San Rafael Lawyers

Ernest C. Brown, ESQ, PE is highly experienced in construction contracts, negotiation, claims preparation, construction litigation, mechanic’s liens, bid protests, public works law and insurance coverage. He has resolved more than 2,500 construction disputes, including complex mediations, arbitrations, litigation, court trials, jury trials, DRB's and other innovative ADR approaches. He is a graduate of MIT in Civil and Environmental Engineering and earned a MS Construction Management and JD from the University of California, Berkeley. He also did graduate coursework at Harvard Law School in International Law. He is a senior construction lawyer and licensed civil engineer. Mr. Brown has...

As the principal of the Law Offices of James O'Neil, James O’Neil has narrowed his primary focus to estate planning and estate administration. After graduating cum laude from the University of San Francisco School of Law, he served as an intern for the Honorable A. James Roberston II in the San Francisco Superior Court. After working in law firms from 2009 through 2019, James launched the Law Offices of James O'Neil. His mission is to guide his clients through the complex estate planning and trust and estate administration. He has helped hundreds of clients plan for their futures and manage...

Since 2007 our office has been dedicated to representing San Francisco and Sacramento area employees and victims of serious injuries in a wide range of employment, wrongful termination and injury cases. Individual approach to each client and each injury or employment case is what distinguishes us from other attorneys, as we recognize that each case is as different as each person who has been either injured or aggrieved by their employer.

For over 30 years, Mr. Sparer has successfully represented individuals and businesses in litigation involving securities, contract, insurance, real estate, probate, and trust matters. Sparer Law Group (SLG), Mr. Sparer has obtained over $200 million in settlements, judgments, and recoveries on behalf of securities investors. Mr. Sparer also leads an SLG team that has successfully defended financial professionals and investment funds under investigation by the SEC, FINRA, and the California Department of Business Oversight.

SLG regularly helps resolve sensitive and confidential family disputes involving claims of elder abuse or financial misconduct. In the process, Mr. Sparer has successfully...

L. Randolph Harris is a partner in JMBM's San Francisco office who works with a broad array of privately held companies and their owners on business and tax matters. Randy advises clients with regard to business transition, taxable and tax deferred mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, restructuring, integrated tax planning, federal and state tax controversy resolution, and real estate transactions. Randy's experience includes counseling mature companies on operations, business transactions and mergers and acquisitions and counseling emerging and growth companies on business organization, financing and operations. He advises on income tax planning for individuals, partnerships and corporations and also advises...

Who am I? Why do I do this? What are you getting when you hire me and my staff? Am I any good at this lawyer stuff? Will I win? Those are all good questions; and I even have answers for some of them.

I started the firm in the mid 1990’s after the Savings and Loan implosion killed commercial real estate for about five years.

In 1978, I got my California real estate license, and two years later, my broker’s license. In 1993, I was awarded the nationally recognized CCIM designation by the Commercial Investment...

Accomplished attorney and financier with over 30 years of experience advising companies in commercial real estate transactions, including legal entity formation, joint ventures, property acquisitions and sales, due diligence, land use planning and entitlements, secured and unsecured financing, construction contracts, litigation and arbitration.

Transaction oriented with significant experience in a wide range of commercial contracts, including reviewing, drafting and negotiating joint venture agreements, development agreements, construction contracts, public utility agreements (including service design, installation and power purchase), vendor agreements, service contracts, operation and maintenance agreements, real estate leases, secured and unsecured financing loan agreements, etc. Adept at working collaboratively and...

Paul DeAngelis practices in the San Francisco Bay Area. He concentrates on real estate matters, including litigating buyer and seller disputes arising from transactions, neighbor and HOA disputes, and broker defense issues. He also provides transaction and counseling services to buyers and sellers, to property owners to resolve neighbor and HOA disputes, and to brokers and agents regarding risk management and BRE compliance issues. The information in this profile and any reviews or endorsements do not constitute a guarantee, warranty or prediction regarding the outcome of any legal representation. It is a communication within Rules of Professional Conduct of...

