Midpines Civil Rights Lawyers

David L. Axelrod began work as a teenager, selling scorecards in Dodger Stadium. After attending college, David L. Axelrod entered a career as Park Ranger and Fire Fighter, at the East Bay Regional Park District of Northern California. In 1988, David L. Axelrod graduated law school at the University of California, Berkeley, California, passed the bar, and commenced the practice of law. David L. Axelrod worked as Deputy Attorney for CALTRANS Legal Division in Los Angeles, California, and then as Deputy Tuolumne County Counsel in Sonora, California. Mr....

The first 15 years of my legal career were spent as an investigator for the in-house law firm of a major nationwide non-profit organization. I managed up to 20 other investigators on complex, often high-profile, civil, criminal and tax litigation. In the 1980's I attended law school and settled in Visalia California, were I was a partner in a law firm focusing was on criminal and civil litigation in state and federal courts. I successfully obtained a LIFE verdict in a double homicide death penalty case. I handled many appeals for criminal defendants on an appointed independent basis for the...

Robert M. Dowd was born and raised in Hanford, California. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from San Francisco State University. He was an honor graduate of the U.S. Marine Corps The Basic School. He graduated magna cum laude from California Western School of Law. He is a Retired Colonel in the United States Marine Corps. He is married with two children and three grandchildren. Mr. Dowd is Board Certified in Civil Trial Law, has been awarded the highest personal rating of AV by Martindale-Hubbell, and has been selected by the San Francisco Magazine as a Super Lawyer in...

Melanie is a fierce advocate of those whose legally protected rights have been violated, especially as it relates to violations in the workplace and the service industry as a result of Covid-19 policies. She has teamed up with a network of gifted California attorneys to combine efforts in the fight to sustain our constitutional rights in the wake of the pandemic. While on a different life and career path, fate stepped in and the legal profession found Melanie. After overcoming her own legal challenges, largely due to an attorney's advocacy, she felt called to become a lawyer herself. Her experience as...

Rachelle T. Golden, is admitted to practice in California and in Washington D.C. She is currently admitted to practice in all California State and Federal District courts within the State of California. Ms. Golden regularly consults with private and public entities in proactive ADA compliance, which includes creating policies and procedures that comply with Federal and State laws. She is a defense litigator who represents both public and private entities in ADA defense and employment defense. Ms. Golden is a consultant and educator for various political organizations throughout California. She collaborates with and assists elected officials and lobbyist groups in drafting...

Jeffrey W. Peterson was born and attended high school in Fresno, CA. He graduated from Mercer University’s Walter F. George School of Law-located in Macon, Georgia-in 2014. His undergraduate work was completed at Reed College in Portland, OR where he majored in Comparative Religion. In 2008, he earned a Master’s degree in Eastern Classical Literature from St. John’s College in Santa Fe, NM. These early educational achievements provided Mr. Peterson with a deep understanding of the Liberal Arts and cultivated his appreciation for virtue.

In the summer of 2013, Mr. Peterson traveled to Shanghai, China with Santa Clara University School of...

Glenn Katon is an experienced litigator who has handled numerous trials and appeals. His practice has focused on plaintiffs’ civil rights for the last ten years, preceded by over ten years of commercial litigation. He has litigated racial profiling, immigrants’ rights, police misconduct free speech, and religious freedom cases, and been quoted on civil rights law in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and Newsweek.

Peter Depew is a veteran of the United States Army, a graduate of Pepperdine University School of Law, and a former clerk to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Rwanda. He enjoys all things involving the Pacific Ocean.

Yitz Weiss is an Employment Law attorney with over a decade of experience in litigating a variety of employment law cases, including unpaid wage and overtime claims, discrimination, harassment, FEHA, Unequal Pay Act, wrongful termination, and sexual assault cases. Yitz counsels clients on pre-litigation employment disputes and represents them from the inception of a lawsuit all the way through trial and even on appeal. Yitz routinely serves as counsel in mediations, binding arbitrations and in major trials. Upon graduating with a Bachelors degree in Economics from Yeshiva University and obtaining a Degree of Rabbinic Ordination, Yitz Weiss then entered Southwestern University...

