Contra Costa County Lawyers

Matthew focuses on elder law, estate planning, and related practice areas. He began his career in the field of trusts and estates, and expanded into elder and probate law. He quickly realized that he enjoyed the personal nature of working in estate and elder law, and chose to continue by opening his own firm. He is passionate about taking care of his clients, and treats each of them as if they were family. Matthew was admitted to the California bar in 2006 and has practiced law in Contra Costa Country since 2006. He earned his J.D. at...

The Pakneshan Firm is dedicated to representing clients accused, investigated or charged in state and federal criminal and administrative matters. The Pakneshan Firm is a Bay Area criminal, DUI and Civil Rights law firm which has the experience, expertise and resources to handle all phases of your case. Our firm represents clients in Alameda, Contra Costa, San Francisco, Marin, Napa, Sonoma, Solano, Santa Clara, and San Mateo counties. The Pakneshan Firm has established itself as one of the Bay Area’s premier criminal defense firms. We have a proven track record for getting the best possible results for our clients.

As...

Ethan M. Weisinger is a California State Certified Family Law Specialist working in all of the Bay Area Counties. He represents clients in all aspects of conventional family law matters, (divorce/separation, child custody, spousal/child support, etc.) as well as dissolution of same-sex marriages, including Registered Domestic Partnerships. Ethan graduated with honors from California Polytechnic University in San Luis Obispo with a degree in English and Political Science. Ethan then went on to study law at the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, and graduated with honors, with an emphasis in Trial Litigation in 2010. From 2010...

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Konstantine "Kosta" Demiris is a partner at the law firm of Demiris & Moore, located in the heart of downtown Walnut Creek, in the center of Contra Costa County. His practice focuses on litigation involving elder abuse (financial and physical), will and trust litigation, conservatorships, guardianships, HOA's, and appeals. Kosta is actively involved in the Contra Costa County legal community. He is a member of the Board of Directors of the Contra Costa County Bar Association's Elder Law Section. He serves as court-appointed counsel in Conservatorship cases in Contra Costa County. Kosta is dedicated to helping...

Michael Hassen's litigation practice spans over 30 years and emphasizes general business and commercial litigation, including class action defense and matters involving intellectual property and unfair competition.

If you become my client, I will care about you and fight on your behalf so that you can focus on getting better. I have been fighting insurance companies since 1994 on behalf of real people, like you. My firm is not a "mill" where cases are churned through like a factory. Each client is important and receives the benefit of my attention, concern, and experience.

Daniel T. Quane manages Doyle Quane's Trusts and Estates practice. Dan is a Certified Legal Specialist in Estate Planning, Trusts and Probate Law. He has advanced legal degrees in Taxation (LL.M.) and Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law (LL.M.) and he was named Super Lawyer’s Rising Star in 2015 and 2016. He works with a diverse range of clients, from those of average means to wealthy families requiring complex advanced estate tax planning strategies. Dan has experience guiding families through the complex legal process required upon death in the most efficient manner possible, whether it’s through trust administration or...

Christina Weed understands the complex life demands and goals of her clients. Christina also understands that most of the time it is not possible to completely separate family life from business. Clients need an integrated plan that covers all of their family, business, tax, and estate planning concerns. Christina has dedicated the past thirteen years to the study and practice of law, taxation, business, accounting, and estate planning and uses this knowledge to consult with her clients in business, tax and estate planning matters. Christina is a licensed attorney with an LL.M. in Taxation from the...

Carin Johnson is a passionate defender of parents’ rights and has practiced dependency and juvenile law for over 27 years. She received her Bachelor of Arts Degree at Chico State University and is a graduate of Golden Gate University, School of Law, 1993.

In September 2010, Carin presented oral argument in the California First District Court of Appeal, involving a case where the dependency court denied her client reunification services and sought to terminate her parental rights. Carin fought hard for the mother and won a rare REVERSAL, of the lower court’s ruling. This changed California law.

Again, Carin argued a wrongfully-accused...

When I opened my law firm in 2010, I was pretty much just a bankruptcy attorney. But over the years, as clients came to me with their unique challenges, I evolved my thinking beyond bankruptcy.

I've developed innovative solutions to help my clients handle their debt and credit issues. As a debt and credit strategy attorney, I show clients all options available to them, explain the consequences of each option, and guide them to decisions that fit their individual situation, budget, and timeline. Bankruptcy for my clients is the last, not first option.

My services are for individuals and business owners....

