Bunmi Awoniyi

Ms. Bunmi Awoniyi completed all of her education in England. She attended the University of Essex and completed her Bachelor of Law with Honors in 1986. She thereafter obtained a Masters of Law from the University of Leicester which was conferred in 1988. Her thesis The Detection and Investigation of Child Abuse was published. She attended the Inns of Court School of Law in London, England and was called to the Bar of England and Wales in November of 1988 as a Barrister at Law. She is a member of the Honorable Society of Lincoln's Inn and Inner Temple in England and Wales and remains in good standing. Ms. Awoniyi was admitted as an Attorney and Counselor at Law in the State of California in 1991.

Ms. Awoniyi began practicing Family Law in 1992.

Ms. Awoniyi is an active member of both her State and Local Bar Associations. She has served in a number of leadership positions:

• Past President of the Wiley Manuel Bar Association (Association of African American Attorney's, Sacramento Chapter)
• Past Vice President and Sergeant at-arms for the same organization
• Elected Member at Large, Sacramento County Bar Association (first term three years 2002-2005, Second term one year 2006). She has recently been appointed to her 3rd term which commenced in 2007
• Past Board Member on the California State University Center for African Peace and Conflict Resolution
• Past Committee Member on the Sacramento Advisory Committee set up to address and evaluate data regarding vehicle stops and racial profiling with the Sacramento Police Department (2001-2002)
• Past Participant and representative on Operation Protect & Defend The Constitutional Project sponsored by the Sacramento County Bar Association and The Federal Bar Association (2002-2003)
• Serves in a volunteer capacity in the Family Law Department of the Sacramento County Superior Court
• Actively involved in representing minors in court appointed cases
• Active in the Sacramento Superior Courts Pro Per Clinic and Mediation programs
• Has previously taught Family Law at Lorenzo Patino School of Law as an adjunct professor

She is a member of the following associations participating in their events:

• AILA: American Immigration Lawyers Association
• CPDA: California Public Defenders Association
• Member of Sacramento County Bar Association and its Family Law Section
• Member of California Bar Association and its Family Law Section
• Member of the Sacramento County Children's Counsel Section
• Member of the American Inns of Court, Anthony M. Kennedy Inn (Sacramento)
• Sacramento Collaborative Law Group

Having practiced as family law litigator for many years Ms. Awoniyi has had the opportunity of seeing the financial and emotional toll that litigation has on families. Oftentimes seeing that even in so called victory the trauma to the parties, their children and extended family is costly and lasting. The seeds of distrust and discord having been so deeply sown she has seen how hard it is for these families to heal and move forward and the children invariably become caught in the middle of the adversarial cycle.

Ms. Awoniyi was concerned that the needs of her clients were not being adequately served with the limited option of traditional litigation in family law. It was with this mindset that she determined to become trained and proficient in both Mediation and Collaborative Negotiation, so that these options can be presented to clients as viable alternatives. It has been her experience that where parties are informed at the outset of the option of Mediation and or Collaborative Negotiation they will opt for one of these alternatives. She believes that most parties want to be equipped with the skills to resolve their own controversy without an outcome being imposed upon them by a Judge who does not know them, their circumstances or their children.

Ms. Awoniyi has undergone extensive training as a Mediator and Collaborative Attorney. Her experience convinces her that parties walk away better equipped to resolve future controversy's without resorting to litigation.