My firm, Vanaman German LLP, focuses exclusively on special education, disability discrimination, and cases involving the injury or abuse of students with disabilities. We specialize in special education litigation from IEP representation through due process hearings and into federal court. Our areas of expertise include: Special Education We offer the full range of special education representation, from IEP advocacy to due process to federal court litigation. Our attorneys combine their deep knowledge of the substance and procedure of special education law with an understanding of education, assessment, and how school district's function, to ensure that our clients are provided...

Because divorce is a problem to be solved, not a battle to be won, I focus on alternatives to the court system, through Collaborative Law and Mediation. I believe that most families and children are best served by being supported to work together in resolving their family matters. The fundamental goal in both Collaborative Divorce and Mediation is client empowerment.

With either mediation or the Collaborative process you will have control of the decisions that are made and will be firmly supported, legally and emotionally, in achieving a successful dissolution of your relationship. This not only allows but also encourages you...

For nearly 25 years, Sa'id Vakili has represented businesses and individuals in litigation matters involving complex business and contract disputes, business torts, direct and derivative shareholder disputes, intellectual property disputes, and all forms of employment claims. He has also handled a variety of serious injury tort claims including those arising under maritime and aviation law. Mr. Vakili is admitted in California, New York, New Jersey and Washington, D.C. and has handled cases in various other jurisdictions such as Florida, Nevada, Ohio, South Dakota, and Virginia through associations with local law firms in those locations. Mr. Vakili has also served...

Kenneth Chike Odiwe is a skilled attorney with extensive experience in Civil Rights and Personal Injury litigation. He primarily focuses on representing clients in Civil Rights cases. Some of the areas of expertise he covers include: Police Misconduct: Mr. Odiwe is well-versed in handling cases related to police brutality, excessive force, officer-involved shootings, and custodial deaths. He also specializes in cases involving restraint asphyxia, positional asphyxia, excessive tasing, baton strikes, beanbag shotgun use, and 40mm rubber rounds. Medical Care: Chike Odiwe has a deep understanding of cases that involve inadequate or denied medical care, as well as interference with familial relationships. He...

Oakland, California-based civil rights lawyer representing employees and tenants in cases involving discrimination, harassment, retaliation and wrongful termination.

William D. Ausman, Esquire Attorney at Law 8320 Morro Road Atascadero, CA 93422 Phone: 805-466-4800 Fax: 805-466-4802 Avvo LinkedIn William D. Ausman, Attorney and Counselor at Law is a lawyer based in San Luis Obispo County, California and founded 805 Law Group. He is an experienced family, civil and criminal defense attorney who has an excellent legal team that has obtained outstanding results for his clients. Mr. Ausman is a seasoned family law attorney who has successfully represented client in over 3000 cases. Mr. Ausman has extensive experience in handling high...

Alana Yakovlev is a stellar trial lawyer with a heavy emphasis on criminal defense and civil rights. Rated one of the top trial attorneys in the country, Ms. Yakovlev's advocacy leads to immediate and effective results for her clients.

Haeggquist & Eck partner and trial attorney Amber Eck is a tenacious advocate for employees, consumers and shareholders, and has been for the past 26 years. Amber has taken cases to trial in both state and federal court as lead trial attorney, and has recovered millions of dollars for her clients in settlements, including multiple six- and seven-figure settlements. Amber doesn’t shy away from high-profile defendants — a fact well-illustrated by her role as co-lead counsel in the well-publicized class action against President Donald Trump and Trump University, which settled for $25 million. For her work in the case,...

Spolin Law P.C.’s founder, Aaron Spolin, is a former prosecutor and award-winning criminal appeals attorney. He has achieved successful outcomes on hundreds of criminal cases, including numerous dismissals of major felony cases; non-criminal resolutions to complex fraud and insurance fraud defense cases; successful appellate outcomes from various appellate courts; and multiple not-guilty jury verdicts at trial. Innocent Spolin Law clients wrongfully accused of murder and other serious crimes are now free because of his work. Aaron is the recipient of various awards for his advocacy, including the American College of Trial Lawyer’s Medal for Excellence in Oral Advocacy as well as...

