Sonnett, Neal R.

Mr. Sokol brings to Family Law unique and varied life experiences. He has formed and been the first Director of an Urban Youth Center while he himself was still just a teenager and has done extensive missionary work in the California Central Valley. While studying for the priesthood, he taught in two high schools as a priest, and served as Chaplain of Spanish speaking people in Napa and Lake Counties. While he was attending McGeorge School of Law, he served as a Senate Fellow with the Californian State Senate, and as a Deputy Sheriff with Stanislaus County, and was the first paid legal assistant with the United States Attorney in Sacramento. Mr. Sokol was Deputy District Attorney in Sacramento from 1977 to 1993, and ran one of their Divisions and gained practical experience in Family Law as an attorney for the Department of Child Support Services. After his time there ended in 1993, Mr. Sokol opened his private practice in Family Law where he continues to practice today.

He has represented clients in Family Law issues thus far in 20 of the counties of California. He has served as President of the Sacramento County Mental Health Association, and of the California State Mental Health Association, and as President of the Board of Directors of the Legal Center for Elderly and Disabled, and been a member of the Council of the Sacramento County Bar Association. Mr. Sokol has appeared on stage as the lead in a musical, raised a family and faithfully represented many hundreds of clients in all of the aspects of Family Law, which he continues to do as of this date.

Mr. Sokol's preferred approach in Family Law is to resolve cases by way of agreements where possible and without unduly increasing costs to the clients but with appropriate results. He serves as a Judge Pro Tem in Family Law with Sacramento County and finds that his wide experience in a number of areas allows him to work with people of almost any background and experience.