Paris–California International Family Law Attorneys in Beverly Hills
Coordinated legal representation across California and Paris for divorce, custody, and cross-border enforcement
You signed your marriage contract with a Paris notary or with a California attorney in Los Angeles. You chose separation de biens (keeping assets separate), community property, or signed nothing at all. Now you’re not sure where you stand.
Provinziano & Associates is a Beverly Hills international family law firm specializing in Paris-California divorce, custody, support, property division, prenuptial agreements, and cross-border enforcement.
Led by Alphonse F. Provinziano, a Fellow of the International Academy of Family Lawyers (IAFL) and California State Bar-Certified Family Law Specialist (CFLS), the firm brings 100+ years of combined experience, with 3,800+ court appearances, and 3,000+ cases handled.
We represent French nationals with California ties and Californians with French connections, coordinating with Paris-based avocats (attorneys) when cases are filed in France.
Our team also includes Lance Duran, a Senior Associate Attorney who resides in Paris, who provides on-the-ground coordination with Paris-based avocats and European family law practitioners.
Who We Help
We represent spouses and parents with ties to Paris and California, including dual citizens and diplomatic families. Our clients include professionals, business owners, public figures, executives, and families with complex assets in Paris and throughout France.
Common situations we handle include:
- Parisians in California filing for divorce, custody, property division, or support
- Spouses in France served with California papers
- California residents whose former partner or children are now in France and who need orders enforceable in both countries
- Hague Convention matters, cross-border support, and cross-border property and order enforcement
We also represent Francophone clients from Monaco, Switzerland, Belgium, Luxembourg, and French Caribbean territories whose family law disputes involve California.
Get Advice Before Taking the Next Step If:
- A child may travel, relocate, change schools, or stay in France or California longer than planned
- Either spouse could file first in France or California
- You have real estate, income, investments, or a business in either jurisdiction
- You already have a French or California order that needs recognition or enforcement in the other country
We Speak Your Language
International family matters often cross language lines.
Our attorneys primarily work in English, but we offer support in French, Italian, Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Farsi, and Russian.
If you prefer to communicate in another language, contact us and we’ll confirm what’s available for your situation.
What French Clients Should Know About California Family Law
California family law uses different rules than those in France.
- Residency: To file in California, either spouse must have lived in California for 6 months and in the filing county for 3 months.
- No-fault divorce: California does not require proof of wrongdoing. Simply stating that the marriage has broken down and is beyond repair (irreconcilable differences) is sufficient.
- Waiting period: California will not end marital status until 6 months after the other spouse is served, even if both spouses agree on all terms.
- Support: Child support usually follows a statewide guideline formula. Spousal support depends on multiple factors, not a fixed percentage.
- Property: California generally treats most marital earnings and acquisitions as community property, with exceptions for separate property and valid agreements.
How Our Paris-California International Divorce Lawyers Help You
We handle international divorce and the full spectrum of related services for clients with ties to both Paris and California. From early separation to active cases, we support you at every step.
Forum and Strategy: Where Should Things Happen First?
We work with Paris family lawyers to weigh the options early and choose which country’s courts to use and when to file, based on what supports your long-term goals.
International Divorce and Separation Between Paris and California
Our international divorce attorneys represent spouses and registered partners in divorce, legal separation, and annulment proceedings, whether contested (when you disagree) or amicable (when you agree).
Spousal Support, French Compensatory Payments, and Maintenance
We represent clients in spousal support matters, whether you’re seeking meaningful support after scaling back for family, earning far less than your spouse, or responding to inflated or overlapping claims.
Child Support Across Paris and California
Our international child support attorneys represent parents seeking support, parents responding to claims, and parents who need to change an existing order.
Custody, Travel, and Hague Convention Issues
We represent parents in custody disputes between Paris and California, child travel conflicts, relocation requests, and Hague Convention cases (international child abduction matters).
Marital Property and Asset Division
We address property and debt division when assets, income, or business interests exist in Paris and California, including complex ownership and hidden assets issues.
Enforcing Orders Across Borders
We review existing orders and advise on recognition and enforcement steps across borders, including responses when a party refuses to comply.
Marriage Contracts, Prenups, and Postnups
We draft and review prenups, postnups, and marriage agreements for Paris-California realities, focusing on enforceability and risk.