John Runfola is a highly experienced and effective criminal defense attorney. His cases have at times drawn international attention, and he has succeeded in winning favorable results for clients both at trial and through skillful pre-trial work. He is listed in Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers and has earned the highest rating from the national lawyer registry Martindale Hubbell. Prior to starting his own practice, Mr. Runfola served as a Public Defender in San Francisco, where he gained invaluable courtroom experience. He is a seasoned trial lawyer, yet is equally adept at the behind-the-scenes work that often proves critical to a...

Former prosecutor, combat veteran (USCG), complex dispute resolution, competitive business litigation, depositions, trials, law and motion, appeals.

Christa Conry is an associate at the Tobener Ravenscroft. In 2009, she earned her undergraduate degree in history, with a minor in French, from the University of Hawaii at Manoa where she was named to the Dean’s List for each year of attendance. Ms. Conry went on to earn her Juris Doctor degree cum laude from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law. During law school, Ms. Conry was the Managing Editor of the Hastings Women’s Law Journal and member of the nationally ranked Mock Trial Team. She twice received the CALI Excellence for the Future Award and...

Bryan Kemnitzer is a partner at Kemnitzer, Barron, and Krieg, LLP. He received a B.A. from Stanford University in 1972 and a J.D. from McGeorge School of Law (University of the Pacific) in 1975. Bryan was admitted to the State Bar of California in 1975. He has been a civil litigator for more than 30 years and has tried numerous jury cases to judgment. He has served as an arbitrator, and as a Judge-Pro-Tem.

For more than 30 years, his practice has been focused on representing consumers, with an emphasis on the auto industry. Bryan has been involved not only in...

Jacqueline Ravenscroft is a partner at Tobener Ravenscroft LLP. She completed her undergraduate education at the University of California, Santa Cruz, double majoring in Politics and Latin American Studies and graduating summa cum laude. Ms. Ravenscroft went on to earn her Juris Doctor degree cum laude from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law in 2011. During law school, Ms. Ravenscroft was Executive Editor of the Hastings International and Comparative Law Review. She also received the CALI Excellence for the Future Award and Witkin Award for Excellence. Ms. Ravenscroft has been involved in tenant rights since law school....

I am an accomplished California Bankruptcy and Business law attorney. My areas of expertise include a broad range of insolvency matters for creditors.

I provide extensive experience and knowledge, focused on maximizing benefits and minimizing losses. With a long history of successful results, I am dedicated to innovative and practical solutions for your bankruptcy and insolvency problems.

I have been honored with recognition as a Northern California Super Lawyer, Best Lawyers of America, and an AV Rating from Martindale-Hubbell.

Visit my website for more information and to see representative cases.

As an experienced General Counsel with two stints at late-stage growth companies, Ronak Ray leads all legal matters for maturing businesses. He supported TaskUs’ board as corporate secretary and 18,000 people globally while managing to close a $500 million transaction with Blackstone before joining another scaling technology company at Pantheon as their General Counsel. Most recently, Ronak was appointed as Executive Managing Director of modCounsel to support growth companies for concierge in-house legal services from early stage to publicly listed businesses.

I'm the CEO & Managing Attorney at Tenant Law Group, PC, a San Francisco-based law firm dedicated to justice for California renters. We help California tenants who have been harassed or forced to endure uninhabitable living conditions recover money for their losses. We represent tenants in disputes with landlords arising out of illegal evictions from rent-controlled apartments, harassment, defective conditions and repair issues, rodent and other pest infestations, floods, and fires. Law Firm 500 recognized Tenant Law Group as the 22nd fastest growing law firm in the United States in 2019 (the firm’s first year of eligibility)...

I am an accomplished California attorney, representing clients with Government, Environmental, Natural Resources and Land Use matters. I have over 30 years of experience with a broad array of federal, state and local issues. I bring knowledgeable and skilled advocacy to effectively and efficiently meet your legal needs. A recipient of CalCIMA's Spirit of the Industry Award, I am also listed among The Best Lawyers in America and Northern California Super Lawyers.

I am an accomplished Divorce, Family, and Arbitration & Mediation attorney. I compassionately represent clients throughout the Bay Area with a broad range of family law matters.

As a Certified Family Law Specialist, I provide the experience, knowledge and skill needed to advocate for the best possible outcomes. I am dedicated to exceptional counsel to meet your family's legal needs and goals.

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.