J.R. Richards' practice focuses on developing long term client relationships representing their interests in both transactional matters and in civil litigation. He represents both plaintiffs and defendants primarily in real estate and business disputes and has successfully litigated cases through dispositive motion, trial and settlement in state and federal courts. J.R. prepares each case to achieve a favorable judgment by trial or before trial, and when in the best interest of the client leverages a favorable settlement. Community Involvement: * Coach/Manager for Pre-K/K softball team the Purple Puppies 2016. * Coach/Manager for the Danville...

Leaders In Personal Injury Litigation

In the aftermath of a life-altering injury caused by someone else’s negligent or reckless actions, you and the people you love face many challenges. You will face a grueling recovery process with no guarantee of living the life you once lived. In addition, you will need significant financial resources to compensate you for your medical expenses, lost income, pain and suffering, and other damages.

It is important to understand that the lawyer you select in your personal injury claim matters a great deal. For many decades, individuals and families across Oakland, the Bay Area, Central Valley and...

Jason Horst is the Managing Partner of Horst Legal Counsel. Jason served for more than a decade as an attorney in large regional and international law firms before founding Horst Legal Counsel, serving the legal needs of businesses and individuals in California. Jason is an accomplished litigator, having successfully resolved countless disputes for his clients in a wide range of complex litigation matters, including those involving commercial contracts, partnership disputes, trademark infringement, real estate, antitrust, and more. Jason prides himself on the ability to develop and execute creative strategies to efficiently accomplish his clients’ goals. Jason is also among the...

San Ramon Business & Real Estate Lawyer
Lubna K Jahangiri has been serving the business community of the San Francisco Bay Area for over twelve years. Attorney Jahangiri provides consultation and representation in a variety of transactional business and real property matters including:

Litigation –Represent clients in litigation, trials, arbitrations, mediations, civil writ petitions and appeals related to business, commercial, and real property disputes

Legal Experience
Ms. Jahangiri earned her J.D. (Doctor of Jurisprudence) from Golden Gate University in 2001, from where she graduated at the top of her class. While at law school, Ms. Jahangiri earned the CALI award for writing and research...

Wilson Purves practice focuses on Family, Deportation Defense and Business (Investment & employment) based Immigration to the United States.

Mr. Purves works with individuals and clients of various sizes, from start-ups and small businesses to large corporations, in a broad range of industries, such as wineries, restaurants, manufacturing, academia, medical, technology, athletics, arts, fashion and entertainment fields.

Mr. Purves is a member of the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) and currently serves as legal counsel for the Mexican Consulate of San Francisco, CA.

He is regular contributor to several media outlets in Northern California including AM1010 and...

Indy Colbath is a licensed California attorney who has focused the entirety of her legal career on family law issues, including: divorce, annulment, child custody, child support, spousal support, property division, and domestic violence restraining orders. Indy has a breadth of courtroom experience she relies upon when assessing her clients’ family law matters, as well as strong relationships with the local legal community and bench. Indy has effectively represented her clients in an array of complex family law litigation, many of which involving high net worth individuals. Even though Indy has a passion for courtroom advocacy, she understands that every...

My work history has been focused in the area of family law and judgment enforcement for family law cases.

Prior to becoming an attorney in 2004, I obtained my paralegal certificate in 1979, established American Process & Courier Service in 1991. I have a broad range of experience including family law, civil litigation, probate, bankruptcy and estate planning.

I now focus on assisting self-represented litigants with document preparation services in family law and uncontested probate matters as well as enforcement of judgments.

Andrew is a senior counsel in the Oakland/East Bay office of Ericksen Arbuthnot and co-chair of the firm's Appellate Practice Group. He is AV® Peer Review Rated by Martindale-Hubbell and has been selected as a Northern California Super Lawyers Rising Star by Thomson Reuters. Andrew has extensive litigation experience representing individual and institutional clients in state and federal court. His areas of practice include insurance coverage and defense, intellectual property, personal injury, professional liability, real estate, and other commercial issues.

Andrew has B.A. degrees in Cognitive Science and History, and a minor in Philosophy, from the...

I represent individuals and small to medium sized businesses in bankruptcy, foreclosure defense and debt consolidation matters. For individuals, I represent clients in Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy proceedings, including adversary proceedings, including 2nd home mortgage lien stripping, redemption of vehicles and student loan reductions. For businesses, I provide services related to the winding down of a business, board and management consultations and bankruptcy debt consolidation in Chapter 11. In conjunction with my bankruptcy practice, I also provide estate planning, probate and trust administration representation. The best way to avoid probate is to plan properly by drafting...

You’ve spent your life building your wealth. And no matter how large or how modest – protecting your assets matters. Ivette Santaella understands that estate planning may seem daunting. You might feel uncomfortable talking about what happens after death. Or maybe you’re worried that you don’t understand the laws well enough. Santaella Law Group, APC is here to guide you through your concerns and make estate planning easy. Ivette has more than 30 years of experience talking her clients through their goals, translating and helping them navigate the law, and working with them to come up with a solid plan for...

