Rose Kesten Pondel, founder of Pondel Law, is a California licensed attorney. Rose's practice focuses on family formation and reproductive matters including surrogacy, egg donation, sperm donation, parenting plans, family estate planning and mediation.
Rose is recognized as one of the top surrogacy lawyers in California and regularly speaks to physician groups, attorneys and fertility patients regarding the state of surrogacy law in California and how it effects the options of assisted reproduction that are available to her clients. Rose works with fertility patients both domestically and internationally and has experience working with clients from Europe, China, Japan, Australia, Central and South America, Israel and around the world.
Prior to opening Pondel Law, Rose practiced corporate transactional law and has extensive experience drafting and negotiating high-stakes contracts. Rose has specific expertise in multinational matters including American, Asian and European entities.
Rose’s education includes advanced training in mediation and negotiation from the Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution at Pepperdine, a J.D. from the University of San Francisco, School of Law and a B.A. from UC Santa Barbara. Rose is a member of the American Bar Association, Los Angeles County Bar Association, Santa Monica Bar Association, Beverly Hills Bar Association, the Marin County Bar Association, RESOLVE and the Reproductive Technologies Subcommittee of the Family Law Section of the American Bar Association.
For more information or to schedule a consultation, please contact Rose via email at Rose@PondelLaw.com or phone at 310.598.6428.
Rose is available for speaking engagements, trainings and private informational meetings. For more information, please contact Rose@PondelLaw.com or 310.598.6428.
Recent Speaking Engagements, Appearances and Recognition:
Peer nominated as a “Super Lawyer” by Southern California Super Lawyers 2022
Co-Chair of the Family Formation Section for the Beverly Hills Bar Association - 2021/22
Malibu Times Magazine Profile - December 2017 - Read it here!
Voted one of California's Top Women Attorneys by Los Angeles Magazine 2013 - 2017
Voted "Rising Star" by Southern California Super Lawyers 2013 - 2017
Voted one of Pasadena's Top Attorneys 2015-2017
New York Times Expert- June 2015- Read it here!
Daily Worth Expert - August 2014 - Read it here!
People Magazine Expert - March 2014- Read it here!
Good Morning America, ABC On-Air Expert - July 2013 - Watch it here!
Panelist, WLALA's Reproductive Rights Anniversary of Roe v. Wade - February 2013- Read about it here!
Guest Lecturer/Mediator, USC Gould School of Law, Civil Procedure - November 2012
Guest Speaker for The Santa Monica Breakfast Club - "Family Formation in the 21st Century" - October 2012 and November 2012
Guest Speaker for the Santa Monica Kiwanis Club - "Family Formation in the 21st Century" - June 2012
Expert Panelist for "Ask the Experts - All Things Mom" - May 2012
Expert Panelist for "Meet the Experts - A Modern Woman's Guide to Doing it All" - February 2012
Guest Lecturer/Mediation Coach, USC School of Law, Mediation Clinic - January 2012
Guest Lecturer/Mediator, USC Gould School of Law, Civil Procedure - November 2011
Guest Lecturer, Roosevelt High School, Small School of Law and Government - November 2011
Expert Panelist at Choice Moms event in Los Angeles - November 2011
Guest Lecturer, Emeritus College, Grandparent Adoption and Family Formation - September 2011
Guest Lecturer/Mediation Coach, USC School of Law, Mediation Clinic - February 2011
Guest Lecturer/Mediation Coach, USC School of Law, Mediation Clinic - January 2011
Guest Lecturer/Mediator, USC School of Law, First Year Civil Procedure - November 2010
“Thanks so much, Rose! First, for coming and being the students favorite speaker of the year. Seriously, I had a few teachers come up to me and tell me that the kids were still discussing your talk and totally fascinated by your work. The goal of these talks is to expose them to inspiring people, to immerse them in new academic language, and to help them imagine the vast options before them—your talk did it all! It helped me remember that in exposing them to the field, we need to connect more often with people like you who are working innovatively within law and gov. Thank you!”