Taylor Burras is a Labor and Employment attorney. Her practice focuses on the hospitality and insurance industries.

Taylor has experience counseling and litigating on behalf of employers in matters relating to discrimination, harassment and wrongful termination, reduction in workforce, hiring, leaves of absence, and wage and hour issues. She has also handled matters before the Employment Development Department (EDD), Department of Labor Standards Enforcement, Department of Fair Employment and Housing, and the National Labor Relations Board. Taylor has successfully represented hotels, resorts and restaurants in numerous general and employment litigation matters. In the insurance industry, she has defended large insurance companies...

Robert B. Kaplan is an accomplished California Bankruptcy, Business, and Real Estate Law attorney with an emphasis on creditors' rights and bankruptcy related cases. Focused on results, Bob has been providing rigorous and uncompromising legal representation for over 40 years.

Bob is a Co-Managing Partner at Jeffer Mangels Butler & Mitchell, a firm listed on American Lawyer's AmLaw 200. A highly skilled and knowledgeable attorney, he is ready to assist you in accomplishing your legal objectives.

Matthew Kenefick has an extensive law practice which includes litigation, real estate and compliance matters. Mr. Kenefick represents a variety of industries including manufacturers, financial institutions, retailers, real estate developers, wineries and the hotel industry, among others.

I am an accomplished ADA Compliance & Defense attorney. With a practice encompassing over 30 years, I am dedicated to providing exceptional service and legal representation. I am a member of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers and on the Advisory Board of Directors of the Advanced Commercial Leasing Institute, Georgetown University Law Center. I also serve as Chair of JMBM's ADA Compliance & Defense Group and am the author of the ADA Compliance & Defense Blog. My transactional practice includes leasing, lease administration for developers and tenants, acquisition and sales, portfolio management, regulation of real property use and development,...

Mr. Merchant is an experienced tenant lawyer who focuses on actions for wrongful eviction, landlord harassment, failure to repair, and dangerous conditions that lead to serious injuries. Mr. Merchant has been repeatedly recognized as a Northern California “Rising Star” by SuperLawyers Magazine. Mr. Merchant has helped secure millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements for his clients. Mr. Merchant graduated from Stanford Law School, where he assisted tenants at the East Palo Alto Community Legal Services Housing Clinic. Mr. Merchant then worked as a litigator at Morrison & Foerster LLP, where he received a pro bono award for his representation...

As managing attorney and founding principal of Sweet James, LLP, James M. Bergener has secured millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements in both state and federal courts. His practice extends to injury tort litigation involving car accidents, motorcycle accidents, truck accidents, slip & falls, defective products, police excessive force, road defects, and toxic exposure.

As an avid motorcyclist and MotoGP racing enthusiast, Mr. Bergener’s experience in court is supplemented with his experience on the road. With his personal passion for bike safety, motorcycle accident victims represented by the firm have benefited from the insight of a skilled professional and...

Charlie has extensive litigation and trial experience, having litigated countless contested hearings and various jury trials. Although Charlie practices all areas of family law, his practice now focuses on complex and high-asset dissolutions, many of which require collaboration with business counsel, estate planning counsel, and/or criminal counsel. Charlie practices in all Bay Area Counties, including but not limited to San Francisco County, San Mateo County, Santa Clara County, and Alameda County. Charlie believes that no two family law cases are alike and that each case requires a clear understanding of his client’s needs and ultimate goals in order to achieve...

Michael Stephenson is the Founder and Senior Attorney at Bay Area Bicycle Law. His practice areas include bicycle-accident claims, bicycle-accident litigation, negotiation, settlement, business planning, and trial work. Michael, a skilled cyclist himself, excels at proving liability and damages for injured cyclists. He is dedicated to providing aggressive representation to achieve the best possible outcomes for his clients.

Michael has been recognized as one of the 10 Best Personal Injury Attorneys in California by the American Institute of Personal Injury Attorneys. He has also been honored as a member of the National Trial Lawyers’ prestigious Top 40 Under 40, Million Dollar...

My practice is divided between general litigation matters and my technology practice. I spend most of my day in court, so please don't hesitate to leave me a message.

