I prefer to call him Robert because I respect him so much even though he prefers to go by Bob. A…read moretrue Oracle, gentleman and human being, who will push aside his personal life to make sure your urgent family situation (missing children!) is addressed -- even on Christmas Day. My wife physically assaulted me while on a court-ordered a EPO and then abducted my children the week before Christmas for a month. Bob spent four hours during Christmas Day with me laying out everything I would need to know and he was later proved to be 100% accurate on every single word that came out of his mouth. Bob is truly a nice guy. I don't think he'll ever retire because he loves what he does and he provides such a strong value to the local families who urgently need his expertise navigating the challenging family court situation often for the first time. I tried to find an attorney several days before Christmas and the entire industry was out of service until the second week of January. I believe my wife took my children that week specifically to make it very challenging for me, but Bob stepped up and saved the day in a huge way. I could ramble on for hours about how Bob and Carolyn are consummate professionals, and how they changed my perspective on family lawyers. Bob and Carolyn secured 50% parental access for me within three weeks. The opposing firm told my wife to run away with our kids after removing them from the home and was using every tactic in the book, but Bob played hardball in the most professional way during the most important time in my entire life. He stepped up like an athlete during the Olympics and I forever will love Bob.

Bob Goodman and his associate Carolyn Pettifer worked hard to help secure my community property…read moreinterest in my ex-wife's pension. It took a while but thanks to Carolyn's persistence we were finally able to get the matter resolved. Without her efforts I would never have been joined to my ex-wife's pension because the divorce was 28 years ago and the original court's order was not carried out due to pre-digital record keeping snafus. I'm also very grateful to Bob for helping me navigate through a very challenging time in my marriage. He is extraordinarily responsive and knowledgeable and I recommend him and Carolyn to anyone contemplating a divorce or other family law matter.

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.

Oh Denise, not frustrated with the process ... just frustrated with you . If we didn't start any…read more"process" as you claim then what were the invitation for mediation meetings that you claim you sent? You literally contradicted yourself one sentence after the statement. You must be mistaken because it was me that reached out several times to you asking to meet you to go over the process to understand things a little better but you declined every time, with the response of "we can meet when I serve you". Which would also imply a process right, Denise? My claims of gender bias are supported by you ignoring a male trying to solicit your business, while being overly responsive to the female party. That coupled with little to no men reviewing you whatsoever show me that you cater to women, which I understand because 70% of divorce filings are women, but you think a man would have a good review for you too... There is no confusion of grief for anger in this process, just you trying to gaslight everyone that leaves you a negative review into thinking there is. Communication and comprehension is not you or your Agnes's strengths. There is a reason why both me and my soon to be ex, despite not wanting to be married, agreed to walk away from you and go to your colleague across the bay. Because you're inefficient, biased, and slow. You also give legal advice when you shouldn't. I really was looking forward to telling you this all to your face had we met... but I guess yelp is the right place for it. If I can save one person from making the same mistake we did it it'll all be worth it Wishing you a merry Christmas and a happy new year!

I will forever tell my friends or anyone who needs some one to be in your best interest Denise and…read moreAgnes's were very helpful in getting my divorce done. 3-23-2026. I can't thank them enough 36 years of wasted time.

Michelle has guided me through an extremely complex custody case and made progress at every step…read more She has an amazing memory, recalling details from months earlier and using them when they mattered most. She's also excellent on the spot, quick to adapt and make strong decisions in court. She is the most empathetic lawyer I've ever met - and is so safe to reveal anything to. Another outstanding trait is her integrity -- when she had a medical procedure, she made sure my child was protected by referring me to the best lawyer to stand in for her. Michelle is both ethical and effective, and she turned my case around 100%.

I worked with Paul Thorndal and wholeheartedly recommend him…read more I received surprise contact from my ex and was overwhelmed with how to handle our assets. Paul was understanding, calm, and kind and gave me such confidence that we could figure out a solution. We were able to resolve matters quickly and my stress melted away knowing I had someone great on my side.

