I would give negative stars if it were an option…read more John Snavely is condesending, rude, unprofessional and crooked. I called him and asked about serving papers. He gave me unsolicited legal advice and then started to harass me for payment of services he never completed. I asked him to not complete the work and he then threatened me and requested 3 times his original quoted amount plus "damages." this was all a result of one 10 minute phone conversation in attempt to inquire about his services. Do not use this person services. You will regret it!

FORGOT IN 2011 i had a disaster time with john, accidentally called again... one job good,…read morethen no no return calls, VANISHED no filing receipt NOTHING Shows up after the court closes misses deadline . Gets his pay pal money then NOTHING, seriously tried to be nice but it was insane... after a dozen calls still don't know why my paperwork wasn't filed HORRIBLE SERVICE RUN.........

When my father passed in December of 2019, I had no clue of all the work that goes into probate…read more When my cousin suggested I get an attorney, I honestly thought to myself, "why? I have a paralegal degree." I had no idea where to start. My friend suggested the Law Offices of James J. Phillips, as one of her friends was able to get her Living Trust done in a hurry. Upon meeting Jim at his office in Castro Valley, I felt very comfortable and felt as though him and his team were very trustworthy. As we began to open probate, everything got pushed back because of the Court closures due to Covid-19. Jim and his daughter Katelyn did a terrific job in staying in contact via email, phone and Zoom meetings. They made the process so easy in a situation that was one of the most difficult in my life. They listened to my endless stories and made an effort to know me on an interpersonal level at a time when human contact was minimal. As a result of going through the hardship of probate (and at Jim's suggestion), I choose to complete a Living Trust, Last Will and Testament, and Advance Health Care Directive. Going through that process was easier than I thought it was going to be. I answered a questionnaire that Katelyn and I went over via zoom to be able to draft the documents. I then reviewed the documents, had another zoom meeting with her for corrections and additions and before I knew it, we were having them notarized. I can't thank Jim, Katelyn and their team enough. They got me through a very difficult process and I can't even put into words how much I would recommend their services.

First class all the way!!! Unlike several local Legal Document Assistants and several other law…read morefirms, this offices secretary actually called me back the very next morning and then I also spoke with the attorney the very next day! Very positive communication, honesty and transparency. What a welcome relief to be treated with decency and respect! It is shocking how many businesses do not have the professionalism to at least give a timely call back and even a small follow up. Mr. Phillips business doesn't fall into that category, thank goodness! They know their stuff and get it done!!!! Highly recommend!!! :)

Referred to Mr. Larsen, real estate attorney in an eviction case. Met with him once. Had…read moredifficulty paying him fee. worked through his wife. Almost impossible to reach. three different phone numbers. doesn't specify which to call. Never returns requested calls. Finally got him to write a 3,day notice. eventually tenant leaves after being jailed. Larsen said any unspent funds could be,returned. asked if there were any funds. Larsen said he would ask his wife. Never heard back in spite of numerous inquiries. Standard of conduct which I had not encountered before. Would not recommend his services.

Tim was instrumental in helping me resolve a difficult real estate issue by navigating through some…read morecomplex landscape.  I recommend Tim and would personally reengage him for real estate related matters.

When people say no one likes attorneys they haven't met Nathan Scheg and his team. I cannot say…read moreenough great things about these guys. As a small business owner I try my best to never need an attorney, even to the point of letting the client have something for free, take great care of all of your customers and they will take care of you. Unfortunately that doesn't always solve the problem, and when I am losing my mind with an unreasonable person and don't know what to do I call my attorney, Nathan. He listens, asks questions, and gives me the advice I need to move forward. Hes my go to guy when I have a problem that I cannot solve. Do not be afraid of attorneys, just call Nathan. I sleep better at night because I know him, you should too.

I worked with Michael a few times, once when I was renting out a property, then later selling that…read moreproperty and purchasing another. He was very personable, down to earth, practical and honest. He did an excellent job of clarifying issues that I had questions about, reviewing legal documents, and providing options so that I could make the best decision. He is great to work with and I would highly recommend him! His prices are fair and he is a great resource.

I hired Michael Notaro last November for an eviction case in Oakland. He was effective and helped…read moreus successfully regain possession of the property. Throughout the entire process, Michael communicated clearly, kept us updated, and explained our options. He also went above and beyond by offering practical advice and recommendations to help prevent similar issues with future tenants. I truly appreciated his professionalism and guidance. I would work with Michael again if I needed legal representation as a landlord.

I can't believe I'm writing a good review for a lawyer!! Dave isn't what you think of when you…read morethink of an attorney - he's honest, compassionate, accessible and better than that, he knows his sh1t! We needed to split up an estate that was going NOWHERE with a couple of siblings that had been dragging this out for over a year. It would still be dragging on today if we hadn't engaged with Dave to get it sorted out. He skillfully negotiated the final agreement and managed to get everyone on the same page in just a couple of hours - and I have to say that his rate was fair, he didn't try to bleed us out of billable time, and actually advised us on what NOT to do so as to keep the costs down. What lawyer does that??? Dave does. If you need a Trust or Estate attorney just start with Dave and don't waste your time and money on someone who will just work you for billable hours. Thanks again Dave!

