I needed to update my trust and a neighbor suggested Keith. I was so glad he did. I'm somewhat new…read moreto Santa Cruz county and wanted an attorney nearby. Keith was soooo patient with me as I worked through my questions, scenarios and he gave me helpful guidance on choices I was thinking of and then put together a complete binder and gave me a memory stick of everything, as well. I would highly recommend Keith!

New review because my old one was taken down... I guess Keith was butt hurt about my honesty so I'm…read moregoing to post it in a different way. Ding ding ding ding ding we have a winner here! Now that my expensive divorce is over, I can give this guy a review. $5000 retainer and several months later, when I filed for divorce in January 2019, he could not even serve my ex-husband. Absolutely incompetent. At the end of Minimal attempts to serve my of an ex-husband Julian, after he went through the whole $5000 retainer, his suggestion was "well maybe you can put your exes name on your house. " no. After my ex sold his business that I helped him with for $225,000 and he didn't give me a penny for that, do you think I'm going to do that? Thank you again. based on current reviews, this lawyer is just as sucky to other people. TAKE SOMEONE ELSES MONEY!

I have worked with Emily Buchbinder twice. First was to draft a Trust for my sister. This was…read morecomplicated because my sister had neglected much of her financial concerns for some time. Emily assembled the material she needed, met with us regularly and completed the work expeditiously. When I needed to return for updates, she was immediate in her responses and helped me clarify the best approach to the problems involved. Then, more recently, my wife and I revised our trusts, wills, and other legal documents. Again, Emily clarified issues we hadn't considered, led us through the complications, revised the trusts frequently as we made more firm decisions about our wishes--all with a smile and encouragement. We have worked with two other law firms in this area and Emily is by far the best attorney we have consulted about trusts and wills.

Great job by the team on both probate and trust administration. I wanted to wait and see what my…read morereassessment from the assessors office was before reviewing. They nailed it and got my Prop 19 Exclusion saving me a lot of taxes in the property transfer. It was worth the fees to have it done right.

I highly recommend the lawyer Philip L. Buckwalter. He is a an estate lawyer that combines…read moresensitivity with effectiveness. Initially he was responsible for finding the Trustee of my mother's Trust. That person disappeared without leaving any contact information. He was then able to initiate the legal process of my Mother's Trust, executing it exactly as she intended. We communicated almost exclusively through email, because I live 3000 miles away... and there were no difficulties in this long-distance alliance. I thank him for his professionalism, and the results he produced.

I retained Holder Law in July 2026 for an urgent conservatorship and trust matter involving my…read moreelderly father, who has dementia and is in need of professional care. Unfortunately, my experience was extremely disappointing. I paid a $3,500 retainer and provided extensive medical, financial, trust, and conservatorship documentation. Despite the urgency of the situation, progress was very slow and communication was poor. I only spoke directly with Mr. Holder during the initial consultation and again when I decided to terminate his services, despite several requests for updates. After approximately two months, I received a working draft of the petition that I felt did not adequately reflect the information and documentation I had provided. At that point, I had lost confidence in the representation and terminated the firm. I requested an invoice and refund. The final invoice used the entire $3,500 retainer, including $870 for two hours spent drafting the petition, and I received no refund. I understand attorneys charge for their time, but based on the communication, progress, and work product I received, I do not believe my father's $3,500 was money well spent. At the initial consultation, my recollection is that Mr. Holder told me the petition could be completed in approximately seven hours. After two months, the draft I received was still far from complete. Based on my experience, I would not recommend this attorney.

Ms Bodmer is personable, efficient, organized, and patient with our many questions. Scotts Valley…read morelocation is easy to find and park.

Highly recommend! I was able to schedule a quick introduction zoom appointment and then I had a…read moresurvey to fill out with all of my information. Kathleen responds within 48 hours or less and I was able to get painlessly get all of my affairs in order for when the big show happens. Kathleen does a great job of translating legal jargon and explaining everything in plain language. I appreciated the fact she is available both in Scotts Valley and over the hill so I was able to meet in person to sign the documents without having to take time off work. She is available also via FaceTime or Zoom.

I had my grandmother go here years ago for a very basic trust which Jeff had completely botched. We…read moreare now having to hire council in order to deal with an estate. A properly set up trust would have had us avoid all these problems.

