Anna M. Romanskaya is a California Fellow and Partner with Stark & D’Ambrosio, LLP in San Diego, CA USA where she manages the firm’s family law division. She currently serves as Chair of the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division (ABA YLD) for the 2016-2017 bar year.
What does being a Fellow mean to you?
I consider being a Fellow a great honor. I know that my selection required a personal nomination and underwent strict review process, as membership is limited to one percent of lawyers licensed to practice in my jurisdiction. It is a personal career highlight. I also take pride in knowing that my membership supports research that advances justice and the understanding of law and its impact on society.
Where were you born and raised?
I was born in Kiev, Ukraine in the former Soviet Union. My family immigrated to the US in 1989 as political and religious refugees. I grew up in Los Angeles, CA and the majority of my family is there today.
What type of law do you practice and how did you become interested in this area?
I am a Partner at a boutique San Diego law firm – Stark & D’Ambrosio, LLP and our services range from personal injury, real property, employment, and business litigation matters. I concentrate my practice on family law exclusively. My background is in crisis intervention and victim advocacy. I gravitated toward family law because I wanted to help people transition through challenging circumstances and provide them with the tools to ultimately better their circumstances.
If you hadn’t pursued a career in law, what would you have done?
I enjoy community and bar service and have a strong passion for advocacy. I chose to pursue law school and ultimately the practice of law as an avenue for advocating for and empowering individuals. I think if I didn’t go into law, I would likely have been in management of a non-profit or maybe a national social services agency.
What do you do when you’re not practicing law?
The first response that comes to mind is bar and community service! I serve on several local boards, as well as Chair of the ABA YLD. Those activities keep me very busy, particularly with traveling to various meetings. I enjoy the interaction and relationships I am able to foster as a result of my engagement.
Anything else you’d like to share with us?
In my *free* time, I enjoy cycling and yoga. I love traveling and exploring new places (and I am an absolute foodie!). I speak fluent Russian as that is my first language and my favorite color is yellow!