Porrino Law PC operates under the guidance of principal Dominic H. Porrino, who entered law practice with the intention of protecting the assets and safety of citizens by helping them negotiate the complexities of the California legal system. The competitive spirit that prompted him to play lacrosse and rugby in his youth now drives development of strategies to protect the best interests of his clients.

Mr. Porrino, an attorney whose practice encompasses legal separation, divorce, child custody and support, estate planning and other civil matters, obtained his law degree from Golden Gate University School of Law and was admitted to the...

Mr. Light firmly believes in the power of empathy and humanity. His strength of empathy and unique personal experience with tragedy has allowed him to connect with clients who’ve suffered their own profound losses. Mr. Light is honored to represent and advocate for individuals and families suffering from the universe of challenges that inherently follow a traumatic brain injury.

Nobody expects or can anticipate what follows a brain injury, even a “mild” trauma. Growing up, Mr. Light was reminded on a daily basis of the strength, determination, love, patience and understanding necessary to endure the aftermath of a life-altering event....

Erik is rated one of California's rising stars in the field of Labor and Employment Law by the American Institute of Legal Advocates. He is now an associate at Littler Mendelson, the world's top-rated Labor and Employment Law firm.

Erik is a graduate of UC Hastings, College of the Law, where he worked at the California Supreme Court and at the First District Court of Appeal, two of the most prestigious opportunities provided to law students in California. Erik also served as a law clerk for the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Victim Impact Program (sometimes referred to as the “Special...

The Law Office of Glicel Sumagaysay handles employment matters as follows: *Federal employee, public entity employee, and private employee representation in the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ("EEOC"), federal court, Department of Fair Housing and Employment (“DFEH”), and state courts; *Claims include wrongful termination; retaliation; discrimination on the basis of disability, race, gender, and other protected statuses; *wage and hour matters with the Department of Labor Standards and Enforcement (“DLSE”) and courts; *small business employer compliance with California and federal law.

Attorney Gary D. Sparks is an accomplished lawyer who has successfully provided legal services and representation to families, husbands, wives, parents, military service members, and same sex partners for nearly two decades. Gary was a regular guest for several years on the former Ronn Owens Program on KGO-AM 810 in San Francisco, and has been interviewed by local and national publications in addition to publishing several of his own legal guides.

Gary graduated first in his class from John F. Kennedy University School of Law, where he was awarded magna cum laude honors for excellence in academic achievement and received...

Leigh E. Johnson is a practicing trial lawyer, and principal of “Trial Whisperer” Trial Consulting. Leigh is dedicated to assisting lawyers preparing for trial in both civil and criminal arenas. Her expertise is in developing an effective storyline that serves as the vortex for opposing counsel. She accurately identifies issues and reconstructs them to achieve positive outcomes within a variety of legal forums from arbitration to trial. Leigh’s philosophy is that in order to obtain the best results regardless of forum, you should always prepare your case as if it were going to trial. Leigh’s passion and primary focus...

Stephen offers experienced business and legal counseling to individuals and corporations throughout the Bay Area, including: (1) Business litigation and dispute resolution services involving misappropriation of trade secrets, non-compete/solicitation agreements, mechanics lien and payment bond claims, commercial leases, breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, fraudulent misrepresentation and unfair, unlawful or fraudulent business practices (Bus. & Prof. C. sec. 17200); (2) Construction contracting; (3) Intellectual Property licensing and distribution; and (4) E-commerce, website terms of use, privacy policies and data protection and security.

Zachary Rayo brings experience, efficiency and empathy to estate planning. Mr. Rayo’s approach is people-centered. He recognizes that the legal needs and special issues differ from client to client, that each person is unique, with unique needs that must be met with efficiency, active listening and care. Mr. Rayo knows the importance of social responsibility which manifests not only in ethical decisions and practices but also in involvement in socially important causes.

I am an estate planning and business law lawyer practicing in East Contra Costa County California. I take pride in providing value minded legal services to area families and businesses.

Mr. Wood began his legal career with the view of developing a personally rewarding practice by working directly with individuals and families. He draws upon his financial background to apply creative approaches to complex Bankruptcy issues. Mr. Wood currently provides Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 services to his clients. Prior to establishing his firm, Mr. Wood worked at a prominate Bankruptcy Law Firm counseling clients in the areas of Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 Bankruptcy and in Consumer Litigation. Mr. Wood has also worked as a project manager for Morgan Stanley Capital International and in portfolio management at Mellon...

