Benicia Lawyers

Trusts and Estate Planning Offices in Pleasanton and Mendocino. California estate planning attorney Debra DeCarli has been a lawyer since 1994. She received both her J.D. and Master of Public Affairs degrees from the University of Texas. Debra's unique background led to her professional commitment to estate planning for all types of families. Debra enjoys the estate planning complexities unique to non-traditional or blended families, families with young children, older couples and individuals who do not have children, and folks interested in charitable giving. Virtual meetings and flexible scheduling are available. Call Debra DeCarli at Pleasanton office: 925-568-2350 Mendocino office: 707-937-2701 Or use our...

James H. (Jim) Gulseth was born and attended high school in Devils Lake, North Dakota and graduated with an A.B. degree from the University of California at Berkeley. Jim earned his JD degree at the University of California Hastings School of Law in San Francisco and is admitted to practice in the State of California and before the Federal District Court, Northern District of California, and the U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit. He is a member of the Corporations, Business Transactions, Securities and Tax and Intellectual Property Sections of the State Bar of California. Jim’s reported cases include...

Lynn Gorelick has been an attorney for over 34 years. Attorney Lynn Gorelick is the Immediate Past President of the California DUI Lawyers Association. This is the only and most well respected legal organization for California Lawyers specializing in DUI defense. Ms. Gorelick has been a member of this organization since its inception and has served on the Board of Directors for over 15 years. She is committed to the protection your rights.

Ms. Gorelick is a Faculty and Sustaining member of the National College of DUI Defense. She has been a featured speaker at the...

Stephen G. Opperwall has 40 years of experience representing clients in civil lawsuits.

In 1997, Mr. Opperwall was first designated a Certified Specialist in Creditors' Rights, a specialist designation that has been earned by only 8 attorneys in California.

In 2007, Mr. Opperwall was also named to the list of Super Lawyers of Northern California, a list that is reserved for the top 5% of attorneys.

Mr. Opperwall has been named to the Multi Million Dollar Advocates Forum, an exclusive group of attorneys who have recovered $2,000,000 or more for at least one client, something which Mr. Opperwall has done...

I spent nearly 25 years as a state court prosecutor. The majority of those years were served in Alameda County, and a few years were served in Santa Clara County. I specialized in high profile, complex felony prosecutions. I was the trial prosecutor in the case of People v. Madison, Merel, and Cazares. The case involved the prosecution of three men for the murder of Gwen Araujo, a transgender, teenaged girl from Newark, California. The famous case became the subject of a Lifetime Network movie called, "A Girl Like Me."

There is no aspect of the...

I am passionate about providing estate planning services to parents with minor children.

f you don't have an estate plan, please contact me on LinkedIn or through my website for a complimentary call about your estate planning goals. In my relationship-based approach, we will work together to create a plan based on your values and tailored to protect and provide for your loved ones. By the end of our process, I want you to feel confident and prepared.

I consistently work with trusted professionals in insurance, personal finance, mortgage, and real estate, as well as family, intellectual property and corporate formation...

As an attorney and financier with over three decades of experience, I have been advising companies on various aspects of real estate transactions. My work includes forming legal entities, establishing joint ventures, handling property acquisitions and sales, conducting due diligence, managing land use planning and entitlements, ensuring environmental compliance, and dealing with both secured and unsecured financing. Additionally, I am well-versed in construction contracts, litigation, and arbitration. I am transaction-oriented and have significant experience in handling a broad spectrum of commercial contracts. My skills include reviewing, drafting, and negotiating joint venture agreements, development agreements, construction contracts, public utility agreements, vendor agreements,...

For over twenty years I have focused my entire legal practice on exclusively representing employees in a wide variety of employment matters, including wrongful terminations, unpaid wages, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, defamation and severance negotiations. I handle all lawsuits on a contingency fee basis, meaning that I do not charge a fee in a litigation if I do not secure a recovery on behalf of my client. I have advocated on behalf of several hundred employees in State and Federal Court and have completed nearly twenty trials.

Devina Douglas has worked hard to build a reputation within the northern Bay Area as an attorney who is as easy to work with as she is knowledgeable. She has experience in all facets of criminal practice from pre-filing investigations through jury trial, including investigation, arraignments, motions, discovery, pre-trial negotiations and plea bargaining, probation violations, and post-conviction remedies. She handles various felony and misdemeanor cases involving DUI, homicides, marijuana crimes, fish and game violations, drug offenses, sex crimes, and domestic violence.

Devina attended the California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly SLO), where she earned a...

Heidi Machen has been an attorney since 1996 when she graduated from University of California Hastings College of the Law and passed the California Bar Exam. Prior to hanging her shingle as a sole practitioner in 2008, representing clients in matters of employment and regulatory law, Ms. Machen served in various policy and executive positions in local and Bay Area government.