Andrew Cherkasky Andrew Cherkasky is a former federal prosecutor best known for his work as an elite complex litigation attorney with a tremendous range of professional experience. He has become a premier national civil rights attorney through his wide range of legal experience, spanning from complex criminal litigation, to commercial and corporate transactions, to advising Generals in combat, to leading multi-million-dollar federal lawsuits. Andrew is a regular contributor on Fox News, CNN, and other national networks and has also been recognized for his expertise by a wide range of national news outlets, to include: The New York Times, The Washington...

Mr. Hermansen focuses his law practice on state and federal criminal trials, appeals, and habeas corpus. He's been a Board Certified Criminal Law Specialist by the California State Bar Board of Legal Specialization since 2009, and he's been recognized as a Super Lawyer in criminal law in San Diego every year from 2008 to the present. In addition to representing criminal defendants at state and federal felony jury trials, he frequently argues before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and the California Court of Appeal. He's also argued before the United States Supreme Court, the California Supreme Court, and en...

Bryan Schwartz is an Oakland, California-based attorney dedicated to helping employees protect their rights in the workplace. He has fought prohibited discrimination, retaliation, and harassment, obtained reasonable accommodations for disabled employees, vindicated whistleblowers' rights, and ensured that corporations pay workers all wages they are owed. He has successfully litigated individual and class action complaints nationwide, helping to recover millions of dollars for thousands of employees, forcing corporations and Government agencies to change their practices and punish wrongdoers. Bryan Schwartz is also one of the few Bay Area-based attorneys with extensive experience representing Federal employees in their unique Merit Systems...

Houman Fakhimi, the founding partner of the Criminal Defense Team, has amassed deep expertise in the area of criminal defense law thanks to years of experience. He oversees all litigation carried out by the firm, and he has demonstrated mastery in a variety of relevant legal domains. He's an alumnus of the University of California, Irvine and Whittier Law School. In addition to being an active member of the State Bar of Californias Criminal Section, Mr. Fakhimi also boasts accreditations from he Association of Federal Defense Attorneys, the California Attorneys for Criminal Justice, and the California Public Defenders Association.

Jonathon Kaplan is one of the state’s top trial lawyers, having tried dozens of significant cases involving civil rights, employment claims, wage and overtime matters, discrimination, harassment, hostile work environment, FEHA, Equal Pay Act, personal injury, product liability, consumer claims, fraud claims and business disputes. He has obtained an overwhelming number of highly successful verdicts for his clients. Jon has served as appellate counsel on many cases, resulting in published California opinions and establishing law in his areas of practice. Based on his winning track record, opposing lawyers know Jon and his law firm, Kaplan Weiss LLP, are ready, willing...

Philip Shakhnis is a forceful, meticulous and compassionate attorney with over 20 years of experience representing tenants. Philip has represented hundreds of tenants forced to live in slum conditions. Philip has also helped tenants poisoned by carbon monoxide leaks, exposed to mold and whose children have been lead poisoned. Philip is at the forefront of representing tenants wrongfully evicted from properties protected by local rent control laws. Philip focuses his law practice on representing tenants because he strongly believes that every family and every person deserves the right to a safe, decent and healthy home. As part of his experience...

Randall H. Scarlett is a seasoned San Francisco personal injury lawyer and managing partner at Scarlett Law Group. With significant experience handling serious injury cases, Mr. Scarlett focuses his practice on TBI (Traumatic Brain Injuries) and catastrophic accident cases. After decades of experience in the legal field, Mr. Scarlett uses proven strategies to help his clients pursue maximum compensation for their damages. In addition to his experience, he has earned an AV Preeminent® rating from Martindale-Hubbell® and been recognized by Best Lawyers in America®. Mr. Scarlett earned his B.A. from the San Francisco State University and his Juris Doctor from...

Dan Robinson Law provides Fortune 500 - level legal services to small businesses and those with disabilities.

