now I will not say he made a promise that we will succeed but the initial concern for my situation from himself and his assistant gave me the courage to stand up for what I believe.

When meeting with Bernie and Liz I was a little reserved and didn’t know how to express the hurt I had endured from not being able to have a relationship with my two children. Even still they were ready to fight by my side for what is right and for the effort alone; I am eternally grateful. Thank you in advance, Bernie, though the fight has yet to begin I know you will give it the best shot you’ve got.