Piedmont Lawyers

Vincent Tong is an award winning, community oriented lawyer. He is the founder of TONG LAW, an employment business law firm located in beautiful downtown Oakland, California. Vincent exclusively represents employees in employment litigation and businesses in business-to-business disputes. In his business transactions practice, Vincent counsels individuals on forming and growing their social ventures. Connect with Vincent online at www.tong-law.com.

Ms. Madueña is an expert immigration lawyer in the Bay Area handling a wide range of immigration matters, including complex cases with criminal issues. The bulk of her practice focuses on family-based immigration and removal defense. She has successfully argued for the release of clients in immigration detention, and has obtained Adjustment of Status, Asylum, and Cancellation of Removal for her clients against the government in Immigration Court. Ms. Madueña has also obtained Lawful Permanent Residency, Asylum, Naturalization, NACARA, and Waivers before the immigration office. Notably, when she was a first-year associate, Ms. Madueña presented a complex criminal and...

As a former Deputy District Attorney and Deputy Public Defender who has litigated thousands of cases, including misdemeanors and felonies, I know how to fight for you. My background includes adult and juvenile cases, as well as serious and violent felonies and three-strikes cases.

I am also an experienced civil litigator with a corporate and white-collar litigation background at a prestigious "big law" firm who switched sides to sue corporations and other entities (including insurance companies, police departments, governments, and others) on behalf of individuals to obtain justice for my clients.

As a result, I have seen firsthand how corporations and...

California Civil Appeals, State & Federal

Myron Moskovitz served as law clerk to Justice Raymond E. Peters of the California Supreme Court. He is the author of Winning An Appeal (Carolina Academic Press, 4th ed.) and Moskovitz On Appeal (LexisNexis, 2015). He has handled and consulted on many appeals, both in state and federal courts. Although appellate courts reverse in civil cases only about 20% of the time, he has won reversals in more than 70% of his civil cases in which he represented appellants.

He is Professor of Law Emeritus...

Tobener Ravenscroft LLP is dedicated to protecting tenant & renter rights in San Jose, Oakland, San Francisco & surrounding Bay Area cities. We have successfully represented thousands of tenants and victims of landlord caused injuries. Our tenant lawyers stop landlord harassment, refusal to repair, & wrongful evictions. In rent-controlled jurisdictions, we fight illegal rent increases, landlord move-in evictions (OMIs and RMIs), Ellis Act evictions, & evictions for renovations and capital improvements. Joseph Tobener is the managing attorney of Tobener Law Center. He has been a practicing lawyer for over 15 years. Joe draws on his specialized legal expertise to...

Boone Callaway has been a personal injury lawyer & medical malpractice lawyer since 1988. Boone exclusively represents injured people. Some of his notable recent cases have included:
- A bicyclist hit by a street sweeper who received a $4.7 million dollar settlement
- A woman who received an arbitration award for the legal maximum pain and suffering damages in a medical malpractice case—$250,000—due to a negligent gynecological procedure
- A pedestrian who received a $352,000 verdict against the City of San Francisco
- A pedestrian who sustained a badly broken leg when he was struck by a car, and received $500,000
- $450,000 for a...

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...

Andy Gillin received his Bachelor’s Degree from the University of California at Berkeley, and his law degree from the University of Chicago. He is a co-author of California Government Tort Liability Practice, published by California Continuing Education of the Bar. He has written and lectured in the field of plaintiffs’ personal injury law for numerous organizations. Andy’s case results include many recoveries for his clients in excess of $1,000,000.

Spencer practices employment, civil rights and personal injury law. He is dedicated to representing employees in employment disputes and individuals and their families in personal injury cases.

Since 2005, Spencer has litigated discrimination, wrongful termination, wage and hour, retaliation, and other employment disputes, such as contract breach and commission cases. He also litigates vehicle accidents, premises liability, wrongful death, and civil rights claims. His legal experience dates back to 1996. He has appeared in Northern District Federal Courts, California State Superior Courts, the California Fair Employment and Housing Commission, the California Department of Labor Standards Enforcement, the Merit...

"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.

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...

Boris has devoted himself to a career in criminal defense and fighting for the rights of the accused—a passion that grew from his experience being erroneously arrested at age thirteen due to a misidentification. This experience left him intimately aware of the kind of anxiety and fear a criminal accusation causes in one's life. Bringing this memory to the courtroom and negotiating table alike, Boris quickly gained a reputation as a fearless and zealous advocate for his clients who fights with integrity and compassion every step of the way.

Smart & Aggressive Criminal Defense. Experienced in representing individuals accused of crimes...