Dave Parnall was hired to help me in an estate litigation case to distribute assets to…read morebeneficiaries. I had never been involved in any type of litigation, but knew it would be expensive and time consuming. My biggest worry was how to navigate the legal maze, court system, and deal with opposing attorneys without stressing out and going broke. It was my good fortune to find Dave as my attorney who led me step-by-step through the entire case to conclusion over a 3-year period. After I established my goals for the case, he developed a strategy to attain them. No matter how complex events became, he remained focused on my goals. I really appreciated his efforts to avoid conflicts throughout the case, but was also willing to remove the gloves when it was necessary. Dave was a calming voice when things got heated in the case and clearly outlined my options at each stage of the litigation with their pro and cons. He was acutely aware of helping me keep the billable hours to a minimum by letting me do some of the leg work such as preparing statements, hiring appraisers, and contacting the beneficiaries. Dave consistently kept me up to date on the case and replied to my phone calls and emails within 24 hours or sooner. Can't say enough how I appreciate Dave's expert legal abilities and genuine empathy for me and my case.

Mark and his team of experts were amazing! My neighbor had gotten ahold of them when he and I…read moreexperienced similar defects in our homes. From the very beginning, Mark was there with us the entire time fighting tooth and nail with the developers and HOA to get us the reimbursements we deserved. His knowledge on construction law is top notch. Thanks to Golden State, we not only were able to receive the money we deserved but were also able to be put into the loop for a greater legal claim with the developers who cut many corners to build the community of townhouses we live in. Thank you Mark and team!

I cannot recommend Mark Kirkland and Golden State Construction and HOA Law, P.C. highly enough…read more From the very first conversation, Mark believed in me. He saw exactly what I saw and validated my experience--a gift that meant everything during a three-year battle to get the solar company to finally do the right thing. Mark built the right team around me, handled every detail, and never lost sight of the financial impact on my life. More importantly, he got me. I didn't have to micromanage or pepper him with endless questions; I trusted him to do his job, and he did it beautifully. The group he surrounded me with--especially Gregg DeHaan--was absolutely invaluable and made the process so much smoother. My victory is a direct result of having an attorney who genuinely cares. Mark isn't just skilled--he actually gives a damn, and that makes all the difference. I am profoundly grateful for his expertise, his heart, and his unwavering support.

Continuing.... This…read moreinformation contradicts what David M. Sternberg said about Robert A. Miller and his law firm and how they have taken many unlawful detainer cases. I was not going to settle, knowing that the state of California protects tenants from retaliatory eviction. Robert A. Miller and his boss attorney David M. Sternberg teamed up to coerce me and gaslight me to try to get me to settle saying that it was a suicide mission to pursue my unlawful detainer. Robert A. Miller also minimized the value of my case (other lawyers even said that I had a much better chance than what my current counsel would have me believe) by stating that no jury in court would sit around and read my texts and emails of evidence. Robert A. Miller made me subpoena a former roommate in order to get her to be a witness. This was unnecessary as her email to me was sufficient. Additionally, there are many instances where Robert A. Miller and David M. Sternberg revealed that they did not examine all of the evidence that I provided. Robert A. Miller kept stressing issues of my pet cat's bodily functions. There was not a single complaint (no email or text, but only something the landlord wanted to add to her retaliatory eviction) of cat urine smell from my two roommates and their partners. I stated that numerous friends of mine have visited and can be witnesses to support that cat urine smell was never an issue. Robert A. Miller responded that the plaintiff Juliet Welch would then call on the other four downstairs tenants as witnesses of cat urine smell. How can downstairs tenants witness what happens in my upstairs apartment when the units are separate and the downstairs tenants and upstairs tenants are not friends and therefore the downstairs tenants are never invited inside the upstairs unit. Moreover, the downstairs tenants have a senior dog and a new puppy, both of whom require puppy pads and potty training. The downstairs tenants also dogsit. There are multiple animals at the 61 Franciscan Way address. A week before my conference court date, Robert A. Miller and David M. Sternberg required an additional $18,000 in order to represent me, essentially abandoning me. At which point, I asked them to stop work. My new counsel reached a settlement of my staying until the end of December (as opposed to October) and $9000 in new money. The attorney fee agreement clearly states that the $5,000 (the one where I gave $10,000) would ensure the case goes to a jury trial. This is a breach of contract, fiduciary duty, and fraud. Neither Robert A. Miller nor David M. Sternberg went over the retainer fee agreement with me. As a matter of fact, David M. Sternberg did not even sign the retainer fee agreement until August 14th, 2019 after receiving the additional $5,000 (where I gave $10,000). I filed a Ca State Bar Mandatory fee dispute in Feb. 2022. Robert A. Miller answered to serve David M. Sternberg who did not agree to be served until November 2022. Robert A. Miller and David M. Sternberg ignored the CA State Bar Mandatory fee dispute so that the statute of limitations would expire. Robert A. Miller and David M. Sternberg responded after I filed small claims because the CA State Bar Dispute was not going anywhere. I called everyday and left messages and CA State Bar only responded once when I received a call back that they will not discipline attorneys for not answering. At the small claims court date, David M. Sternberg twisted the fee dispute to become legal malpractice to claim a one year statute of limitation. I never used the language of legal malpractice in any of my communication with Robert A. Miller and David M. Sternberg. Robert A. Miller and David M. Sternberg set themselves up nicely so that they can claim that any court proceeding waives my rights to pursue a fee dispute with Ca State Bar. Robert A. Miller and David M. Sternberg are unscrupulous lawyers who are greedy and take advantage of vulnerable clients. In a now removed Yelp review, a user complained that the Contra Costa State Bar referred the law office of David M. Sternberg, but that the David M. Sternberg law firm botched his mother's estate case

The receptionist was so rude today! Very unpleasant visit. This was my first visit, yes I'm a…read moreBlack American Woman, and she was so rude to me!. She didn't say good morning, she literally threw the sign-in sheet and pen at me! I told her how rude she was, and she ignored this all together. I was so upset, I felt the Attorneys would be the same un-welcoming people, I left. I called the referral service and asked for a refund, in wish they gave me! Very poor experience!!!