After serving as a clerk for the current Chief Judge of the Central District of California, Dan spent twelve years practicing commercial litigation at large international law firms in San Francisco and a commercial litigation boutique firm in Los Angeles. He represented companies including some of the world’s largest corporations in Federal Court in jurisdictions around the United States, as well as in international arbitrations and the Federal Trade Commission. He litigated cases for Samsung, Microsoft, Huawei, Ariba, MySpace, and others, arguing in courts...

Admitted to the California Bar in 2001, I aggressively advocate for clients with Civil Rights, Employment, Constitutional, Personal Injury and General Civil law needs. I represent individuals, business and government entities in the State of California, the 9th Circuit, U.S. Supreme Court, as well as U.S. District Courts throughout California.

I am an accomplished attorney with proven results including settlement, trial and appellate cases. With innovative and effective litigation strategies, I aggressively pursue justice for my clients. I am dedicated to outstanding service and representation focused on the best possible outcomes.

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

Afshin Mozaffari is the founder and principal of Mozaffari Law. Mr. Mozaffari's practice focuses on employee rights litigation, including discrimination, harassment, retaliation, disability accommodation, and wrongful termination. Prior to the founding of Mozaffari Law, Mr. Mozaffari represented numerous corporations, schools, and non-profits in employment law, business litigation, and class action cases. He recently left the defense side to follow his long-held passion for representing the rights of employees and other individuals. Mr. Mozaffari graduated Magna Cum Laude from Whittier Law School, where he served as Articles Editor on Whittier Law Review. During law school, he worked as a Judicial Extern to the...

John Jahrmarkt, Esq. is the owner and managing partner of Jahrmarkt & Associates. John has more than 20 years of experience handling all kinds personal injury claims - from complicated catastrophic injuries to garden variety "soft tissue" pain. John knows how the insurance industry works and the steps their adjusters can take to protect their profits. All of our accident and injury claims are managed by John, experienced in fighting back against any low-ball insurance offers. We have recovered a number of multi-million dollar rewards for our clients, and we have established a reputation for excellence and professionalism...

Joseph F. Klatt is a veteran California litigator with demonstrated expertise representing individual and institutional clients in complex civil litigation matters. He is skilled in handling all facets of litigation, including initiating and planning a case, managing discovery, drafting dispositive motions and briefs, conducting depositions, trying and resolving cases, handling complex writs and appeals, and negotiating significant settlements in high stakes cases. He is recognized for handling complex, unique, and troublesome cases, providing innovative litigation strategies, looking at legal issues from multiple and unorthodox angles, and cost-effectively achieving his clients’ objectives.

Joseph was the Valedictorian of his law school...

Human / Civil Rights Attorney working with clients in the public and private spheres for over 25 years in over 75 countries. Significant experience serving non-profits in the public health and international development spheres assisting refugees, asylum seekers, and those suffering from various forms of trauma. Particular focus on LGBTQ and non-binary clients with legal / personal concerns related to gender expression and its effects and helping spearhead international initiatives addressing the same.

Current Director of the Gamelan Council - Asia-Pacific Public Health, Microfinance, and Development Center. Previous experience includes working as a primary care clinician / rural health officer for...

Yi-Hsuan Rachel Lin practices exclusively in the area of employment law since May 2015. She has worked on a variety of single-plaintiff employment discrimination, harassment, and retaliation cases against private and public employers in state and federal courts. She also represents whistleblowers under the California Labor Code, federal False Claims Act, and other equivalent state acts. Her work includes all aspects of case management including drafting pleadings and motion papers, arguing motions in state and federal courts, handling written discovery, taking and defending lay and expert depositions, negotiating in mediations, and preparing for trial/arbitration. She also drafted...

Getting her start in the trenches as a legal aid attorney, Erika has years of experience in seeking justice for employees and consumers against unfair practices. She has fought off debt collectors, obtained justice for wrongfully terminated employees, and untangled thorny credit reporting issues. She has taken on local government for refusing proper restroom access to transgender people. In 2015, she even had a federal court declare a state's garnishment statute unconstitutional for violating the rights of low-income debtors.

Whether your case is just starting, or whether you are up on appeal, Erika has the experience and...