Occidental Lawyers

The Law Office of Matt Sullivan is dedicated exclusively to criminal defense. The office defends individuals accused of felony and misdemeanor offenses throughout the Bay Area. The office has successfully defended many clients, including small business owners, tech workers, college students, nurses, firefighters, police officers, attorneys, and regular citizens. Matt Sullivan is a University of San Francisco Law School graduate. Mr. Sullivan was selected to the 2018-2024 Northern California Super Lawyers list in the practice area of criminal defense. Prior to opening his own office he was a trial attorney in the Marin Public Defender's Office, and he also worked...

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.

Mr. Mitchell is dedicated to defense by training and experience, familiar with the demands of protecting the interests of the criminally accused. He worked for 7 years as a Public Defender and handled thousands of cases before going into private practice. He has experience in representing individuals in cases involving Homicide, Domestic Violence, DUI, Drug Sales and Possession, Weapons, Elder Abuse, Assault and Battery, Burglary, Robbery, Evading, Gang, White Collar Crimes, Conspiracy and Probation Violations.

He also pursues Civil Right Violations, police misconduct cases, ensuring his clients are afforded their rights or compensation for the deprivation of the same.

If you've been...

I am an accomplished and resourceful attorney with over thirty years of successful experience in legal and business. Having started my career as an engineer, I know firsthand the challenges of having big ideas and the struggle to bring them to fruition. I am well-equipped to guide you through the essentials of starting up and growing your business, explaining complex concepts in a language that is easy to understand.

Shay Aaron Gilmore provides superior corporate, commercial, and outside general counsel services to cannabis and hemp operators and investors throughout the legal California supply chains. Focusing on mergers and acquisitions, commercial contracts, and other transactional matters, Shay has counseled and guided some of the most successful operators and investors in the U.S. cannabis and hemp markets. Shay is the Chair of the California Lawyers Association Cannabis Practitioners Group and has been recognized by The Los Angeles/San Francisco Daily Journal as one of the Top 20 Cannabis Lawyers in California. Super Lawyers Magazine has listed Shay as a Northern California Super...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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/

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Laura received her undergraduate degree in 2003 from Colby College in Waterville, Maine, graduating Summa Cum Laude and with distinction in her major (English). After graduation, Laura went on to work as a paralegal at Latham & Watkins, LLP, in their Silicon Valley offices and later attended U.C. Hastings College of the Law, graduating with her J.D. in 2008. While at Hastings, Laura was the Executive Articles Editor of the Hastings Women's Law Journal and recipient of the Roger J. Traynor Student Writing Competition Award for her Note "On the Steps of the Mosque: the Legal Rights of Non-Marital Children...

Hasan Abdullah was born in Toronto, Canada, and has been living in the United States since 2000. He received his Juris Doctorate (JD) degree from Santa Clara University (SCU) School of Law, and has held membership in the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) since 2008.

In 2005, while studying at SCU, he interned at their community law center and focused on family-based immigration, VAWA petitions, political asylum, and criminal victim (U-Visa) cases.

Since 2008, he joined a full-service immigration law firm for nearly seven years, and was quickly promoted to manage and train the staff of attorneys and paralegals. While practicing he...

Mr. Batchelder is certified by the Board of Legal Specialization of the State Bar of California, as a Specialist in Workers Compensation Law. For more than a decade, he has frequently served as a Workers Compensation Judge Pro Tem. He has served as a member of the Education Committee of the California Applicants Attorneys Association, putting together educational programs in workers compensation law for California attorneys.

He was admitted to the California Bar in December 1976, and is a member of the bar of the United States Supreme Court, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, and...

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.

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...

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...

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...

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...

As a litigation attorney, Mr. Loew’s primary areas of practice include trust and estate litigation (including will and trust contests), fiduciary litigation, and financial elder abuse actions.

Mr. Loew is certified as a Specialist in Estate Planning, Trust and Probate Law by the State Bar of California’s Board of Legal Specialization, a title held by less than half of one percent of practicing attorneys in California, and by only about three percent of estate planning attorneys.

In addition to the areas described above, Mr. Loew is the founding President of the San Mateo County Law Library Foundation, helping provide access to...

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...

