Union City Civil Rights Lawyers

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...

Since starting Varlack Legal Services in 2009, I have been on the front lines of litigation as a trial attorney. Valuable experience in the courtroom was gained as a member of the Alameda County Bar’s CAAP program and Lawyer Referral Service. These programs helped me grow my practice as a young attorney while allowing me to grow as a litigator. As a graduate of Howard Law School, I chose to become “a social engineer” rather than a “parasite on society.” After law school, I served on the Charles Houston Bar Association’s Board of Directors, as membership...

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.

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...

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...

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...

I am an accomplished California attorney. I represent employees and tenants in a broad range of Employment, Landlord-Tenant and Civil Rights matters.

Dedicated to exceptional advocacy, I am diligent in fighting for the rights of my clients. I am genuine, experienced, and committed to justice.

I am also active in the community, currently volunteering at both Centro Legal and the Western Service Workers Association where I provide pro bono assistance to low-wage workers.

"I am dedicated to my clients and work hard to achieve the results needed in every case" I have represented clients and continue to to serve the counties of San Francisco, Marin, San Mateo, Contra Costa, Alameda, Santa Clara, Napa, San Joaquin and all other Northern California Counties. No case is to big, and no case is to small. Each one has a certain value to the client and each deserves 110% effort. This is what I do! We Handle everything from: Traffic stop signs; to DMV suspensions; to DUI cases; to serious felonies.

Scott Cole is the founder and principal attorney at Cole & Van Note, one of California's best-known and most highly-respected employment and consumer rights class action law firms. He is a graduate of the University of San Francisco School of Law (1992), and San Francisco State University (B.A., Speech Communications; 1989). He is a member of the California State Bar and the State Bar’s Labor and Employment Law Section, is admitted to practice before all California federal courts (including the 6th and 9th Circuit Court of Appeals), has prosecuted cases in numerous states including New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Florida,...

Marlon Monroe brings a background of court battles and life experiences rarely found in employment law & civil rights attorneys. Prior to practicing law, Marlon taught middle school in Los Angeles for five years and worked in the music industry. After graduating from law school in South Florida, he began his legal career and moved back to Oakland, CA, where he practiced criminal defense for 15 years and became known as “The People’s Champion” due to his zealous advocacy, successful outcomes and representation of prominent members of the local community. While cultivating his skills in the courtroom, Marlon also worked with...

Ms. Szeto-Wong completed her undergraduate studies at UC Berkeley. She obtained her law degree from UC Berkeley School of Law and has been litigating civil rights, family law, and employment cases in state and federal court since 2012. Ms. Szeto-Wong has a successful track record including favorable verdicts and awards in the millions of dollars. She is bilingual in English and Cantonese.

John Hyland is a partner with Rukin Hyland & Riggin LLP. He practices exclusively in the area of employment law. John was Of Counsel with Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker in the firm’s San Francisco office where he advised and represented companies in State and Federal court actions covering all areas of employment law, including wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, disability law, employee privacy, employee leaves, and wage and hour issues. John regularly conducts training seminars and presents on a wide array of employment law issues. Law & Politics Magazine selected John as one of its Northern California Super Lawyers...

As a partner with San Francisco's Rukin Hyland & Riggin LLP, Peter Rukin represents Bay Area clients in a wide array of complex litigation matters, including employment, wage and hour, and business disputes. Mr. Rukin has built a reputation as a thoughtful and strong advocate for his clients, whatever their disputes may be. Mr. Rukin specializes in complex litigation, with a focus on wage and hour and equal employment opportunity claims. Since 2003, as class counsel he has recovered tens of millions of dollars on behalf of thousands of California employees and consumers. Peter also represents clients with respect...

Aaron Clefton is the Managing Partner of Rein & Clefton. He is dedicated to advancing the civil and economic rights of persons with disabilities and all people who are vulnerable or impoverished. Aaron is lead counsel on all ADA cases for Rein & Clefton. He has over 17 years working in the field of disability rights, 5 years of that as an attorney. He has received Martindale-Hubbell’s highest peer honor of “AV-Preeminent” in 2021, given to attorneys “who are ranked at the highest level of professional excellence for their legal expertise, communication skills, and ethical standards by their peers.” That same year...

Attorney Gustavo Magaña is a personal injury and civil rights attorney who was born in San Jose California and has been a Bay Area native his entire life. After working for prominent firms in the Bay Area, Mr. Magaña decided to open the Law Office of Gustavo Magaña to provide better service to his community. Mr. Magaña’s unique background and experience allows him to provide his clients with distinctive representation and personal service. Mr. Magaña attended Santa Clara University for both his undergraduate and law school education. Mr. Magaña graduated from Santa Clara undergraduate school with a Bachelors degree in Political Science...

I was born in Latin America and grew up in San Francisco. A product of the Bay Area, I studied economics at UC Berkeley before moving to Washington, DC, where I worked at both the Federal Trade Commission and the Federal Reserve. In 2003, I embarked on my legal studies at Cornell Law School in Ithaca, NY. Upon graduation, I worked as a corporate associate in Manhattan at a boutique international law firm. There I had the opportunity to work on a wide array of corporate transactions, from financing the construction of a hotel in NYC, structuring investments...

Alden Knisbacher has represented clients in the Bay Area and across California since 1994. He has litigated hundreds of cases in various areas of law including employment, real estate, contract and business disputes, probate disputes, civil rights and other matters.

Mr. Knisbacher is a Georgetown Law graduate.

When not practicing law he can be found hiking, biking, running or cycling with his two children. Or, perhaps, playing with their pet bunny, Bobby.

At Abronson Law Offices, we take the time to understand each unique situation presented to us by a client in need of assistance. We make certain that our clients understand their options and can make informed decisions regarding the progress of their case. Together with our clients, we work toward the best result available, whether through trial or settlement, arbitration or mediation, litigation or dialogue. We strive to be approachable to our clients, and seek to make them comfortable in entrusting us with their legal needs. What really distinguishes our firm is the ease with which our clients...

Dylan graduated from Cornell University (1986) and magna cum laude from UC Hastings College of the Law (1990). He clerked for Judge Melvin Brunetti in the Ninth Circuit and then spent a year teaching legal methods at Stanford Law School. From 1991-2001 Dylan practiced appellate law with Dennis Riordan until going out on his own in 2001. Thereafter he worked with lawyers around California on complex trials and appeals in both the civil and criminal arenas. Dylan joined Edward Kerley’s practice in 2014 and has since focused on the rights of California policyholders. He obtained two key victories on behalf...

Legal Experience Assistant United States Attorney, Northern District of California, 1994-2005. Civil Chief, 2001-2003 Deputy Civil Chief, 1998-2001 AUSA, 1994-1998, 2003-2005 Attorney of record in cases resulting in over twenty published decisions; Litigated hundreds of cases in federal district court; Litigated over 80...

Ehud Appel joined the California State Bar in 2018 after graduating with honors from U.C. Hastings College of the Law. He completed his undergraduate studies at U.C. Berkeley, majoring in Middle East Studies. Before pursuing a law career, he worked in education, healthcare, and the nonprofit world. He was a union representative, union organizer, and research analyst for United Healthcare Workers – West and the National Union of Healthcare Workers, where he represented nursing home and hospital workers throughout the Bay Area in grievances and collective bargaining.

During law school, he externed for the honorable judges Mary E. Wiss and...