Certified Family Law Specialist

Initially starting his career in Hawaii, Kyle worked as a staff attorney with the Legal Aid Society of Hawaii.  In that capacity, he handled hundreds of dissolution cases as well as challenging child welfare issues.  He was recognized for his extraordinary leadership and contributions in promoting and providing legal services to the disadvantaged.

In 2011, he left Hawaii for San Diego where his practice has expanded to represent some of the wealthiest individuals in San Diego.  Kyle handles complex financial cases, including business divisions, high net-worth self-employed individuals, and high-conflict child custody disputes.

Kyle became a partner with Wilkinson & Finkbeiner in 2017 and was certified as a Family Law Specialist with the California Bar that same year.  Kyle also became a Fellow with the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers (AAML) in 2021.  He sits on the board of directors for the Community Law Project, a homeless outreach program through California Western School of Law.

Kyle routinely presents continuing education programs throughout Southern California with the AAML, San Diego Family Law Bar Association and San Diego Volunteer Lawyers Program.  His recent presentations have included trial basics and post judgment motions, ethical considerations for virtual practices, evolutions in expert child custody evaluations as well as the latest case updates on California Family Law.

He has been recognized by Best Lawyers as “One to Watch” from 2021-2023 and a Super Lawyer since 2022.

Kyle is also a California State Bar Certified Family Law Specialist (CFLS).

Recent Case Samples

Kyle Siems recently completed a successful negotiation allowing his client to retain the entirety of their retirement savings as reimbursement for the payments made towards the other party’s education expenses.  During the marriage, the client’s spouse left their successful career to return to school, while the client paid the tuition.  After completing their education, the spouse’s new career paid only a fraction of their prior earnings.  To address the situation, Kyle enlisted the assistance of a vocational expert to assess the spouse’s earning capability.  This strategy proved successful in allowing Mr. Siems’ client to retain the entirety of their retirement savings to compensate for the amounts paid toward said education.

In a complex post-judgment case, Kyle recently obtained a six-figure settlement for his client after discovering that the opposing party had failed to disclose significant assets from their divorce several years prior.  Although he did not represent the client in her divorce, after reviewing her dissolution judgment documents, he deduced that significant sums were omitted.  Utilizing the court’s reservation of jurisdiction over omitted assets, he was able to obtain a remarkably favorable settlement with the assistance of his team of expert accountants, etc.

In a recent collections matter, Kyle was able to obtain an injunction on our client’s ex-spouse’s accounts by filing an ex parte, emergency motion with the court.  The ex-spouse owed a substantial amount of support arrears to our client.  The complicated matter ended with a negotiated settlement and a significant payout to our client.

In a complex child custody case, Kyle successfully prevented one parent from moving the parties’ children across the country upon dissolution.  The client was enlisted Navy personnel stationed in San Diego, and after the parties’ separation, one parent requested the right to take the children to the East Coast to be closer to family.  After a series of hearings, Kyle obtained an order allowing the children to remain in San Diego with our client.

In a highly contested custody matter between enlisted military members, Kyle obtained a 50/50 custody order for his client.  The parties were embroiled in a very combative relationship, and one parent wrongfully filed for a restraining order against the other parent to gain an advantage in the custody battle.  After several hearings on the matter, the court determined that our client was not a threat and ordered custody to be shared by the parties.  After defending several motions and getting sanctions levied against the other party, Kyle was able to obtain a joint custody order on the client’s behalf.

Recently, Kyle obtained a move-away order allowing one parent to move the parties’ teenage son from San Diego to their residence in Las Vegas.   The teenage son had been struggling in school in San Diego and began showing signs of heading down a dangerous path.  Kyle filed a motion to modify custody to allow the son to move to Las Vegas to live with our client.  After a contested hearing on the matter, the court allowed the child to move to Las Vegas.

In another recent case, Kyle helped a parent gain primary custody of their son after the other parent’s actions proved they were unfit to care for the parties’ young child.  Kyle’s client had alleged instances of abuse by the other parent.  After putting they other party on the witness stand to testify, Kyle obtained testimony from  the other party admitting to their actions and inability to properly care for the child.  In large part due to Kyle’s strategies and experience, the court ruled in favor of the client and granted them primary custody.

*It is important to note that any case success examples are not indicative of future results.  Additionally, our firm and Kyle represent generally equal numbers of husbands, fathers, mothers and wives.