Santa Ynez Government & Administrative Lawyers

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.

Heidi Machen has been an attorney since 1996 when she graduated from University of California Hastings College of the Law and passed the California Bar Exam. Prior to hanging her shingle as a sole practitioner in 2008, representing clients in matters of employment and regulatory law, Ms. Machen served in various policy and executive positions in local and Bay Area government.

Among her extracurricular activities, she is an avid cyclist, a Vegan cook, an amateur oil painter, has been known to contribute to theatrical productions on or off stage, and to participate in Democratic party doings. She...

The Law Offices of Lucy S. McAllister is a California-based administrative law, licensing law and criminal law practice providing legal services for clients in California. Attorney McAllister has successfully won over 250 Superior Court trials as a Defense Attorney.With 30+ years experience as a civil and criminal attorney.

She specializes in the following areas of law:

Licensing Law :
Pre-hearing resolution of licensing issues, Administrative Hearings, Administrative Appeals, License Applications, Legal Advice, Handling License Criminal Disclosures (Applications, Renewals, Reinstatements), criminal record expungement.

Criminal Law:
Restraining orders, DUI charges and convictions, Domestic Violence, Sex Charges, Strikes Charges, Assault and Battery, Theft and Fraud,...

“I have walked many paths in life. I started life out as an attorney, have been a minister, a school teacher, but the most important job I’ve ever had is a father. When my son, Danny was born, it changed my life. When he was diagnosed with autism, it shook my world. When the school system and the state tried to cut off his services because of this current budget crisis in California, it pointed me to my true calling. I have often wondered why I’ve been privileged to be able to have three very satisfying careers as...

Top-rated and award winning Los Angeles lawyer representing clients in business and alcohol-liquor law, focusing on advising entrepreneurial startups, emerging and established companies with respect to business formation and structuring, ABC liquor licensing, ABC disciplinary defense, conditional use permitting (CUP), administrative and governmental proceedings, trademarks, commercial contracting, and commercial leasing. Our firm also represents clients in criminal and DUI law, including land use and municipal code enforcement defense. In addition, we represent clients in personal injury claims.

James Lawrence Knox is a partner at Milligan, Beswick, Levine & Knox, LLP. For almost two decades, Mr. Knox has been providing aggressive legal representation to clients facing criminal charges, as well as individuals involved in family law issues or facing administrative law proceedings. Mr. Knox, along with the other members of our legal team, is firmly committed to putting the needs of clients first and has a long and distinguished track record to show that he is a skillful litigator and knowledgeable legal professional.

Whether you are getting divorced, have been charged with a crime, received a traffic citation, or...

Gould School University of Southern California. American Jurisprudence Award. Captain US Army Bronze Star Vietnam. Asst. US Attorney Central District California. Senior Partner Knapp Marsh Jones & Doran; Morse Giesler & Callister. Expertise in Home Owner Association cases and dispute resolution matters, real estate matters, litigation, and business law.

Adam Stoddard is a partner in the firm and has represented developers, general contractors and their insurance companies specializing in the representation of businesses and individuals in complex construction defect litigation, contract, and fraud-based disputes. This included representation ranging from Fortune 500 companies, to national builders and to individual board members of non-profit corporations through the initial investigation, pre-litigation process, and trial. Adam also worked for a prominent plaintiff's law firm representing homeowner's associations in complex construction defect cases. This provided Adam with a practical approach to critically evaluate construction defect claims and implement effective resolution strategies through mediation and settlement...

Paul Neuharth has been practicing criminal and administrative law exclusively for 25 years. Considered a top State, Federal Criminal defense and DUI attorney in San Diego, Mr. Neuharth has worked his way through College and Law School as a California State Law Enforcement Officer for almost 7 years. As an award winning trial attorney, he zealously fights for the best possible outcome for every client – regardless of the criminal charges. He has been recognized as a leading DUI and criminal defense lawyer in greater San Diego, by the legal community.

I’ve been an attorney for going on 20 years in the greater bay area of California. When you call me, you will talk to me directly. You won’t get assigned to a paralegal or another attorney. I have a passion for practicing law and helping my clients to the best of my ability. I like talking to people and getting to the heart of the matter through direct and clear talk.