Children, Parental Responsibility, and the Hague Convention
When parents live in different countries, questions about where your child lives, how often you see them, and who decides on school, health, and travel all come under close review.
Child custody between France and California — We represent parents at every stage of a custody case, from emergency and temporary orders to long-term arrangements. Whether you’re seeking to establish, contest, or modify custody, we advocate for your rights and your child’s stability, especially in cases involving changing needs, parental alienation, or efforts to sideline you.
International child abduction and the Hague Convention — If a child is taken or kept without consent or in violation of orders, we act quickly. We bring or defend Hague Convention applications, coordinate with French and U.S. authorities, and ensure the broader custody case stays connected, so you’re not forced into parallel battles in two countries.
Relocation and international moves — A proposed move to or from France can reshape a child’s life and test a parent’s access. We represent both relocating and opposing parents, helping courts understand the impact on the child so the judge can make an informed decision about whether the move should go ahead and on what terms.
Marital Property and Asset Division Disputes in France-California Cases
When business assets are involved, we unpack French property companies, limited liability entities, holding structures, and U.S. corporations to understand control and value.
We apply both French marital property regimes and California community property law to determine what’s shared, what’s separate, and what’s become mixed over time, including family-run companies, inherited real estate, artwork, business assets, trusts, pensions, and international investments.
If assets appear to be missing or hidden, or if disclosure is incomplete, we work with forensic experts and seek court orders to secure information and safeguard your property rights.
Enforcing Orders Across Borders
Once a judge has ruled, the real issue is enforceability. That often means making a French judgment usable in California or a California order effective in France.
We review existing orders and determine what’s needed to have them recognized and enforceable, including sworn translations, court recognition, and coordination with local counsel.
If someone refuses to pay support, ignores parenting terms, or shifts assets to stay out of reach, we look at the enforcement tools available in the relevant country and ask the court for measures that can make a difference. Where the law allows, we also seek recovery of legal costs you shouldn’t have to bear just to enforce what’s already been decided.
Marriage Contracts, Prenups, and Postnups
Whether you signed with a French notary or a California lawyer, an agreement only protects you if it holds up when tested.
We draft and review French marriage contracts, prenuptial agreements, and postnuptial agreements with France–California disputes in mind, focusing on how each system treats property, support, and business interests.
For an existing agreement, we assess whether it meets California standards and how a French court is likely to interpret it, so you have a realistic picture of how much protection it actually offers and where it may be sensible to renegotiate or supplement the agreement before conflict escalates.
How We Work with French Counsel
In cross-border family matters, success often depends on cultural nuance and coordination rather than on legal arguments alone.
We work closely with French avocats to align strategy, prevent conflicting filings, and maintain a consistent position across both legal systems.
Whether we’re leading the California case or supporting proceedings in France, we ensure your team speaks with one voice, and if you do not yet have French counsel, we can introduce you to our pool of experienced lawyers who regularly handle cross-border family matters.
Here’s How Our Paris-California Family Law Firm Works With You
Your initial case evaluation and consultation take place over encrypted video, scheduled to work with your time zone, if you are in Paris, California, or traveling elsewhere.
Schedule a private case evaluation
After you hire us: Get a tailored legal plan
Resolution through settlement or trial
The Provinziano & Associates Difference
What Sets Our International Family Law Firm Apart?
Coordinated Paris–California Legal Strategy
We run the California case and work directly with trusted family law attorneys and notaries in Paris to align filings, service, and hearing dates. Together, we decide where to start, how to time key steps, and how to shape orders so they make sense in both Los Angeles and, for example, Paris or Lyon. You're not handed off to "someone we know." You're represented by a California firm with an attorney physically in Paris and professional relationships throughout the French legal community, working as one coordinated team across both jurisdictions.
Strategic Collaboration Network of Cross-Border Wealth
International family cases often sit at the intersection of family law, tax, succession, and business planning. We work with wealth managers, estate-planning lawyers, tax advisers, valuation experts, and forensic accountants in both countries, so decisions are based on real numbers. If you already have advisors in Paris or California, we coordinate with them.
Built for High-Asset Divorce and Cross-Border Enforcement
We regularly deal with portfolios that include French property companies, limited liability companies, and holding structures, as well as United States companies, pensions, investment accounts, stock plans, and real estate on both sides of the Atlantic.
