A Special Update from Walzer Melcher & Yoda LLP

TEAM UPDATES

WMY Welcomes

Kyla R. Osburn

We are excited to welcome

Kyla R. Osburn to the team.

Kyla grew up in Southern California and received her undergraduate degree in Journalism from Cal Poly SLO before attending Georgetown University Law Center. Prior to joining our firm, she was a litigation associate at Gibson Dunn.

When she’s not working, she can be found on a run or hitting the dog park with her pup.

WMY Welcomes

Nicholas E. Selden

We are excited to welcome

Nicholas E. Selden to WMY.

Nicholas was raised in the San Fernando Valley and received his undergraduate degree at Wesleyan University before attending Columbia Law School, where he was a James Kent Scholar and first in his class in Family Law.

Prior to WMY, Nicholas was an extern for Associate Justice Gail Ruderman Feuer in the Second Appellate District, Division Seven of the California Courts of Appeal, a Law Clerk to the Honorable Dale S. Fischer of the United States District Court for the Central District of California, and a Litigation Associate at Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom.

Steven K. Yoda and Ashley W. Edwards

Admitted to the Bar of the United States Supreme Court

We are honored to share that Steven K. Yoda and Ashley W. Edwards were admitted to the bar of the United States Supreme Court at the ABA Family Law Spring CLE conference in Washington, D.C.

PUBLICATIONS

Christopher C. Melcher served as appellate counsel for the Wife in this family law appeal by her ex-husband. The parties settled their divorce and awarded a ranch property to Wife “together with the debt thereon.” There was no express provision for Husband to be removed as a debtor from the joint mortgage, unlike other provisions in the agreement that had details about handling joint debt. Husband argued that the parties intended for him to be removed as a debtor.

Christopher successfully argued that implied terms are not allowed for a contract unless necessary to effectuate the purpose of the agreement, and that removing Husband from the debt was not necessary for the ranch to be awarded to Wife. The express terms of the agreement required her to be responsible for paying the debt, and there was no requirement to pay off the loan early or sell the property to have him removed as a co-borrower. The court of appeal agreed and published that part of its opinion.

The opinion can be read here.

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

Congratulations to Peter M. Walzer, Christopher C. Melcher, Steven K. Yoda, Cynthia J. Ponce, Ashley W. Edwards, and Ashley K. Quan for their selection to Los Angeles Magazine's Best of LA Legal list for 2026.

We are excited to share that the firm ranked in Tier 1 for Legal 500's California Family Law guide. Christopher C. Melcher and Steven K. Yoda were also named as Leading Partners.

Congratulations to Christopher C. Melcher and Steven K. Yoda for their selection to Daily Journal's Top Family Lawyers for 2026.

Congratulations to Christopher C. Melcher for his selection by Super Lawyers as a Top 5 Southern California Family Law Lawyer. Ashley W. Edwards and Cynthia J. Ponce were also selected as Rising Stars.

SEMINARS

January 16, 2027

Income That Should Be Available for Support

Christopher C. Melcher

AAML SoCal Trial Institute

PRESS

Christopher C. Melcher

Scripps News: Inside Taylor Swift's Prenup

SPONSORSHIPS

ACFLS Spring Seminar

Sponsor

Daily Journal

Sponsor

AAML SoCal 2027 Trial Institute

Sponsor

AJSOCAL Game Night

Sponsor

FIRM HAPPENINGS

ACFLS Spring Seminar

Ashley W. Edwards with Jessie Hale (VITA Wealth Advisors), Janani S. Rana (Minyard Morris), Jared Tonks (CBIZ), and Andrew Edwards.

JABA Open House

Levitt Quinn Board of Directors Retreat

Mediation Center of Los Angeles Annual Gala

Ashley W. Edwards and Levitt Quinn board member Dinah Ruch, along with Joyner nonprofit directors, at the Mediation Center of Los Angeles Annual Gala.

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