Local Estate Elder Law Planning Attorney
Long term Pleasant Hill resident, Jeffrey Hall, didn’t follow the traditional path to the practice of law. Indeed, attorney Hall grew up in central Los Angeles, and in a time when there was no expectation that he would attend college; and law school was simply not an option. However, after completing his bachelor’s degree in Economics from Saint Mary’s College, he volunteered with the Air Force in 1981 and served for 9 years, both reserve and active. Upon returning to California, he and his wife made Pleasant Hill their home and have...

After working for the Office of the Attorney General and the Public Defender's Office, I graduated at the top of my law school class and opened my own office in downtown Sacramento in 1997. I've been running my own law office for almost 30 years now. I handle DUI Defense, Criminal Defense, Administrative Professional Licensing Defense cases. I'm a skilled negotiator, and I've won every case I’ve set for trial in the past 20 years. I offer a personal service and I have a passion for defending my clients - to protect them from the disruption and life changing...

Birch Citadel CEO and founder Matt Chalmers is a seasoned environmental attorney with over seven years of experience practicing at the forefront of climate change and energy law and policy, administrative law, CEQA, NEPA, land use planning, and permitting. Experience: From 2014 to 2023, Matt served as an attorney for seven years with the California Energy Commission as well as in technical and policy advisor capacities. He was the lead attorney on numerous aggressive and high-profile energy efficiency rulemakings such as California's 2019 and 2022 Energy Codes, which implemented first-in-the-nation requirements that most new construction in California be built with solar...

Webb Law Group, APC specializes in business and real estate litigation and mediation and focuses on providing the most practical and cost-effective solutions possible through intently investigating the unique facts of each case and providing straightforward, honest advice and dedicated service specifically tailored to each individual client's needs. Founded in 2008, initially as the Law Offices of Lenden F. Webb, a business litigation attorney in San Diego, the firm quickly outgrew its initial office space by employing a full office staff of Paralegals, Law Clerks, Office Assistants and Interns. In 2012, the firm expanded once...

Stacie Patterson—San Diego Criminal Defense Attorney & Professional License Defense Attorney. The Law Office of Stacie L. Patterson serves the greater San Diego, Riverside, and Orange County areas in professional license defense and criminal defense. Stacie Patterson has over 20 years of experience in California as a professional defense attorney and as a California and San Diego criminal defense attorney. Stacie graduated from Yale Law School in 1991. Since then, she has defended clients accused of felonies and misdemeanors in both federal and state courts. As a professional license defense attorney, she has defended clients from a wide range...

Nicholas Arcamone is currently an Associate at the Bruckner Law Firm- a federal contract litigation firm in San Diego, CA. At the completion of a four-year tour with the Army as a Military Intelligence Officer, CPT Arcamone returned to San Diego to attend Thomas Jefferson School of Law. Nick volunteered with the SDVLP's Domestic Violence Clinic, where he helped indigent domestic and elder abuse victims in obtaining quality legal services. He earned the Wiley M. Manuel Certificate for Pro-Bono Services in 2011. Nick began his...

Rena M. Harrison is a Fresno, California based criminal defense and government investigations attorney. Rena represents clients in Fresno, Madera, Tulare, Kings, Merced, and Mariposa Counties as well as in Federal court. Ms. Harrison graduated from San Joaquin College of Law in the Top 10 of her class. Rena has been with Hammerschmidt Law Corporation since March of 2018 and has worked closely with both Mr. Hammerschmidt and Mr. Rooney on federal and state white collar criminal cases, federal and state drug and firearm offenses, felony and misdemeanor DUI offenses, murder and manslaughter cases, and others.

Prior to becoming an...

Sean Prosser defends clients facing investigations and enforcement actions by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), including FBI and Grand Jury proceedings, and other government agencies. He also defends companies and their executives in shareholder litigation. With offices in San Diego and Los Angeles, Sean leads Mintz Levin’s California Securities Litigation practice. His clients include public and private companies, officers and directors, board committees, broker-dealers, banks, investment advisors, hedge funds, CPAs, individual stock traders and public officials. Sean regularly represents clients before the following agencies and regulators: U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission...

Ms. Macedo practices civil litigation, estate planning, provides general counsel services, and is a consultant working on policy issues. Her interests include supporting local municipalities, small businesses, and community nonprofits. She is also a career development coach focusing on women of color. Previously she was an Associate at a Central Valley plaintiff’s law firm working on catastrophic personal injury cases and an Equal Justice Works Legal Fellow focusing on providing free legal assistance to low-income communities in the Central Valley.

