David K. Wilkinson

DAVID K. WILKINSON received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration from the University of Washington, one of the highest ranked undergraduate business schools in the United States, where he was awarded membership to the National Dean’s List.  Mr. Wilkinson received his Juris Doctor degree from California Western School of Law School, where he received an honors award for authoring The EGTRRA Estate Tax Sunset Provision, Reform And Politics: A Fungible Alternative To Repeal, received the highest grade in both Contracts II and Arbitration Law, and graduated in the top one-third of his class.

Mr. Wilkinson, co-founder of Wilkinson & Finkbeiner, practices only family law for the firm, handling all facets of the practice area from straightforward negotiation and preparation of pleadings to complex litigation.  Mr. Wilkinson represents small and large asset clients in divorce cases, dissolution of domestic partnerships, legal separations, support and custody matters.

While the Wilkinson & Finkbeiner, LLP philosophy adheres to a settlement as a first option, litigation as a final option mentality, several recent cases handled by Mr. Wilkinson evidence the broad range of competence in both regards.  In one recent case, Mr. Wilkinson successfully negotiated to allow his client to move with the parties’ young child out of the state of California and to another state.  “Move-away” cases are inherently complicated, but Mr. Wilkinson set his client up for success by preparing a strong case from the outset.  In another recent case, Mr. Wilkinson represented a mother who was fighting a guardianship action, which if granted by the Court, would have effectively taken the child out of the mother’s care. The proceeding had been dragging on for nearly one year.  Within one month, Mr. Wilkinson prepared for and won at trial.  The child was returned to the custody of the mother immediately.*

Mr. Wilkinson is also active in the community.   Mr. Wilkinson currently serves as a member of the San Diego County Bar Association, American Bar Association and formerly a volunteer for the San Diego Legal Aid Society.  For the past three years, Mr. Wilkinson has served as a pro bono supervising attorney for the California Western School of Law and University of California San Diego joint collaborative legal-medical Community Law Project.  He recently received the Judge Judy Keep Award from the University of California at San Diego for his service with the Law Project.

*Mr. Wilkinson’s successes in these cases creates no guarantee of success in any other case.

 

Areas of Practice:

Alternative Dispute Resolution

Child Support

Contracts

Custody & Visitation

Divorce

Family Law

 

Litigation Percentage:

100% of Practice Devoted to Litigation and Mediation

 

Bar Admissions:

California, 2003

U.S. District Court Southern District of California, 2003

 

Education:

California Western School of Law, San Diego, California, 2003

J.D.

University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, 2000

B.A.

Honors: National Dean’s List

Major:  Business Administration

 

Professional Associations and Memberships:

San Diego County Bar Association Family Law & Estate Planning Sections

Member

San Diego County Bar Association Young & New Lawyers Division

Member

Consumer Attorneys of San Diego, 2005 – Present

Member

Barrister’s Club

Member

American Bar Association

Member

Orange County Bar Association

Member

 

Pro Bono Activities:

San Diego County Bar Association Law Week Attorney

San Diego Legal Aid Society

San Diego County Bar Association Modest Means Program

California Western School of Law Community Law Project

Guest Speaker – United States Navy Fleet and Family Support