Marcel and Mary ... super, super helpful. Made the process of starting the divorce process so much…read morebearable. Very, very happy to have found Matcel and Mary! Well worth to have them during these times!

This service providers states they have/are mediators yet they pursue conversations with clients to…read moredispute instead of working with families in a positive fashion. Kinda like gossiping and it creates fear in the elderly so they will pay more out of pocket for their paperwork. This company has the worst president as staff. The quality of produced documents usually have errors, poor print quality.

Norah was super helpful and very friendly. She was very thorough on giving me the information that…read moreI needed with my case and reassuring. I highly recommend her.

When I reached out to Norah, I was facing an urgent and high-stakes custody hearing. She stepped in…read morelate in the day, quickly understood the complexity of the situation, and immediately got to work. Despite the time pressure, she provided me with a clear, strategic courtroom script that helped me stay focused and preserve critical issues on the record. As someone who has been navigating this process pro se, going up against an extremely litigious opposing party and what feels like a very father-leaning courtroom dynamic, Norah has been the edge I needed. She is sharp, strategic, and deeply knowledgeable -- but what sets her apart is that she combines that precision with empathy. She doesn't minimize your situation or default to "well, this is what you signed up for." She meets the facts head-on and builds a plan. Norah is astute, composed, and tactically thoughtful. She understands both the legal framework and the human dynamics of family court. If you need someone who can move quickly, think clearly under pressure, and equip you with strategy rather than platitudes, she is that lawyer.

If you are a mother who is getting a divorce, do NOT hire this firm…read more After working with them for a year, they encouraged me to relinquish all child support and more. They did not advocate for me. They were very unresponsive to emails and failed to file or send paperwork on time. Unfortunately, my experience showed that these attorneys do not have one's children's best interest at heart. Read more

I feel so lucky that I found Deborah. Her reviews on Yelp inspired me to reach out. I am so glad I…read moredid! She helped me understand the process of divorce. She gave me an excellent recommendation for a mediator. I utilized Deborah for advice and to help me with paperwork during the mediation. My situation is a little bit tricky, but she helped me think it through. Thanks to her support, our process was fairly painless and we ended on good terms. Divorce is so overwhelming, Deborah helped me take it one step at a time. I am so grateful.

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.

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.

As a professional with more than 35 years in senior living and aging services, I had the…read moreopportunity to work alongside Dr. Bob Doeer during a complex family situation involving eldercare decision-making in the East Bay area. I found him to be thoughtful, calm under pressure, and highly skilled at helping family members communicate productively during emotionally difficult circumstances. His mediation approach helped reduce conflict and move the family toward practical decisions that supported the older adult's wellbeing. I would confidently recommend his services to families navigating aging, caregiving, or high-stress family transitions.

I needed a mediator and found him. He is amazing. He met with me and the other party and after…read moreseveral meetings, all was complete. He made me feel safe in dealing with the other person, who I felt threatened by, created emotional and physical safety for me. Once referred to the attorney who prepared the documents and filed with the Courts.. the whole process took about 9 months. Medication began late September and I received a Court judgment mid May of the next year. My heart is at peace. My mind is clear and I need not look back... only to refer others to him! A kind and thoughtful and professional person.

Yasmin was the perfect find. While going through my divorce and all of the emotional and…read morepsychological ups and downs, I didn't need an attorney who kept reminding me that I didn't understand the law. So I fired him and hired Yasmin. She was wonderful and stood by me the whole way. I ended up with the best result I could have asked for. I'm never getting married again, but if I did, I would call her. It might be hard to believe all of the five star reviews, but they're real!

Very helpful and professional. I never had to worry about anything--everything was clearly…read moreexplained to me. She supported me every step of the way. I was her client years ago, and she still takes the time to help whenever I have questions about my case. Extremely knowledgeable and worth every penny. Thank you, Atty. Yasmin!