Nicholas Grossman joined the State Bar of California in 2009 and has been selected by his peers as a “Rising Star” (top 2.5% of attorneys in Southern California under the age of 40) seven years in a row (2013- 2019). He has extensive experience in the areas of personal injury, employment law, probate, and civil litigation; and have tried multiple cases to verdict. Mr. Grossman has also served as an adjunct professor of law at AHU School of Law in Ontario, California, where he taught several classes including Legal Remedies and Wills & Trusts.

Prior to working at Shafer,...

At Montgomery & Wetenkamp, we understand the sleepless nights and stress that flows from dealing with tax and legal matters. While working directly with Montgomery & Wetenkamp, we will lead you on a course to a resolution of your tax and legal issues. We offer affordable legal representation with a focus on IRS tax relief nationwide. Pure tax attorney representation! No middlemen. Attorneys Montgomery & Wetenkamp will personally handle every aspect of your tax relief case. Speak with a tax relief attorney today by calling (800) 454-7043 for your free consultation.

San Diego Attorney Brian A. Victor has litigated complex family law matters ranging from child custody issues to community property debts resulting from loans. Brian A. Victor is the only attorney in San Diego County with prior work experience at Family Court Services (FCS) where for more than eleven years he worked with the most challenging child custody visitation matters and crafted more than 4000 child custody recommendations for Family Court judges. Attorney Victor sets himself apart from other family law attorneys in his ability to prepare clients for their FCS custody and visitation session when there is a custody dispute...

I have over 21 years experience serving Santa Cruz, Santa Clara and Monterey Counties with superior and efficient land use, real estate, and business law services – all backed by professionalism and integrity. In my current practice in Capitola, I represent individual, business and public agency clients in a wide range of real estate, land use, and public law matters (transactional and litigation), with special emphasis on: Land use permits; Zoning compliance and red tag removal; CEQA and Coastal Act compliance and litigation; Writ of mandate litigation (against or on behalf of public agencies); Real estate transactions, disputes...

Todd Gallinger is the founder and principal of Gallinger Law. He is licensed to practice law in California, New York, and all Federal District Courts in California. Mr. Gallinger’s practice focuses on the needs of small businesses and their owners, as well as non-profit law. For his education, Mr. Gallinger attended the University of California at Santa Barbara, where he earned a Bachelor’s degree cum laude in Religious Studies, and the George Washington University Law School in Washington, DC, where he earned his Juris Doctorate cum laude. Mr. Gallinger writes frequently on numerous legal and political topics, including acting as a regular...

Our operation is focused on providing cost effective solutions and expert customer service to all our clients. In addition to real estate, the firm represents clients in business litigation, construction defect problems, estate planning, arbitrations and mediations. We want our clients to fully understand the legal process and what will be involved in finding a constructive result to their legal issue. I am very active in the legal and real estate community. I continue to educate myself on the most up to date information within my field. I maintain active memberships with both local and national groups in the industry....

We are California's premier professional license law firm, appealing license denials, defending accusations, and assisting professionals with government regulatory compliance issues. For 20 years, I have fought for professionals and business owners, listening with compassion, being straightforward and honest with our clients. Our clients face a system that can be cold, impersonal, uncaring and harsh. We act as skilled and knowledgeable guides through that system. We strive to educate and inform clients, to minimize case weaknesses and maximize strengths, in order to achieve the best results while mindful of a client's budget and appetite for risk....

Having enjoyed a varied career for State, County and City government, and having specialized in civil rights and employment matters throughout, I have joined with Mike Claessens and Bob Cramer, colleagues of 20+years, in a common purpose and dedication: License Advocates Law Group LLP is we three, representing California professional and occupational license applicants and licensees in administrative proceedings to obtain, defend from discipline or revocation, and reinstate licenses in 800+ career fields. We are having the time of our professional lives.

Jonathan A. Goldstein is the founder of the Law Offices of Jonathan A. Goldstein, Esq. (JAG Law Offices). He is an attorney, mediator, and arbitrator with over seventeen years of experience in representing public and private sector clients while serving the public interest for the last eleven years in various pro bono and voluntary roles. Mr. Goldstein is a graduate of the Johns Hopkins University where he earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree with Honors in Political Science and a minor in Women’s Studies. He also received a Juris Doctorate with Honors from The George Washington University School...