Hi! I'm Scott M. Johnson and I am founding Partner of Gale, Angelo, Johnson & Patrick PC. I graduated Cum Laude from the University of California, Los Angeles with a major in American Literature, then attended Santa Clara University Law School and graduated Cum Laude. Prior to starting Gale, Angelo, Johnson & Patrick, P.C., I worked for a consumer bankruptcy law firm assisting debtors. I have represented hundreds of Debtors in Chapter 7, 11 and 13 bankruptcy cases throughout Northern California, successfully helping them to discharge the burdensome debt, keep their homes, and restore their credit. Scott also represents consumers in...

I am a divorce attorney mediator. I have created a divorce mediation program that can help you reach an agreement in as little as 90 days. After years spent in courtrooms, two truths became undeniable: Getting divorced in court is too expensive and getting divorced in court takes too long. Between the cost and the time involved, most clients are disheartened and dissatisfied with the process. I knew there had to be a better way. Divorce is hard enough without adding years of expensive courtroom battles. Committed to helping separating couples find closure faster, I undertook divorce mediation training and...

Mr. Tormey has over 20 years of experience in product development, marketing and intellectual property protection. As a company startup veteran, Mr. Tormey brings a unique perspective on the value of intellectual property to a small and growing business. As such, he also speaks to entrepreneurs and business executives on how to protect and leverage IP assets. Mr. Tormey is the author of the "Startup Guide to Intellectual Property." As a patent attorney, Mr. Tormey has drafted over 100 patent applications covering software, electronics, wireless, radio, mobile applications, encryption and automation controls. Besides intellectual property law, ...

Ms. Benedetto has assisted hundreds of clients with the creation of their Wills, Living Trusts and other estate planning documents. She assists families with trust administration and probate procedures when loved ones pass away, and also prepares legal documents for conservatorships of elderly clients and limited conservatorships for developmentally disabled adults. In 2006, Ms. Benedetto created the Family Trust Law Center, later incorporated to Family TLC, Inc., to be a firm where families come for professional estate planning by licensed attorneys, at flat, reasonable fees. Amendment of documents and other hourly work is done as...

Mr. Luna holds Bachelor of Science degrees in both Management and Marketing from San Francisco State University and went to the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, where he graduated with honors and was appointed a member of the Traynor Honor Society. In addition, Mr. Luna received a coveted Witkin Award for studies conducted in International Banking.

After graduating from law school, Mr. Luna worked in a boutique civil litigation and general practice firm in Fresno, CA and then went on to work with a couple of different Workers' Compensation firms in the Bay Area (doing both applicants and...

With more than 40 years of legal experience, Andrew Schwartz has handled countless cases for clients ranging from serious injuries and personal injury to product liability law at Casper, Meadows, Schwartz & Cook. A 1975 graduate from the University of San Francisco School of Law, Mr. Schwartz has been admitted to the Federal and California Bars and the U.S. Supreme Court. Throughout his legal career, he’s achieved numerous multi-million-dollar verdicts and settlements for injured clients, including a $5.6 million jury verdict that was considered one of the top 100 jury verdicts in California in 2017. In addition to holding memberships...

Throughout her legal career, Vanessa has practiced exclusively in the area of family law. With her legal training and knowledge, she provides compassion and advocacy for her clients. Vanessa’s experience working on a broad spectrum of family law matters include divorce, pre-divorce counseling and planning, premarital agreements, complex marital property issues, high conflict child custody disputes, child and spousal support issues and domestic violence prevention and defense. Vanessa protects her clients’ assets and the best interests of her clients and their children. She represents clients in public court and before private judicial officers. In addition, she serves as a consulting...

Michael J. Young is an Estate, Probate and Asset Protection Attorney in Walnut Creek, CA. Mr. Young helps his clients plan for not only "What Happens if You Die", but for "What Happens If You Don't Die And Become Ill and Need Care." He helps his clients in the design of their estate plans, to protect their assets for their senior care and to also provide a legacy for their loved ones.

Mr. Young, who has been in practice for over forty years, gives workshops every month in Walnut Creek on basic estate planning and advanced estate planning. The basic...

Loren Barr specializes in estate and trust litigation, estate planning, and trust and estate administration. He has represented hundreds of clients in estate, trust, and elder abuse cases, and has extensive experience drafting and administering wills and trusts. He has been certified by the California State Bar of Legal Specialization as a Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust & Probate Law since 2004 and has served as a witness in elder abuse and trust cases. Loren has been recognized as a Northern California “Super Lawyer” every year since 2008. Loren grew up in Lafayette, California and graduated...