Discreet Representation for High-Profile International Clients
Many of our clients are business owners, professionals, public figures, athletes, or heirs. We handle sensitive cases as privately as the law allows and manage public court records carefully. When needed, we coordinate with trusted public relations and security teams. Your legal strategy should not come at the expense of your privacy or safety.
Litigation and Appeals Experience in Paris–California Matters
Sometimes cases don’t settle. Our team has handled thousands of hearings and trials in California, including complex cases involving foreign judgments, Hague applications, and cross-border support. We have also pursued and defended appeals when custody, property, or support orders need to be challenged or defended at a higher level.
Staying Ahead of Cross-Border Legal Strategy
Our attorneys take part in international programs focused on European and cross-border family law. Managing Partner Alphonse Provinziano speaks at IAFL conferences and other international forums and spends time with colleagues across Paris discussing how courts are handling real cases. The lessons from those rooms go straight into the advice we give in active Paris–California matters.
When It’s All on the Line, This Is Who Leads the Room
Alphonse F. Provinziano is a distinguished international family law attorney based in Beverly Hills, California.
He is a Fellow of the International Academy of Family Lawyers (IAFL) and a Certified Family Law Specialist (CFLS), certified by the State Bar of California, Board of Legal Specialization.
These credentials reflect independent vetting, including peer review and demonstrated experience in complex family law cases.
He regularly serves as U.S. counsel in cross-border divorce, custody, child and spousal support maintenance, and enforcement cases involving California jurisdiction, including Hague Convention and international property disputes.
- Fellow, International Academy of Family Lawyers (IAFL)
- President-Elect, Beverly Hills Bar Association
- Super Lawyers: 2021–2026
- Avvo Rating: 10.0 (Superb)
- Former Prosecutor
With over 2,000 cases and 220+ trials, he brings seasoned courtroom strategy to high-stakes international cases involving complex assets, reputation risk, executives, and public figures.
He frequently speaks and moderates to top family law attorneys in both the U.S and at global family law conferences.
Meet Alphonse Provinziano
Managing Partner & Senior Trial Attorney
Featured in: Solicitors Journal, Bloomberg Law, The Mirror, Fortune, Fast Company, International Business Times (UK), and more.
When It’s All on the Line, This Is Who Leads the Room
Meet Alphonse Provinziano
Managing Partner & Senior Trial Attorney
Alphonse F. Provinziano is a distinguished international family law attorney based in Beverly Hills, California. He is a Fellow of the International Academy of Family Lawyers (IAFL) and a Certified Family Law Specialist (CFLS), certified by the State Bar of California, Board of Legal Specialization. These credentials reflect independent vetting, including peer review and demonstrated experience in complex family law cases.
He regularly serves as U.S. counsel in cross-border divorce, custody, child and spousal support maintenance, and enforcement cases involving California jurisdiction, including Hague Convention and international property disputes.
- Fellow, International Academy of Family Lawyers (IAFL)
- President-Elect, Beverly Hills Bar Association
- Super Lawyers: 2021–2026
- Avvo Rating: 10.0 (Superb)
- Former Prosecutor
With over 2,000 cases and 220+ trials, he brings seasoned courtroom strategy to high-stakes international cases involving complex assets, reputation risk, executives, and public figures.
He frequently speaks and moderates to top family law attorneys in both the U.S and at global family law conferences.
Featured in: Solicitors Journal, Bloomberg Law, The Mirror, Fortune, Fast Company, International Business Times (UK), and more.
Speak With a Paris–Los Angeles International Family Law Attorney
If you are about to file, have just been served, or are being pressed to “just sign” an agreement that touches both Paris and California, this is the moment to get advice, not after the fact. A short consultation before you act can change where you file, when you take key steps, and what you ask each court to do.
We review your ties to Paris and California, and what has already happened. We then give you a grounded view of how courts on each side are likely to treat your marriage, property, and role as a parent, and help you choose next steps that protect your children, your assets, and your long-term position.
If you are in the 8th arrondissement, the 16th, Saint-Germain-des-Prés, the Marais, Neuilly-sur-Seine, or elsewhere in the Paris region, or in Los Angeles, Orange County, or San Diego County, we can speak with you by secure video and start to organise the legal picture. The earlier you understand where you stand, the more room you usually have to shape the outcome.
A confidential case review is the first step.