Thurman W. Arnold III, CFLS*
Thurman W. Arnold, III, is a Palm Springs' native. He attended Reed College in Portland, Oregon in 1974, earning its "Certificate of Excellence." In 1979 Thurman graduated with Honors from the University of California at Santa Barbara. He next attended the Lewis and Clark Law School in Portland, Oregon, where he served as an editor for its nationally recognized Environmental Law Journal. He received his
Juris Doctorate in June, 1982.
In November, 1982, Thurman, III, was admitted to the California Bar and joined his father's Palm Springs legal practice, established in 1953. Formerly a civil trial lawyer with considerable jury experience, today Thurman's energies are devoted to using these skills in helping people to move through the devastating emotional and financial complexities that plague the breakup of intimate relationships. He is a Certified Family Law Specialist.
Protecting rights and resolving disputes is an Arnold tradition spanning 160 years. Thurman is a fifth generation attorney. His grandfather, Thurman Arnold Sr., taught at the Yale Law School from 1930 to 1938 together with his lifelong friend,
William O. Douglas, who became one of the great liberal United States Supreme Court Justices of the 20th century. In 1938 President Roosevelt appointed Thurman, Sr. Assistant Attorney General of the Antitrust Division for the U.S. Department of Justice, and so he took aim at the mega-companies like Standard-Oil that had helped to bring about the Great Depression in conspiring to destroy smaller businesses.
Later Pres. Roosevelt appointed Thurman, Sr., as a Justice for the Court of Appeal for the District of Columbia. About that experience, he wryly said he'd "rather be talking to a bunch of damn fools than listening to a bunch of damn fools." In 1946 he formed the Washington D.C. Law Firm of Arnold, Porter & Fortas, which became Arnold & Porter in 1965 when Abe Fortas was appointed by President Johnson to the Supreme Court. In the 1950's this law firm stood nearly alone against Senator Joseph McCarthy, representing government employees, Hollywood writers and personalities, and private citizens who were prosecuted falsely as alleged communists,
pro bono.
Thurman, III, strives to do honor to that legacy. He is a vigorous writer with a passion for everything family law. All content on this website, including our Enlightened Divorce Blog™, is ours (commencing in 2013 we have begun to invite colleagues to share great blogs). Our goal is to help equalize power imbalances by offering tips and points of view that may help you to make informed decisions about what matters most.
The Arnold tradition is one of pride, ethics and dedication. Fiercely protective of our clients' rights and emotional health, Thurman Arnold, III, combines professionalism with sensitive and realistic insights to serve one objective: Best navigating you through the minefields of divorce!
Thurman W. Arnold, III, has been awarded the prestigious Martindale-Hubbell AV rating and a 4.9/5.0 Peer Review from colleagues and the judiciary.
Certified Family Law Specialist Thurman W. Arnold, III
Licenses, Memberships and Public Service
*California Certified Family Law Specialist
