Our Story
Canter Hagan LLP is a boutique family law firm in Burlingame that offers experienced guidance in divorces through mediation and Collaborative Practice, as well as strong advocacy through court proceedings.
Pamela Canter practiced family law for thirty years and retired in April 2022.
Anne Hagan is trained in mediation by The Center for Understanding in Conflict and devotes a significant amount of her practice to mediating disputes. She is also a Collaborative attorney, serves as consulting counsel to parties in mediation, drafts pre-marital and post-marital agreements and litigates a handful of select cases. Anne has nineteen years of litigation experience.
Canter Hagan is further supported by attorney Debra DeMera. Debra assists Anne in her select litigation cases, acts as consulting counsel to parties in mediation, and drafts pre-marital and post-marital agreements.
The firm has strong relationships with respected local experts, including forensic accountants, co-parent counselors, therapists, certified divorce financial analysts, certified public accountants, and trust attorneys, and effectively uses their expertise to ensure the efficient and practical resolution of family law disputes.
Anne and Debra's combined expertise and collaboration provides clients with the highest level of representation and enables them to meet all of their clients' needs.
Services we provide
pre-marital and post-marital agreements
More and more clients find the need for pre-marital and post-marital agreements. We have developed a successful approach to the creation of these agreements to help you avoid future litigation.
mediation
In mediation, we use our negotiating and legal skills to help you and your spouse work together to reach a resolution. We help you identify areas of agreement and differences and help you understand how the court will view each issue. We then provide you with multiple suggestions and options. In the end, all decisions are made between you and your spouse.
litigation
In cases where parties cannot reach a resolution using other means, the attorneys at Canter Hagan possess the trial experience to vigorously represent you in the litigation process.
consulting counsel
We provide consulting counsel services to an individual in mediation with their spouse and a third party mediator. We answer questions, provide guidance, and give feedback on the Marital Settlement Agreement prepared by the mediator. We also provide consultation services for individuals who are in the information gathering stage regarding the divorce or separation process, and who need guidance on what California law provides in terms of their rights and responsibilities regarding division of assets, custody, child and spousal support and attorneys’ fees issues.
“Anne Hagan embodies the rare combination of compassion, emotional intelligence, and integrity combined with deep legal skill and the capacity and character to fiercely defend you when that is what is needed. In one of the most challenging chapters of my life Anne provided great legal counsel and support all the way through the courtroom where, thanks to her work, we prevailed. In my work I’ve interacted closely with many great litigation lawyers and Anne is amongst the best I’ve ever worked with.”
“I have had the misfortune of suffering three divorces. In each of these very different cases, I turned to Pamela Canter for counsel and representation. Pamela brought a clear, confident and thoughtful strategy and approach to each of these cases. Complicated issues of life and health involving parenting and child custody, high net worth and family trusts, sophisticated business issues and financial structures, were all handled with the utmost in professionalism and competence. Compassionate but tough, Pamela is a very strong advocate who I always understood was seeking the best possible outcome. I have had the great fortune to have Pamela’s steady counsel at the most difficult times in my life when making solid balanced judgements can be quite challenging. I will always be grateful to Pamela for the help she provided to me in achieving successful outcomes in the most difficult of circumstances.”
“Getting married is such a significant milestone. I knew that protecting my assests should always be part of that process. Pamela Canter and her team advised me along the way before and after I was married to a wonderful man who had been previously married and had two adorable boys. Completing a pre and post-marital agreement made me feel not only secure, but accomplished.”
“In just one moment my life changed forever. My spouse served me with divorce papers. I wasn’t sure what to do or where to turn. I was however, blessed with a referral to Anne Arnold Hagan Esq. and her firm, Canter Hagan, LLP by a local family law judge.
From the moment I met Anne I knew I was placed in great hands. Anne has an extremely calming manner and she took my stress level from off-the-charts to manageable. Her expertise of Family Law, next steps, timing and my rights made this very difficult process so much easier to work through.
Anne and her team of professionals were available to meet with me in person, take phone calls and communicate through emails. She encouraged me to use the process option of mediation with my spouse and she was there to support me every step of the way. Anne was thoughtful of my budget which also helped lower my stress level.
Divorce is never easy, but I can tell you from my experience with Anne, you would be blessed to have her represent you. I highly recommend Canter Hagan, LLP.”
