Contra Costa County Lawyers

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.

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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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

GIVELLE LAMANO is an Oakland DUI & Criminal Defense Attorney who truly cares about her clients. She has represented people from all walks of life from gang members appealing their life sentences to corporate executives who have never been arrested. She is licensed in both state and federal courts and has served as a court appointed attorney for the Alameda County Bar Association, taking on cases when the public defenders office was unable to do so. Ms. Lamano has received the Super Lawyer Rising Star award, most recently in 2023, for her professional achievement and peer recognition. She...

Attorney Thomas Fleming graduated from Yale Law School and UC Berkeley; taught as an Adjunct Professor of Law at Law School; taught criminal trial skills, in DUI and criminal cases, to future prosecutors and defense attorneys; and taught UC Berkeley undergraduate law classes about the U.S. Constitution, the courts and politics for over 20 years.

Thomas also served the community, in DUI and criminal cases, for over two decades as a Trial Attorney with the Public Defender. He successfully took many, many cases to jury trials, and developed a very special expertise in defending against DUI and criminal...

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.

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...

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...

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...

Do you have questions about the estate planning process? Please call today for a free consultation.

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...

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...

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.

Sam is a Bay Area native. He went to college and law school in San Francisco. Sam is more than just a defense attorney and prides himself on helping his clients during difficult times. Sam is never afraid to take the unpopular position in court and will always fight hard for you. No matter what, he will do his best to get the job done and give your case the best result possible. He has represented clients dealing with minor misdemeanor offenses to serious felonious sex offenses. Sam began his defense attorney career as a public...

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...

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.

Divorce doesn’t have to be a costly and painful battle. Mediator and Collaborative Divorce attorney Emily M. De Falla guides couples toward a cooperative, respectful divorce. By honoring both parties’ priorities, she can help you get around roadblocks and craft sensible solutions. The results are lower costs, equitable results, and healthier, happier kids.

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...

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.

Amy's approach to estate planning is to focus on each client's unique needs and objectives. She strives to design a comprehensive plan for her clients that provides the maximum protection without compromise. Her broad experience enables her to provide keen insight for her clients. She is deeply commitment to her clients and the ethical standards of her profession. Amy has lived in Brentwood since 2001 with her husband and two daughters. She is a Director for the Brentwood Chamber of Commerce and in her free time, enjoys yoga, reading and golf.

Our practice covers all aspects of family and matrimonial law in all of the Bay Area counties, primarily focusing on Contra Costa, Alameda, Solano, and San Francisco counties. We will expertly navigate you through your family law matter, whether it involves termination of a domestic partnership, paternity, custody, visitation, domestic violence, adoption, guardianship, support, an annulment, legal separation, or post-judgment issues. Regardless which of these processes you are dealing with, we understand the strain and pressure that these matters inevitably put on clients and the necessity of providing strong representation. Therefore, we strive to make the entire process as easy...

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...

I have been certified by the California State Bar as a specialist in family law. I excel in helping individuals navigate some of the most difficult and painful experiences of their lives. I handle all issues related to divorce, legal separation, and parentage actions, including matters related to child custody, child support, spousal support, and complex property division. I also help clients wanting assistance with pre-marital and post-marital agreements. Additionally, I serve as a consulting attorney for clients in mediation and those seeking a second opinion. I am also a divorce mediator who specializes in educating parties about the law while...

I am also a Certified Public Accountant and have been doing tax work in the Bay Area for 30 years. I specialize in helping people and businesses pay as few taxes as possible without getting audited. In the estate planning area I help people preserve their property for their families and pay as few estate taxes as possible. I also am the Probate Doctor who can help fix impossible situations when estates are stuck in the quagmire of California Probate.