I have been practicing employment law and business law since 2009. I primarily represent Plaintiffs in individual and class action cases in wage and hour, discrimination, retaliation, sexual harassment, wrongful termination, hostile work environment, unpaid commissions, misclassification cases, independent contractor cases, and many others. I practice all over the State. Wherever you are, I can be there. My experience with small business clients and technology startups also provides me with a unique background in the intersection between employment law and business. I have experience litigating and consulting with business clients on numerous transactional issues; intellectual property (trademark and copyright);...

Hanlen J. Chang provides legal services in Business Law, Real Estate, Estate Planning, and International Tax matters. He was recognized as a Super Lawyers rising star in 2015. Prior to establishing his own practice Hanlen was a research attorney at the San Mateo County Superior Court Probate Department. He has also worked for several Southern California and Bay Area law firms as a litigation attorney representing business owners and professionals . Hanlen grew up in Bubendorf, Switzerland and attended...

Dawn is a highly experienced litigator and trial lawyer with extensive knowledge and skill in litigating personal injury and wrongful death cases. She has 24 years of experience successfully resolving personal injury claims in her client’s favor. Dawn founded The Hassell Law Group in 1999 and has practiced personal injury law in California for the past 24 years. She holds an undefeated record at trial and in arbitration on behalf of her clients. She served as a distinguished Member of the Board of Directors of The San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association from 2002-2012. Dawn has used her extensive negotiation and litigation experience...

Founded in 2000, The Law Office of Christine Troy provides high quality legal services to all clients. Christine Troy is an experienced attorney, practicing exclusively in the area of Immigration and Naturalization Law, with a special emphasis on green cards through employment and marriage/family and work visas. Ms. Troy provides personalized and responsive service to each of her clients to ensure each client is satisfied with the quality of legal work and attention received. Ms Troy was admitted to the California State Bar in December 1999. She is admitted to practice before the California Supreme Court and the Federal Ninth Circuit...

John Gutierrez manages Bailey & Galyen’s California office. He has 15 years’ experience litigating cases involving personal injuries, premises liability, and insurance claims.

John is a native of Biloxi, Mississippi. He obtained his law degree from Georgetown University. Prior to that, he received an undergraduate degree from Brown University and a master’s degree from the University of California at Berkeley.

John has litigated a number of nationwide class action cases involving defective computers, vehicles, and building materials. In those cases, he helped consumers obtain multi-million dollar settlements. He also has extensive experience in construction litigation and real estate disputes.

Mr. Gutierrez is admitted...

A monumental civil rights advocate, Attorney Prerna Lal pioneered a robust network of highly-organized and diverse undocumented youth with digital engagement capacity, and fought against the deportations of immigrant community members. This model of organizing spurred immigration organizations across the country to fight against deportations, and laid the groundwork for the Obama Administration’s “Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA)” program. For this, Attorney Lal received awards and recognition in the community, including the Changemaker of the Year award from the South Asian Americans Leading Together (SAALT). ABC News has listed Lal as among the “Top 20 Immigration Experts to Follow...

My approach to each family law case is specifically tailored to the needs of each client. Some cases require aggressive litigation, while other times, settlement is the best (and cheapest) choice for all involved. As your attorney, you can expect me to give you guidance based on the law, and to be transparent with you about your options. My role is to advise you, but not to make decisions for you. I enjoy partnering with my clients to get them their desired outcome. I am also very responsive to client communication. I pride myself on keeping you...

I am an aggressive Northern California Injury attorney. My practice areas include Personal Injury, Vehicle Accidents, Sexual Abuse and Elder Abuse matters. I am dedicated to pursuing justice and maximum compensation for injuries or wrongful death. I provide attentive and comprehensive representation focused on helping my clients get their lives back in order. Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with my family. My interests include biking, hiking, watching Japanese Anime, and also making pop-up cards.

As an attorney, Matthew Grech began his career as a civil litigator. From there Mr. Grech transitioned into estate planning and probate & estate administration. As an estate planning/administration attorney Mr. Grech has assisted numerous clients manage trust and estate administrations from inception to closing, as well as guiding and facilitating the planning process. It was during this time that Mr. Grech realized that a number of his clients’ family members and friends were facing mounting financial troubles in the wake of The Great Recession. It was this realization that motivated Mr. Grech to begin practicing bankruptcy law, which...