Lance Claery has been successfully practicing family law for more than seven years. He has worked with a diverse client base ranging from multi-millionaires to low income, modest means clients. He started his career as an attorney working with one of Southern California's most experienced family law attorneys. Thereafter, Mr. Claery began working for one of Southern California's busiest and most prestigious law firms. He was made a partner of that firm very quickly and has since worked on hundreds of divorces and other family law matters. Mr. Claery has handled trials, depositions, arbitrations, mediations,...

Jennifer McGrath has created a unique law practice specializing in all areas of cannabis law. With over twenty years of legal experience, Ms. McGrath provides legal support and guidance on California Cannabis Law to cannabis businesses throughout the state as well as Cities and Counties in navigating the emerging California State and local regulation of both recreational and medical marijuana in this rapidly changing environment.

– cannabis licensing (local and state)
– cannabis regulatory compliance
– appeals of cannabis license/permit denials or discipline
– cannabis litigation & administrative hearings
– development agreements
– building permits
– zoning & land use
– leases
– voter initiatives
– advocacy
– government...

Rob Bernheimer is a public policy expert and attorney with a proven track record of providing game changing strategies to complex issues, particularly where law and politics converge in government, corporations, non-profits, clubs and homeowners associations.

With nearly a decade as a Mayor and City Councilmember, and over 25 years of experience in representing clients in government, political and legal matters, Bernheimer has served as the strategic quarterback for Fortune 500 companies, private individuals, public agencies, corporations, non-profits and global investment companies in legal, municipal and special district issues across California.

His experience includes:
- Real estate development and...

ADAM G. SLOTE practices in the areas of administrative law (professional licensing), litigation and business law. He has been in practice since 1988. Adam opened his own practice in 1992 with the goal of utilizing technology to provide high-quality legal services efficiently and cost-effectively. LICENSE LAW (ADMINISTRATIVE LAW) - Adam has defended professionals and businesses in administrative law/licensing law cases since 1991. His licensing practice is state wide. He has extensive experience in hearings before the California Office of Administrative Hearings (OAH) as well as experience filing Appeals/Writs of Administrative Mandamus (Mandate) to the Superior Court of California and to...

During my nearly two-decade career with the California Attorney General's Office, I conducted numerous corporate fraud investigations under the California False Claims Act. I also have extensive experience representing health and welfare agencies – including the California Department of Health Care Services, Department of Public Health, and Department of State Hospitals – in state and federal court. I want to help small and medium-sized business navigate the challenges of government investigations and regulatory compliance. I also understand how costly and disruptive California Invasion of Privacy ("CIPA") cases can be for B2B enterprises, and can provide tailored, cost-effective representation.

I bring 18 years of litigation experience to the Department of Police Accountability. For the last four years, I have practiced plaintiff's personal injury law and criminal defense in private practice. I served as a deputy public defender in the San Francisco Public Defender’s Office from 2002 until 2014. As a deputy public defender, I helped to defend thousands of people who could not otherwise afford an attorney, and was trained to lofty standards of excellence in criminal defense.

I am a proud graduate of the University of California Los Angeles School of Law in 2001, with the distinction of...

I am passionate about helping people. I love getting to know my clients and providing them with a positive experience and services that offer real value to their lives.

Your Estate plan is important to you and should fit your life and values, not just a form printed out with your name stuck in it. My estate plans are tailored to you and are of immediate use to help you organize your life with a personalized Grab-and-Go book.

My broad business career in high technology with several Fortune 500 companies gives me a unique perspective and business sense...

Nicholas A. Konoske is a member of the firm acting as a business advisor and general counsel for businesses at various stages in their growth cycle, from start ups to mature operating companies, and he has particular expertise in counseling early stage and emerging growth technology companies. Mr. Konoske advises clients in business strategy, start up business formation and structuring, corporate formation and entity selection, corporate governance, the development of funding strategies and the alternatives available to entrepreneurs. He is actively involved in a full range of legal projects, including mergers and acquisitions, debt and equity financing (including angel and...

Think Defense is a professional law corporation that delivers effective legal representation in white-collar cases, blue-collar cases, and business litigation.

Before founding the firm, Mr. Dabiri was an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Los Angeles and Orange County, where he investigated and prosecuted a wide range of federal criminal cases.

Before serving as a federal prosecutor, he litigated complex civil cases at one of the best and biggest law firms in the world, O'Melveny & Myers.

And before joining the firm, he clerked for a federal trial judge at the U.S. District Court in Los Angeles.

He earned his bachelor's degree in Political Science...