Thomas M. O'Connor is a founding partner of the firm and currently focuses his practice on Criminal Defense and Personal Injury. As a partner in OâConnor, Runckel & O'Malley LLP, Mr. O'Connor regularly litigates personal injury and wrongful death actions and defends clients in all misdemeanor and felony matters. Mr. O'Connor is a 5th generation San Francisco native and comes from a long line of distinguished attorneys. His grandfather and namesake, Thomas Martin O'Connor, held the office of City Attorney of San Francisco from 1961 until he retired in 1977. His great-grandfather, also Thomas Martin O'Connor, was...

Gordon Young is a 25-year litigator, specializing in financial, trust and securities litigation. Gordon tries and arbitrates cases for trustees, beneficiaries, financial professionals, investment advisors, stock brokers, Wall Street banks, and broker-dealers. These cases include civil, probate and regulatory claims based on breach of fiduciary duty, breach of trust, fraud, suitability, mismanagement of mutual funds and managed accounts, the prudent investor rule, as well as employee promissory notes, up-front loans, raiding, trade secret, unfair competition and related employment claims. Gordon has successfully assisted numerous investment professionals with FINRA related expungement actions. Gordon has been recognized eleven times...

Jean Claude (JJ) B. Mallein Jr. is an experienced business, tax and trusts and estates attorney. Dedicated to wealth preservation, he has focused his education and practice on helping California residents secure their estates and prepare for the future. As a partner at boutique tax and estate planning firm in the Silicon Valley, Mr. Mallein gained valuable experience in wealth management, estate planning, tax planning, business succession planning, trust and estate administrations, tax controversy, real estate transactions and like-kind exchange cases. He is fully prepared to tackle complex business and estate planning cases. Mr. Mallein is a Dual Certified...

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...

Joe Appel has specialized in personal injury cases for more than 30 years. He’s seen it, tried it, and won it, both in state and federal courts. Joe graduated from St. Mary’s College of California, Moraga, California in 1976 with a Bachelor of Arts degree. He also played basketball for the Galloping Gaels for four years. At graduation Joe received the Scholar Athlete of the Year Award. He then attended and graduated from University of California, Hastings College of the Law in 1979. Joe was admitted to the California and Federal Courts in the same year. He has been a member...

Sabi Mand is a zealous advocate for his clients. He works vigorously to provide effective representation and results for his clients. Sabi has worked for several Bay Area law firms handling all aspects of Family Law before starting his own practice. He has also worked as a mediator for over 15 years, and helps clients resolve their disputes amicably. Sabi has volunteered as an attorney for the Alameda County Superior Court, Family Law Division. He has very refined negotiation and interpersonal communication skills. He has been a coach and judge for the UC Hastings negotiation team. In addition, Sabi has had the...

The Law Offices Of Jeffrey B. Kahn, P.C. are uniquely qualified in tax. Is the IRS breathing down your neck and sending you intimidating notices and telephone calls? Are you having tax problems? Is the IRS filing liens, garnishing your wages, levying assets, and devastating your financial and personal life? IRS tax debts require immediate action. Don’t put off dealing with tax debts; inaction could be very expensive. Instead, consider professional IRS help. The Law Offices of Jeffrey B. Kahn, P.C. are uniquely qualified in tax, probate, trust, and business law. We can provide responsive, proactive...

Karyne T. Ghantous is a California licensed attorney with close to 20 years of litigation and insurance defense experience successfully negotiating the resolution of, and trying cases in State and Federal court, Contra Costa County, Alameda County, San Francisco County, Santa Clara County, Sacramento County, Solano County and Monterey County.

Attorney Adam M. Carlson is managing partner at Casper, Meadows, Schwartz & Cook. While he is skilled in various areas of law, he focuses the majority of his practice handling cases related to wrongful death, civil rights, and personal injury. He believes that tailoring each case to each client’s needs is key to providing aggressive and compassionate legal representation.

Before joining the firm, Carlson served as an intake assistant for our team, where he was responsible for fielding calls from potential clients. It was at this time that Carlson decided he wanted to do more. He found that he was passionate...

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.