I have known Jeff for over 20 years. He handled the estates for three separate real estate clients…read moreI worked with. Jeff proved himself to be very knowledgeable in the area of estates and fiduciary relationships. He was always prompt in returning my messages, had a calm demeanor in spite of some very challenging situations, and was a real pleasure to work with. He treated his clients with the utmost respect and concern for their well-being, which I really appreciated.

Ms. Malkin ran up very, very large fees of what is described as acceptable billing (because it is…read moredocumented) but I never received a single bill showing minutes and hours. In addition to legal hours, she charged the estate for unapproved expenses. If you go with Ms. Malkin, do your best to be sure you do not authorize her to charge any time or court fees without approval, though it's unlikely she will comply with your requests. In addition to financial lack of accountability, she seems to have difficulty sticking to a simple list of what has to be completed to close probate. 5 years in and probate is not closed. I would recommend finding another lawyer.

Debbie Malkin is the best. I've known her as a fellow adoptive mom for years. She's super smart,…read morehardworking, and has a big heart. It's a pleasure to work with her.

Amazing attorney who cares about her clients. We were truely…read moreblessed to have her on our side through some difficult times. She explained everything, walked us through every part of the process and eased our anxiety. I would definitely recommend her services to anyone who is need of legal assistance.

Ms. Kemp is a remarkable, highly competent attorney. She has a sharp vision and was able to…read morearticulate my rather complex and highly combative case to the judge clearly, concisely, and calmly. She is familiar with the family law court in Santa Cruz County. She is supportive, kind, and calm, even in full-battle mode. This helped me to weather a case that (due to the opposing attorney) dragged on far longer than it should have. She does not waste any time, is transparent with her billing, and is worth every penny spent. I recommend her fully as a spectacular and caring person to represent you.

I called Levini Law to retain their services and get some advice on some of the terms of my…read morecommercial lease exit. My property management company has not been easy to deal with for the last eight years and I wanted to make sure that what they were telling me was fair and accurate. After consulting with Levini Law about the lease terms, they gave me good advice within the free 15 min consultation they offered. Getting free advice within a 15 min period, from a law firm, is rare in my experience and it show's me that they are honest and willing to help clients, even if the bill is low. For this reason, they will be the first call I make when I need a Real Estate lawyer, without a doubt. Thank you for your help, it means a lot to this small business owner :)

We wondered if giving regular passage permission across our property to a neighbor's 8-year-old…read moredaughter visiting her close friend would put us at risk for someone else claiming an easement. Ms. Levini answered my questions in the free consultation, which should make life better for all concerned. I'm paying that gift forward with this review. Work with a good person and knowledgeable professional.

I needed Yair for some independent certificate of reviews. He did an excellent job. I would highly…read morerecommend him.

As a couple planning our estate for the first time, we were grateful for Yair's thoughtful…read moreguidance. He was a very attentive listener, and not only answered all of our questions but also asked us questions and posed possibilities that invited us to take further consideration of certain things. He walked us through every step and detail with clarity and care. The entire process felt smooth, thorough, and genuinely personal. Yair's professionalism and kindness made a big difference; we're so glad our neighbor recommended him!

Lisa is a knowledgeable, friendly and trustworthy attorney. I am very lucky to find her to do my…read moreliving trust which provides great protection to my family. Her price is very reasonable for the excellent service she provided. I highly recommend Lisa if you like to provide legal protection to you family. Susan D

As a Registered Nurse, I understand how important it is to have an Advanced Healthcare Directive…read moreprepared in advance by an attorney. I conducted research online to determine who I should go to and who was the best fit for me. Happily, I found attorney Lisa Chan. She went above and beyond my expectations. From my first phone call to meeting her and completing the Advanced Healthcare Directive, my entire experience with her was wonderfully positive. Her rate is very reasonable in the Bay Area. She was very patient in listening to and answering all of my concerns and questions​ and offered professional guidance on areas I was unfamiliar with. It is evident that she is very knowledgeable about her practice. I can feel that she truly cares about her clients and treats them with respect and dignity. I will definitely be returning to Lisa for future services and highly recommend her.