Among her extracurricular activities, she is an avid cyclist, a Vegan cook, an amateur oil painter, has been known to contribute to theatrical productions on or off stage, and to participate in Democratic party doings. She...

Ms. Bateman Smith is a strong and compassionate family law attorney. She is a strong advocate for her clients' rights in divorce cases involving Custody and Visitation, Child and Spousal Support, and division of community property. She also makes the survivor of domestic violence cases heard by the court. Partition actions are another area of law on which she advocates.

Twenty-six years with the Sonoma County Superior Court gives her a unique perspective in helping clients through each step of their case.

Ms. Bateman Smith is an active member of both the California Lawyers Association (CLA), Sonoma County Bar...

Sacramento attorney Timothy Kassouni founded Kassouni Law on the belief that property rights and personal freedom are intertwined. He passionately considers it his duty and mission to rigorously defend property rights against government and private abuse. Mr. Kassouni has many years of experience litigating against private and public entities at all levels of court, including the United States Supreme Court, the California Supreme Court, the California Court of Appeal, and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to name a few. His litigation expertise in land use, appeals, business, and property rights law has led to legal victories and the setting...

The Law Offices of Evan E. Zelig, P.C. is a Criminal Defense law office dedicated to defending clients charged with all misdemeanor and felony offenses. We represent clients facing charges in all State and Federal Courts within California. Our office is located in downtown Santa Rosa, California and is located just minutes from the Sonoma County Hall of Justice (Courthouse) and the Jail Detention Facilities.

Our office has successfully handled a vast array of criminal cases involving: DUI, Gang Related Offenses, Sex Crimes, White Collar Crimes, Drug Crimes, Violent Crimes, Federal Offenses, Domestic Violence, Juvenile Crimes, Three Strikes, Theft &...

Janet L. Brewer is the principal of the Law Office of Janet L. Brewer, which has its headquarters in Los Altos, California. Janet serves clients throughout the Bay Area and Silicon Valley. She is certified by the California State Bar Board of Legal Specialization as an estate planning and probate specialist – one of fewer than 100 practicing in Santa Clara County and fewer than 1,100 practicing in California (out of over 250,000 lawyers statewide). Janet has deep experience with complex estate planning situations. In her international estate planning practice, she helps non-resident aliens, visa holders, “green card” holders and other international...

Former prosecutor. Experienced criminal, DUI, and juvenile defense attorney across California from North to South. Marc also represents people in Restraining Order cases.

What separates an excellent criminal defense attorney from the rest? The answer is simple, experience. Attorney Robert M. Holley has fought relentlessly for the rights of the accused for over 44 years. Notable cases include: Lynette Fromme (charged with attempting to assassinate U.S. President Gerald Ford in 1975), BALCO (Barry Bonds Steroid Scandal) and numerous others.

Attorney Robert M. Holley was a Federal Public Defender in Sacramento for 17 years and is certified to practice law in both Federal and State Courts. He was a professor of Trial Advocacy at University of California, Davis, School of law. He is currently writing...

David E. Mastagni is a partner with the law firm of Mastagni Holstedt, APC, who specializes in labor and employment law representation of public safety employees, including trial and appellate litigation in California and federal courts. In particular, he handles complex civil, class action and collective action litigation, claims arising out of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the U.S. and California Constitutions, the California Public Records Act (CPRA), the Public Safety Officers Procedural Bill of Rights (POBR), the California Labor Code, the Meyers-Milias-Brown Act, and other statutes protecting the rights of employees.
Among his other legal activities, David is an...

Let me tell you a little about myself. I have been a personal injury lawyer for over 34 years representing only injured clients like you. In my entire legal career I have never represented an insurance company.

I graduated from the University of Florida with a B.A. degree in History in 1969 and a post-B.A. degree in Psychology in 1971. I graduated from a four-year Bible College and then graduated from law school in 1979. I passed the California bar exam on the first try and was sworn in as a lawyer in 1980.

While in private practice, I have also volunteered...

Mr. Parkhurst earned his Juris Doctor degree from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco. He graduated from U.C. Davis with a B.A. in International Relations and a minor in Education. He became licensed to practice law in 1999. A skilled negotiator and private criminal practitioner, Mr, Parkhurst has defended hundreds of clients charged with crimes from misdemeanors to serious felonies in more than 30 of California's 58 counties. He is licensed to practice in all State courts and the United States District Court Northern and Eastern districts of California. He has obtained dismissals...