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...

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...

Over his 18 years of practice in the Bay Area, Kevin Martin has developed a reputation as a fair- minded but tough negotiator representing client’s interests in intellectual property, business, real estate and personal injury actions. Kevin’s practice includes trademark, copyright and patent litigation, prosecution, licensing, business disputes, commercial litigation, personal injury claims, employer/employee disputes, trade secret and unfair competition claims, real estate litigation, contract disputes, and general advice and counsel. Mr. Martin maintains a regular blog on legal and other issues at www.landshark5000.wordpress.com. Mr. Martin regularly appears in both State and Federal Courts throughout California, before the Trademark...

Colby Dean LaVelle II proudly manages LaVelle Law Offices with the personal attention of a boutique law firm but with the resources of larger law firms. An honored graduate of Santa Clara University of Law, Mr. LaVelle has dedicated his career to the pursuit of justice. He began his legal career working for the San Francisco District Attorney's Office. Following his success litigating criminal matters, Mr. LaVelle started the LaVelle Law Offices. Now with eight locations across California, The LaVelle Law Offices is an incarnation of Mr. LaVelle's desire to serve the public, as he...

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....

Los Angeles native and attorney Victoria (Tori) Hirsch is eager to fight for you in the legal arena, and she thoroughly enjoys fighting for the rights of every single person she represents. At the Nieves Law Firm, Tori primarily represents clients facing criminal charges, those who find themselves caught up in the juvenile justice system, and those who need assistance with post-conviction relief matters. Her focus on juvenile work stems from her previous experience working as an English Language Arts teacher at KIPP Bayview Academy where she taught what she considers “some of the world’s smartest, funniest, and kindest seventh...

Sally Elkington and James Shepherd are partners at Elkington Shepherd LLP. We file chapters 7, 11, and 13 bankruptcies. We represent Creditors on a case by case basis. We prosecute and defend lawsuits that are filed in Bankruptcy Court. Both of us are "hands on" attorneys. You will deal with us directly on your matter. Between the two of us we have over 40 years of bankruptcy experience. Our office is located in downtown Oakland with ample parking and 1/2 block from BART. Remember, Bankruptcy is not an end, it is a...

Steven Kazan has played a significant role in asbestos litigation for over four decades. He filed his first case on behalf of an asbestos victim in 1974 and since then has represented thousands of injured workers and their family members in court cases. He has dedicated the majority of his practice to representing workers suffering from mesothelioma in third party asbestos lawsuits (against manufacturers, contractors, distributors, and premises owners). In addition, he also represents victims of asbestos lung cancer as well as seriously disabling asbestosis. Steven was nominated by the U.S. Trustee and appointed by the U.S. Bankruptcy Court to...

Phyllis Voisenat, Esq. is an attorney and counselor at law. You can retain her as your attorney to handle your case from start to finish, or you can hire her for limited matters. She can be retained for matters from Sacramento to San Jose, pertaining to fraud, real estate, contracts, business formation, operations.

Julia Wobbe is a tenant lawyer with Tobener Ravenscroft LLP. She serves clients in San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland, Fremont, San Rafael, Berkeley and surrounding Bay Area cities. She has helped tenants with landlord harassment, refusal to repair, and wrongful evictions. In rent-controlled jurisdictions, she fights illegal rent increases, landlord move-in evictions (OMIs and RMIs), Ellis Act evictions, and tenant evictions for renovations and capital improvements.

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...

I worked as a trucker for 20 years before I attended law school. I was motivated by a strong desire to serve the public. I graduated from a small, public-interest law school in San Francisco, where I had volunteered in the Housing Clinic that defended tenants from evictions. I am one of a very few Bay Area bankruptcy lawyers who does loan modifications through our bankruptcy court's program. I am also one of the very few who takes creditors to court when they violate bankruptcy laws and cause harm to my clients. Before bankruptcy law,...

Advising and representing national insurers on coverage issues for over 35 years, handling complex,high exposure claims under standard form and broker-manuscript policies, including primary, umbrella, excess and surplus lines. Strategic evaluation and management under property policies (including builder’s risk, boiler and machinery, difference in condition), personal and commercial general liability, and professional liability and directors and officers policies. Handles multi-layer, multi-insurer insurance programs for North American, UK and Bermuda market insurers. Drafts insurance contract endorsements.

Advises and defends national insurers in state and federal court throughout the western states , and handles inter-insurer claims having secured recoveries exceeding...

Daniel Vaswani is the founder and principal attorney of Red Metric Law, a full-service, criminal defense law firm in the San Francisco Bay Area with central offices located in San Francisco, Oakland, Hayward, Redwood City, and San Jose. He is a business, criminal, and social security benefits lawyer.

