Joe Keiser helped me through one of the hardest periods of my life after my husband of 45 years…read moreleft me, and although the process was terribly stressful for me, Joe's calm competence and willingness to negotiate sensibly made for the best possible outcome. He carefully walked me through every step, explained things carefully, and dealt with tough issues calmly. He was reassuring and kind throughout. It took a year and a half to get to a solution, but that is apparently normal, and Joe was always very careful to make sure he was keeping costs down as much as he could. I was so lucky to find him right here in Alameda, and I highly recommend him as a strong, knowledgeable and supportive advocate for anyone going through this traumatic situation.

Divorce sucks. Joe makes it suck less…read more I went to Joe with a really messy situation, dealing with substance abuse, physical abuse and two minor kids in the middle. While my ex's lawyer focused on bankrupting me, Joe kept a eye on keeping my financially solvent and helping me negotiate this process with the resources I had. While it took us over a year, he helped me get full custody of my kids and to extract myself and them from a really bad situation. While things aren't over yet, I do see a light at the end of the tunnel for me and my kids. And this is thanks to Joe and his empathetic approach to things. He really wants to help both sides and for the best outcome for all involved. He's not combative and even took several calls with my ex to explain things to her, even though he was my lawyer. Hopefully this is my first, and last divorce, but if you're a Dad stuck in a bad situation and need some help, Joe is who you need to talk to.

Absolutely amazing. I had stan who is sadly no longer there but this firmed helped me out so much…read moreduring the worst period of my life. It's expensive but worth every penny. I'm in the coast guard and I would recommend to any one of my fellow coasties.

I thought very hard about writing this review, but I do feel other people ought to be warned. I am…read morea trans woman, and I wanted to hire a lawyer to do my name / gender change forms. I googled and found that Levine Family Law advertises this service. They charged, as I recollect, $3500. The forms went in fine, but then I waited for months for the court order to be entered. At first they said six weeks, but the timeline kept slipping. I started having calls with Levine asking what was happening--they said the SF court was backed up and that it would take time. But it became clear that they did not have a direct line to the courthouse and had a very difficult time getting hold of human beings over there: they were essentially blind. I asked for a call with my lawyer, Stan, but was informed he had left the practice (nobody had told me). I had a call with the office manager Katie, and she basically told me I'd just have to wait. It was very nice and all, but she said I just needed to wait. I live about 20 min drive from the courthouse, so after that call I got so frustrated I got in my car, and I went to the courthouse. There was no line at the records office. They pulled my application, and the clerk said he'd put it on the top of the stack on Monday. By Tuesday, my name/change order was granted, and I had my certified copies. What makes me angry is that I was repeatedly told that the courthouse was busy and, essentially, incompetent, but actually every interaction I've had with them, whether for this or for other records requests, has been prompt and efficient. There is almost never a line; they are very helpful in answering questions. It has become clear to me that Levine Family Law merely scapegoats the courthouse, and that the true issue is their inability to get anyone there on the phone. In the USA, we don't hire lawyers merely to fill out forms--we hire them to shepherd us through the legal process. Levine family law certainly would never be as cavalier about the fate of a child custody or divorce decree--it is only their trans clients that they leave to fend for themselves, twisting in the wind for months. It is unconscionable to charge people $3500 and then be unwilling to take twenty minutes to, say, show up at the courthouse and make sure the decree actually gets entered. If you're not willing to do what it takes to get the decree granted, please don't offer it as a service. As it is, I have no doubt that if I'd filled out the forms myself and gone to the courthouse on my own, I'd have gotten everything done much quicker and more cheaply. I want to reiterate that the forms they filed were apparently fine, but they had absolutely no orientation to actually following up with the court. No doubt they will respond to say that they did their job when they filed the forms. But I was advised by Stan specifically that he was going to be in my corner, following up on these forms. When a firm charges for this service, they are charging for peace of mind--the idea that they will handle everything. If all you want is someone to file forms, maybe this law office is fine, but if you want someone who will make sure the decree actually gets granted, you shouldn't go with them.

Chris at FlexTax has been my tax advisor for about three years now, and I can't recommend him…read morehighly enough. He's incredibly thorough and detail-oriented - he double and even triple checks everything to make sure your return is accurate and that he has all the right information. He's also very responsive and flexible with scheduling, which has made it easy to fit tax meetings around a busy workday. Chris really shines with more complex situations. He specializes in startups and equity compensation (ISOs, RSUs, etc.), as well as investment portfolios, so if you work at a startup or have a more complicated tax situation, you're in great hands. He takes the time to walk through everything, explains complex issues clearly, and makes the whole process feel much less stressful. He goes above and beyond by looking at prior years and making amendments if necessary to put you in a better position for future tax years. I originally started working with Chris based on a friend's recommendation, and after three years as a client, I'm very glad I did. If you're a startup employee or founder, or anyone dealing with equity and investments, I highly recommend Chris at FlexTax.

This firm went from exceptional to completely unprofessional overnight…read more I stayed with them for years solely because of Sam, who provided outstanding service. After the ownership change, it's clear that level of care is gone. What replaced it is a rigid, impersonal system that treats clients like transactions rather than relationships. They failed to notify clients of a major policy change regarding tax extensions until just days before the deadline--putting me at risk of non-compliance. When I raised concerns, their response was essentially: "This is our policy now, and if you don't like it, go somewhere else." No accountability. No attempt to fix the situation. No access to leadership. Just scripted responses from a support team. For a firm that benefited from years of loyalty and referrals, this is an incredibly poor way to treat clients. Avoid. UPDATE IN RESPONSE TO OWNER : Your response proves my point. After years of automatically handling my extensions, you changed the process right before a deadline, offered no real support, and told me to pay $240 or figure it out myself. Had I not followed up, I could have been penalized -- and now you're trying to turn it around and frame it as my fault by calling me "not engaged." After years of loyalty and referrals, this wasn't a transition -- it was a downgrade to a transactional model.