Michelle Ball has represented students throughout California since 1995 in expulsion, suspension, special education, 504, sports, bullying, Title IX, discrimination and many other student matters. Michelle assists parents and students with public and private, pre-K, elementary, middle school and high school problems, as well as college difficulties, across California. Michelle is located in Sacramento and has a highly informative website and blog on student education issues. https://edlaw4students.com/ https://edlaw4students.com/blog/

Michael Wise brings 30 years of criminal trial experience to the Courtroom. He has served as both a prosecutor and defense attorney. In that capacity, Mr. Wise has earned the respect of the local bench, law enforcement and prosecutors throughout northern California. Having secured several acquittals on a variety of cases, including homicide, sexual assault, rape, fraud, assault, domestic violence and others, Mr. Wise is regarded as the premier criminal defense attorney in Sacramento and Northern California. Mr. Wise is frequently invited to speak as a guest commentator on television. Likewise, he frequently teaches Advanced Officer...

Shawn Dhillon is an experienced real estate attorney and the founder of Real Estate Law Corporation™. Shawn specializes in both real estate litigation and real estate transactional matters.

He has drafted and negotiated over $500 million in commercial real estate transactions all over California. His work includes complex real estate purchase and sale transactions, new developments, ground leases, and commercial leases with local, regional, and national companies, including several Fortune 500 Companies. Shawn regularly counsels owners of retail shopping centers, shopping malls, office buildings, industrial buildings, apartment complexes, self-storage facilities, hotels, gasoline service stations, as well as...

Established in 1996, Eason & Tambornini, A Law Corporation, is a personal injury and workers’ compensation law firm. We fight for the rights of those injured in accidents throughout Sacramento. Our personal injury practice covers various cases, including motor vehicle accidents (car, truck, motorcycle, bicycle), premises liability (slip and fall, dog bites), medical malpractice, and wrongful death. Moreover, we handle all workers’ compensation claims, leveraging our knowledge to help injured workers obtain their entitled benefits. Eason & Tambornini, A Law Corporation, stands out as a top choice for legal representation in personal injury and workers’ compensation cases due to its unique...

Nancy M. Martinez is a California native. She grew up in Los Angeles and moved to the San Francisco Bay Area to attend college. Nancy is a native Spanish speaker. In her spare time, Nancy enjoys photography, traveling, cooking, and spending time with her family.

Ms. Martinez attended the University of California-Berkeley where she earned a bachelor’s degree in U.S. History. After Cal, Ms. Martinez worked as a paralegal for several years in the areas of business litigation, antitrust, class-actions, and intellectual property.

Ms. Martinez attended the University of San Francisco, School of Law where she earned a Certificate of Concentration...

Chad practices Business Law and Estate Planning. In his business practice, he represents sole proprietors, partnerships, LLCs and corporations (for-profit and nonprofit) across a broad spectrum of industries. He takes particular pride in assisting families with their estate planning needs to execute their wishes for the next generation.

Prior to joining the Perry, Johnson, anderson, Miller & Moskowitz LLP, Chad was an associate in the Washington, D.C., office of Jones Day, where he was a part of the firm's international trade and national security practice. In that role, he advised U.S. and foreign corporations on a...

Before joining O'Brien & Zehnder Law Firm, Grant Zehnder spent three years as a defense civil litigator with his practice focusing mainly on personal injury, labor and employment matters, working for Cook Brown, LLP, in Sacramento as an associate attorney. Prior to his bar admission, Mr. Zehnder worked as a volunteer at the Sacramento County Public Defender's Office where he gained valuable courtroom

With 40 years of experience, I am a top-rated Business, Real Estate, intellectual Property and Franchise Law attorney. I aggressively represent clients throughout the Silicon Valley and San Francisco Bay Area.

An accomplished lawyer, I am dedicated to providing exceptional service and legal representation. My focus is always on achieving the best possible results as quickly and efficiently as possible. I have received many honors and awards, including an AV Preeminent Rating for the highest levels of skill and integrity.

For more information, visit my website or call to arrange a consultation.

Ralph S. Curtis is the CEO and Supervising Attorney of Curtis Legal Group. He is a seasoned attorney with over 40 years of legal experience, handling a variety of personal injury cases representing clients who were injured in car accidents, train accidents, plane crashes, truck accidents, and boat accidents. Ralph is familiar with the nuances of the insurance world from his previous experience working for insurance companies, and his ultimate goal is to assist his clients with their legal matters by settlement or by trial, if necessary. Ralph graduated magna cum laude from St. Mary’s College with a Bachelor of...

Paul R. Scheele is a skilled trial attorney at Curtis Legal Group who focuses his practice on personal injury litigation. Paul has worked in the legal industry since 2005, fighting for the rights of injury victims against insurance companies. He handles cases involving motor vehicle accidents, slip/trip and fall accidents, nursing home abuse and neglect, civil assault, products liability, and dog bites. At the beginning of his legal career, Paul defended insurance companies in personal injury cases. He uses this experience to help his clients successfully navigate the legal process against the same insurance companies. Paul graduated from the University...