Mr. Vaswani graduated from Loyola Law School where he studied Corporate Law. During his third year of law school, his work at a juvenile defense clinic sparked his interest in criminal law. Upon graduating, he practiced corporate law and realized there was a void in his life—criminal and DUI defense. He decided...

Ryan Davis is the managing partner of Golden State Workers Compensation. Mr. Davis received a juris doctorate from Thomas Jefferson School of Law in May of 2014 and is a current member of the California Bar Association. Mr. Davis is also an NBA certified agent and has represented clients such as Jason Terry. In addition to his professional commitments, Mr. Davis takes an active interest in a variety of volunteer and speaking engagements. Mr. Davis has volunteered numerous times at Berkeley Youth Alternative, which is a non-profit for at risk youth, in Berkeley, California. These volunteer activities include mentorship, career...

Law Office of Arezou Bakhtjou is located in Oakland, CA and helps clients in Richmond, Albany, Berkeley, Emeryville, Oakland, Hayward, San Leandro, Pleasanton, Martinez, Palo Alto, Walnut Creek, Lafayette, and all Bay Area Counties including Alameda County, Contra Costa County, San Mateo County, Santa Clara County, Solano County, and San Francisco County.? Memberships: Alameda County Bar Association ?Alameda County Bar Association Criminal Division (Board Member) Women Lawyers of Alameda County Alameda County Court Appointed Attorneys Program Alameda County Bar Association Judicial Appointments Evaluation Committee Experience: County of Contra Costa Court Appointed Attorneys Program Placer County...

Have you been arrested with a criminal offense in Oakland? If so, it may be in your best interest to contact The Castillo Law Office. For nearly 15 years, Attorney Ernie Castillo has been representing the criminally accused in both state and federal courts. Mr. Castillo was selected for inclusion in the Super Lawyers® Rising Stars? Edition of 2013, and he received the Client Distinction Award for 2013 by Martindale-Hubbell®. In addition, he is a former extern for a federal judge, where he had the opportunity to work behind the scenes and witness the thought processes behind a judge’s decision...

Mr. Muñoz has over a decade of experience serving clients as an attorney. He began his career practicing criminal law as both a prosecutor and defense attorney gaining valuable jury trial experience. Armed with this experience and teamed with Mr. Franco, René Muñoz now advocates on behalf of you, the injured worker. He never forgot his roots and is extremely excited to represent your interests and fight for justice. Mr. Muñoz initially practiced in Workers' Compensation advocating for employers and insurance. His experience working on behalf of institutional clients gave him a better understanding of what motivates defendants in Workers' Compensation...

Allyson Murphy is a senior associate at Tobener Ravenscroft. Ms. Murphy completed her undergraduate education at the University of California, Santa Cruz, majoring in political science. Ms. Murphy went on to earn her law degree from Golden Gate University in 2005, graduating in the top of her class. Ms. Murphy has more than twelve years of litigation experience, including seven years advocating on behalf of plaintiffs. She has significant experience litigating cases involving complex construction issues, breach of contract, fraud, employment, and personal injury.

Arthur Lazear has practiced law for more than 40 years, helping to obtain successful results for worthy clients nationwide. Mr. Lazear has prosecuted some of the biggest class actions ever litigated in employment law, but has never abandoned his level of personal attention to each client, which is the firm’s hallmark.

Mr. Lazear’s father was a janitor, an immigrant from Ukraine who worked nights in a tireless effort to provide his children the hope of a better life, that they might realize the American Dream. The example set by his father inspired Mr. Lazear’s lifelong commitment to protecting and enforcing the...

In 2020, Ms. Burneikis made the decision to leave her firm, where she was a named partner, and open up her own practice, becoming the Founder and Lead Trial Counsel at Burneikis Law. Ms. Burneikis' practice is dedicated to representing victims who have been injured at the hands of others. Approximately 80% of her cases arise out of injuries sustained due to motor vehicle related accidents (e.g., car vs. car; pedestrian vs. car; bicycle vs. car; car vs. bus; etc.), while the other 20% of her cases involve other types of injuries. Ms. Burneikis handles cases involving a wide range...

I have practiced immigration and naturalization law exclusively since 2003. My practice emphasizes immigration and naturalization for applicants with criminal convictions, removal defense, and working with criminal defense counsel to minimize the immigration harm from convictions. I am licensed by the State Bar of California (license #227178) and received my juris doctorate degree in 2003 from the University of California, Davis, School of Law.