Gillian is the Attorney Mediator and owner of Finding Common Ground Mediation & Law Services. Gillian is an experienced attorney and mediator specializing in family law matters. She has 23 years of experience and has helped hundreds of people resolve their legal disputes without going to court. Getting a divorce or creating a parenting plan for 2 households is difficult. At Finding Common Ground, Gillian helps educate her clients about the law, while empowering them to reach their own agreements with a structured mediation process that promotes productive communication. Clients who mediate maintain control, create tailored agreements that suit...

Ryan Couzens brings a unique perspective, having spent sixteen years with the Yolo County District Attorney’s Office. His deep understanding of what motivates district attorneys and what they need to prove a case is a valuable asset for his clients. During his tenure, he tried 46 jury trials and served as an Assistant Chief Deputy District Attorney where he supervised Yolo’s felony trial teams, Case Charging Unit, and Major Crimes Unit, before transitioning into criminal defense. Ryan’s extensive experience in prosecution gives him a distinct advantage as a criminal defense attorney in Sacramento County and Placer County (Roseville, Rocklin and Lincoln)....

For all your personal injury needs call Chris Mova today at (858)333-4999

Prior to founding Mova Law Group, APLC, Chris Mova was a law clerk at one of the biggest and most prestigious personal injury firms in southern California where he honed his legal and negotiation skills. With this knowledge, Chris Mova was hired by Alavi Legal PLLC, a personal injury law firm, where he advocated on behalf of the firm’s clients and obtained large settlement awards. Upon entering the workforce, after college, Chris was hired as a project manager for Unity Mechanical Systems. A few years later, he was promoted...

Maria C. Jaime is a personal injury attorney with Curtis Legal Group. She focuses her practice on representing clients injured in auto accidents, truck accidents, off-road vehicle accidents, accidents resulting from trip and fall cases, and victims involved in wrongful death cases. Maria graduated from California State University, Stanislaus with a Bachelor of Science in Social Sciences in 2000. She then earned her law degree from Lincoln College of San Jose in 2003 and is licensed to practice law in the state of California. As the daughter of migrant farm workers, she spent her childhood in a farm labor center...

Andrew Marcellino is a seasoned lawyer who has represented many clients throughout Santa Clara County in the trial and mediation process. He fights for his clients in the courtroom, but emphasizes negotiation and mediation as alternatives whenever possible. He does this to save his clients time, money and emotional stress, and to help them retain control over their legal results.

We assist family law clients in matters of domestic violence, divorce, custody and visitation, child support, restraining orders, property division, modifications of court orders, paternity matters, and other issues related to family law. We also provide experienced representation in criminal...

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...

Experienced patent attorney with a strong technical background, over 250+ issued patents, and many trademarks. In addition to my legal background, I have a Biophysics STEM background (PhD) and experience with medical devices, software, electronics, and biotech. I have a lot of experience with startups, due diligence, and litigation support.

Mr. Sowards is an estate planning and wealth transfer attorney. He sets ups estate plans, including living trusts, to help to avoid probate, minimize taxes and limit conflict. He also helps to settle out and administer trust and probate estates. He represents trustees to help them comply with the terms of the trust agreement and the California Probate Code. He minimizes conflict and lawsuits between trustees and beneficiaries or legal heirs. He also represents small and family owned businesses. He has saved his clients millions of dollars in probate fees and has successfully resolved several family conflicts that likely would...

Jennifer is certified as a Family Law Specialist by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. She earned a B.A. in Law and Society from the University of California at Santa Barbara and her law degree from Santa Clara University. Jennifer is a member of the Association of Certified Family Law Specialists, and member of the Santa Clara County Bar Association and is a member of the Family Law Executive Committee of the Santa Clara County Bar Association. Jennifer has lectured at multiple seminars for the Santa Clara County Bar Association, and Santa Clara University School of Law,...

Traci is certified as a Family Law Specialist by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization. She graduated from Santa Clara University in 2000 and was admitted to the bar in December of that year. During her tenure at Santa Clara, she was the Sr. Technical Editor of the Computer Technology Law Journal and received a Certificate of Excellence in Legal Research and Writing. After graduation, Traci was recruited by a top corporate law firm. She worked at Gray Cary (now DLA Piper) from 2000 - 2002 as a securities and corporate transactional attorney. She was involved in...