Rachel Thompson is a founding partner of Minerva Law, LLP. Her practice emphasizes family law, with a focus on contested custody and paternity matters and high asset dissolution cases. Rachel regularly assists clients with mediated settlement agreements, domestic violence restraining orders, post-dissolution modifications of custody and support, and assisted reproductive technology agreements. Rachel is certified as a family law specialist by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization.

Rachel was a Super Lawyers Rising Star five straight years (2015-2020) and was selected to Super Lawyers in 2022 and 2023.
She also was named one of 2011’s Top Young Attorneys by the San Diego Daily Transcript, was a finalist for the San Diego Business Journal’s “Business Women of the Year Awards” in 2014, 2016, and 2017, was a finalist for San Diego Magazine’s “Woman of the Year” in 2016 and 2018, and was a finalist for the San Diego Business Journal’s “Next Top 40 Under 40” in 2018. She was honored as one of San Diego Business Journal’s “Leaders in Law” in 2019 and “Women of Influence in Law” in 2021. Rachel was the 2016-2018 President of the Junior League of San Diego and, in this role, was recognized by the California Senate for her commitment to community service. Prior to opening Minerva Law, Rachel was a founding partner at Smith & Scatizzi, LLP, which served the San Diego family law community for more than a decade.

Rachel has been a featured speaker on topics such as financial disclosure in high conflict cases, intellectual property rights under a community property regime, and planning for a stable financial future. Through her work with the Junior League of San Diego, Rachel presented regularly on issues facing transition-age foster youth, anti-human trafficking advocacy, and the development of women as community and civic leaders. She has shared her courtroom expertise with the next generation of lawyers as a mock trial coach at Washington University in St. Louis and Coronado High School.

Rachel received her Bachelor of Journalism degree, magna cum laude, from the University of Missouri in 2001. She earned her Juris Doctorate from Washington University in St. Louis in 2005. Rachel is admitted to the State Bar of California, State Bar of Missouri, State Bar of Illinois and the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri. She is a member of the San Diego County Bar Association, Lawyer’s Club of San Diego, and the San Diego Family Law Bar Association.