About Us

Smith, Smith, Blonska & Strunk

• The SSB&S Approach
• Our Firm
• Areas of Practice
• Fees
• Our Office Procedures
• Testimonials from Our Clients
• Update: Attorney Blog

E. Gary Smith has over 35 years litigation experience, and is certified by the California State Board of Specialization as a family law specialist. He has tried hundreds of cases, is a gifted litigator, and experienced negotiator.

Mr. Smith has a litigation background that makes him especially effective in the family law arena. He was a name partner for twenty years with the Los Angeles law firm of Booth, Mitchel, Strange & Smith, a firm of approximately fifty-five attorneys. He opened that firm’s Orange County office in 1979 and was the senior partner there until he formed Smtih, Smith & Kring in 1988. He was senior partner there until the formation of Smith, Smith & Blonska, LLP. He is A-V rated with Martindale-Hubbell and has served on the Board of Directors of the Orange County Bar Association, working with the Outreach, Fee Arbitration, and Judiciary committees. He serves as a mediator of legal disputes, having completed the specified course for training as a mediator. He has also been a court-appointed arbitrator for both the Orange and Los Angeles county Superior Court systems for over twenty years.

Gary Smith’s background in finance and his three decades of tough litigating experience give him the edge in negotiations and in courtroom advocacy. Mr. Smith also is a member of the Utah State Bar, and is a mediator in family law matters in Northern Utah.

Elizabeth Shaw Smith has broad-based experience in handling a variety of matters, with particular skill in the written process, including complex motions and appeals. Ms. Smith received her bachelor’s and master's degrees in English from Brigham Young University. After a career as a book and magazine editor and writer, Ms. Smith attended the University of Utah College of Law, graduating in 1983.

While in law school, Ms. Smith was chosen as a member of the Utah Law Review and was selected as one of the eight governing editors of the Law Review. She also served on the moot court editorial board and taught legal writing and research to first-year law students. She was selected as a Leary Scholar for her second and third years of law school on the basis of academic achievement.

Ms. Smith practiced with the Los Angeles firm of Zobrist, Vienna & McCullough prior to becoming one of the founding partners of Smith, Smith & Kring, and continuing with Smith, Smith, Blonska & Strunk. She has served two terms on the Board of Directors of the J. Reuben Clark Law Society in Orange County and is currently a member of that society’s international Women in Law committee.

Jason Blonska is a partner with the firm and is a Certified Family Law Specialist. His practice is exclusively family law, and he has handled hundreds of diverse family law cases involving complex issues. His acute analytical ability and negotiating prowess has enabled him to assist clients even in the most difficult cases. A graduate of prestigious Tufts University in Boston, including a year of study in London, Mr. Blonska went on to graduate with distinction from Western State Law School. He clerked with Judge Paul in the Los Angeles Superior Court at a time when Judge Paul had a heavy family law calendar. As a veteran family law trial attorney, he is in court constantly on a variety of legal matters. He has successfully litigated significant family law trials in Orange County, Los Angeles, and San Diego courtrooms, several of which hinged on the thorny issues of major assets valuation and division. He has established a loyal client following as he has demonstrated his intellect, industry, and good sense in the practice of law. He serves currently on the Board of Directors of the J. Reuben Clark Law Society.

Partner Kerri L. Strunk obtained her J.D. degree from the UCLA School of Law. After a year representing parents and children in special education litigation, she has practiced family law exclusively. Her undergraduate degree was a B.A. summa cum laude from Arizona State University. During law school she clerked with the Western Law Center for Disability Rights, Learning Rights Project in Los Angeles. While with Smith, Smith, Blonska & Strunk, she has tried numerous long cause trials, as well as handled every other kind of family law matter. Her energy, intelligence, and ability to articulate to both the judge and opposing counsel set her above others in her field of practice. When she is not practicing law, she can be found on the field playing competitive league soccer.

Leann K. Jandron earned her J.D. from Chapman University School of Law, where she obtained an emphasis certificate in tax law. While at Chapman, Ms. Jandron served as Vice President for the Family Law Society, and also volunteered in Chapman’s tax clinic and for VITA, assisting low income individuals with tax issues. She clerked for the Public Law Center in Orange County and interned with Legal Aid in Compton. Ms. Jandron graduated cum laude from University of California, Irvine, with double Bachelor of Arts degrees in Social Ecology and Women’s Studies. A native of the San Francisco Bay Area, Ms. Jandron is a dedicated runner who brings high energy and focus to the legal arena.

Pat Yorn, paralegal, holds a B.A. in Psychology and has earned a post-graduate Paralegal Certificate from Cerritos College. She finds satisfaction in helping the firm’s clients through the sometimes confusing processes of family law. She has the rare combination of being both meticulously thorough and calmly helpful. As a top paralegal, she provides low-cost, high-efficiency services to the clients of Smith, Smith, Blonska & Strunk, LLP.

Tracy Elgin, paralegal, brings years of family law experience to assist in the resolution of our clients' problems. Her consistently cheerful and friendly attitude helps clients, attorneys, and staff work together efficiently. Tracy is organized and energetic, and has an unusual ability to track the details of a case, enabling it to flow more smoothly through the process, whether in court or in settlement negotiations.

Nancy Gordon, paralegal, has over 30 years experience in family law and probate. Nancy’s knowledge of California family law forms and procedures and her focused, organized approach to each case are distinct assets to Smith, Smith, Blonska & Strunk clients

Faye Eccles, paralegal, has over twenty-five years experience in family law, and her versatility and competence provide a low-cost benefit to our clients. She has a thorough grasp of all phases of the litigation process. Ms. Eccles has taught paralegal courses for the past twenty years at local colleges.

Janet Sanders, controller, brings both depth of experience and meticulous attention to the financial operations of the firm. With over fifteen years’ experience in Orange County legal and accounting firms, Janet is proficient in all areas of billing, software, and financial reporting. When not at her desk at SSB&S, Janet enjoys seeing America from the back of a Harley.