Attorney John Martin advises individuals, families, and businesses in the areas of legacy planning, wealth preservation, estate & business succession planning, and estate administration. Our law firm focuses exclusively on legacy planning, wealth preservation, estate and business succession planning, and estate administration. Our trust and estate planning services enable clients to protect their spouse's or child's s inheritance from creditors and predators, maximize control over their assets during their lifetime, benefit charities, and effectively transition their business to the next generation. Through an ongoing client maintenance program, we provide peace of mind that a client's goals will not...

I want to be your attorney. My philosophy is that people have problems and my office is here to help them. We all have been there, in need of some kind of help and it really does not matter how you ended up needing help, the main thing is helping with your problem. I graduated with Honors from Golden Gate University with a BS in Accounting and Graduated 10th in my class at Lincoln Law School. Prior to going to Law School, I started working for a landscaping company in high school, and a roofing company after graduation. I joined...

For over 8 years Mrs. Bansmer has been practicing law and providing legal services in the areas of Divorce and Family Law. She has a degree in economics and psychology from the University of California-Davis. She received her Juris Doctor from the University of Pacific, McGeorge School of Law. She founded Bansmer Law with the strong conviction that clients deserve practical advice with sound legal counsel. At Bansmer Law, compassionate and aggressive legal representation is implemented to produce winning results.

Lorilee DeSantis is an attorney whose passion for helping families protect their loved ones and their assets shines through to all who work with her. Lorilee’s clients often comment that her ability to deeply listen and understand their concerns makes it very easy for them to talk to her about difficult subjects. Her clients also appreciate that Lorilee explains complex legal concepts in ways that are easy to digest so that clients fully understand their legal options. Lorilee’s dedication to helping people with family-oriented legal issues stems from personal experiences. When Lorilee was growing up, she saw...

The Applegate Law Office focuses on efficient, effective representation. I provide my clients with exactly the help that they need. I founded the Applegate Law Office in June 2009. I have been practicing law in California since 2003, and I have spent most of those years practicing law in the North Bay. As an attorney for years in Santa Rosa and a former prosecutor in Ukiah and Willits, I am familiar with Sonoma and Mendocino County courts. My office, centrally located in Santa Rosa, serves all of the North Bay – Mendocino, Sonoma, Lake, Napa, and Marin counties.

A personal injury...

I am a State Bar of California Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate law. I have over 30 years of experience as a trusts and estates attorney. I advise clients regarding estate planning, estate/trust administration and litigation. I have offices in Northern and Southern California and can assist you regardless of your location. I can help you with setting up your estate plan, resolving a family dispute regarding a trust or estate and with administration issues after a loved one passes away. Listen to my podcasts at www.adamsandrafferty.com to find out more information about...

Mahal is a family law attorney based in the San Francisco Bay Area. She began her practice in 2014, having spent the previous fourteen years as a law clerk, educator, and paralegal specialist for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Her law practice integrates her passion for civil rights and her love for community. Mahal was born in Vallejo, and after a series of family tragedies enrolled herself in the tenth grade at Oakland Technical High School. She was legally emancipated as a minor the following spring. These childhood experiences inspired her to become an attorney and...

Colby Dean LaVelle II proudly manages LaVelle Law Offices with the personal attention of a boutique law firm but with the resources of larger law firms. An honored graduate of Santa Clara University of Law, Mr. LaVelle has dedicated his career to the pursuit of justice. He began his legal career working for the San Francisco District Attorney's Office. Following his success litigating criminal matters, Mr. LaVelle started the LaVelle Law Offices. Now with eight locations across California, The LaVelle Law Offices is an incarnation of Mr. LaVelle's desire to serve the public, as he...

Mr. Kronenberg's practice focuses on: - Catastrophic Injury: including representing people who consumed food allergens or pathogens, as well as workers who used defectively designed or manufactured food processing equipment, victims of traumatic brain injury, spinal cord trauma, nerve damage, and severe orthopedic injuries arising from construction accidents, industrial accidents, dangerous premises, auto accidents, wrongful death, governmental or public entity liability, and professional negligence. Mr. Kronenberg has more than a decade of experience litigating personal injury and product liability cases from their inception through trial and appeal. - Consumer Protection: litigating class action claims arising from...

Diana is a recognized expert in employment and privacy law, as well as a trained workplace investigator, executive coach, and mediator. Diana is certified by the International Association of Privacy Professionals in both European Union and U.S. Data Privacy. Diana has received mediation training from The Center for Understanding In Conflict, and was also trained by, and serves as an empaneled mediator for, The Northern District Court of California. In addition she mediates privately and as a member of the Contra Costa County Superior Court and the San Mateo County Bar Association. Diana completed over 100 hours of...