Working with Ingrid was a dream experience! My family and I live in a 100 yr old home in Oakland…read morethat had a bathroom that desperately needed upgrading. Ingrid has an artistic eye that clicked perfectly with our design wishes. She listened to our ideas and compiled 3D drawings to help us visualise what our bathroom would look like. Once we decided on a few key features and a design template, our project design came together very quickly. We chose tiles, a custom built vanity and marble top, flooring and bathroom hardware with Ingrid's input over a few weeks and then building work started with a general contractor, Adam Arrington Construction, suggested by Ingrid. We had Ingrid as an invaluable link whilst the works were carried out. All in all, the project was thorough and executed with great skill and a keen eye for detail. Our new bathroom has all of the hallmarks of what can be built by skilled craftspeople when great design is guiding a project. We are so grateful to have found Ingrid and to have her and Adam's expert work adorn our home.

Ingrid and Emilie were a delight to work with. Highly highly recommend their work and level of…read moreservice, care and style. We needed to overhaul or family room and had no idea where to start or how to tackle some oddities in our old home. Ingrid provided ideas and expertise on both he decor but also some structural needs like removing an old window seat, and making sure all the door casings and trim matched and fit faithfully in our Victorian. She did an amazing job of marrying my style with my husband's and created a gorgeous room for us. We took a few calculated risks on paint colors and furniture we wouldn't have ordinarily chosen, and they turned out fabulous. Exactly why we chose a designer!

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.

Michael is really great mediator. He is really good at what he is doing, with professionalism,…read morefinesse and very good interpersonal skills in loaded situations. He assisted me with landlord-tenants issue. The mediation went for several hours non stop but he persisted through lunch break until he was able to achieve an agreement. I think he is good also and pointing the risks and benefits for each side and helpful in weighing in a decision. He is also very knowledgeable about the subject matter and you can see this right away. I really liked his style and would recommend him full-heartedly.

If you need it done fast and correctly, and get regular updates about when your order is ready,…read morethis is your place. Our contractor ordered a notice printout from another company who never emailed us until a day AFTER it was due, so we contacted SpeedPro via email late evening. The owner got back to me before 7 am the next day, and between her and her employee whom I talked to when I called the business everything worked out perfectly. The only tiny thing that I could do without was a little bit of attitude when I got mixed up and sent the incorrect attachment first, and then followed up almost immediately with the right one. They acted a bit frustrated/annoyed by that, but things happen and I corrected myself right away and checked with them to make sure they were printing the right version. All in all, very good experience. The City of Oakland was satisfied with their work and so were we.

We needed a replacement banner quickly. The staff was super helpful and speedy. We have used them…read morefor branded table cloths, a-frames signs, banners, window graphics, our vehicle graphics, and retractable banners. They are my go for all my signage needs.

I have been using this cleaning company for years to help me with my very cluttered, messy single…read moremom apartment. The team is always so kind, helpful, accommodating and does such a thorough, beautiful job! I have not found cleaners that would make my place sparkle so well with such great attention to detail. They provided me calm and support in the chaos of a busy life. After I had to move across the country for a job, my elder mother had a fall, she had to be taken to the hospital by emergency services and was there for weeks. Being across the country and needing help I knew I could trust Shanna, Mariana and the team. But I didn't know that they would treat me like family, and give so much love and care to my moms place while she was away. I didn't know what they would find but I knew the apartment was in bad shape. Shanna and Mariana did such an excellent job, communicating the situation, working through the logistics and giving such care with every detail so her place would feel like home again, I really don't have words to describe how grateful I am to them when I felt so helpless and emotional. It was beyond knowing I could trust them, it was truly like have the support of family. Thank you all so much! I wish there was more I could do to show my gratitude.

I reached out to this company through Yelp for a project quote and specifically explained that I…read morehave fragrance sensitivities and needed to confirm accommodations before booking. Initially, communication was responsive. I was told what services were included and that the day I wanted was completely open. However, when I mentioned I needed to call back before confirming, I was suddenly told availability might not remain open, which felt somewhat high pressured. When I called back, I was informed I needed to sign a waiver related to my sensitivities. I completed the waiver promptly, but I never received clear follow-up confirmation to finalize the booking. I followed up later that same day and again over the next two days by phone, but received no response or update. I completely understand if a company decides they can't accommodate a request, but losing communication with a potential customer after having them complete paperwork felt unprofessional. A simple "we're unable to move forward" would have been appreciated. Their pricing was also on the higher end compared to other companies I contacted. I ultimately hired another cleaner who had excellent communication, respected my fragrance sensitivities, and did impeccable work. Sharing this so others, especially people with fragrance sensitivities or accommodation needs, know that communication may be inconsistent.

I used BAITS for German to English certified translation of a medical document for USCIS. I've been…read moreimpressed with speed, quality, and level of responsiveness. Martin is on top of everything! I heavily rely on business reviews when choosing my providers, and I am happy to post this review to support Bay Area International Translation Team.

I had a financial document to be translated and certified. The whole process took 2 hours from the…read moremoment I said " Hello, I have to request the service". I had experience with other agency 2 years ago with similar services. It was taking about 2 days for the similar documents, and a lot of unnecessary "back and forths" to get the result. I am impressed by the speed and accuracy. Highly recommend this agency.