Independence Lawyers

I am a successful criminal lawyer and DUI attorney with over 28 years of experience in the courtroom and experience as a former law enforcement police officer. I am proud to represent those individuals prosecuted by governmental agencies and accused of crimes.

I have been an active member of the California State Bar since 1990 and have been admitted to practice in the United States District Court Southern District of California since 1991. I received my Juris Doctorate Law Degree from the University of San Diego School of Law (USD) in 1990 and graduated from San Diego State University in 1986...

The mission of the attorneys at The Sullivan Law Firm, APC, is to counsel clients in finding common sense solutions to complex family and bankruptcy legal problems by providing a full spectrum of legal services. Attorney Michelle Sullivan, CLS-F, is a specialist in counseling clients regarding divorce, mediation, collaboration, adoptions, prenuptual agreements, and other legal issues. Located in Rancho Bernardo, a neighborhood of north San Diego, our family law and bankruptcy practice especially caters to residents of San Diego and North County.

Chapman Law Group, A.P.C. handles personal injury law, real estate and business counseling, and general litigation and appeals in state and federal courts. Attorney David Chapman is a Certified Mediator. The firm serves clients throughout Marin County, the greater San Francisco Bay Area, and Northern California. Mr. Chapman represents seriously injured victims in cases involving auto accidents, wrongful death, catastrophic injury – including brain and spine injuries - dog bites, slip & fall, medical malpractice, and elder abuse. Mr. Chapman’s real estate practice handles cases involving nondisclosure, fraud, easement and boundary issues, HOA & landlord /...

Cate Eranthe is a California-licensed attorney admitted to practice in the United States District Court for the Northern District with over 20 years of complex discovery and litigation experience. Ms. Eranthe has handled chapter 7 and 13 bankruptcies from initial filing through discharge. A San Francisco native she provides practical strategies and advises on different approaches to achieve your best outcomes.

We counsel and represent consumer debtors and small businesses in bankruptcy. Our goal is to assist our clients in moving from financial overwhelm to financial empowerment.

We also counsel ways to manage student loans and resolve...

Based in Marin County, CA, Peter Chambers proudly defends his clients against their government. Mr. Chambers is at the vanguard of criminal defense law, regularly leveraging the latest legal and technological tools to improve his clients' situation. Never afraid of taking a case to trial, Mr. Chambers takes greater pride in the number of cases dismissed before ever reaching the jury.

Before swapping coasts and counsel tables, Mr. Chambers served as an Assistant District Attorney at the Kings County District Attorney’s Office in Brooklyn, NY, prosecuting cases from attempted murder to petty theft. He is a graduate of Brooklyn Law School,...

Diana is a recognized expert in employment and privacy law, as well as a trained workplace investigator, executive coach, and mediator. Diana is certified by the International Association of Privacy Professionals in both European Union and U.S. Data Privacy. Diana has received mediation training from The Center for Understanding In Conflict, and was also trained by, and serves as an empaneled mediator for, The Northern District Court of California. In addition she mediates privately and as a member of the Contra Costa County Superior Court and the San Mateo County Bar Association. Diana completed over 100 hours of...

Mr. O'Connell leads a small firm of professionals specializing in real estate issues, business, corporations, limited liability companies, estates, and trust administration. He has more than 30 years of experience in these areas and is fully equipped to advise clients regarding their options and risks in these troubling economic times.

Mr. O'Connell speaks frequently at continuing education seminars on topic including the emerging issues in limited liability companies and legal ethics.

Mr. O'Connell served in the U.S. Army Security Agency from 1968 to 1972, serving in Turkey and Germany.

Tax Attorney Shawn Spaulding has dedicated his professional career to protecting the rights of taxpayers. After spending several tax seasons working in the legal department of the largest tax preparation company in the United States Shawn went on to pursue his LL.M (Master of Laws Degree) in Taxation at the University Of San Diego School Of Law. While completing the advanced tax program Shawn provided tax resolution services to the underserved community through the school’s clinic.

Shawn has accomplished high marks throughout his academic career graduating with honors in both his Bachelors (BSBA) and Juris Doctor (Law Degree) programs. He continued...

As an attorney and financier with over three decades of experience, I have been advising companies on various aspects of real estate transactions. My work includes forming legal entities, establishing joint ventures, handling property acquisitions and sales, conducting due diligence, managing land use planning and entitlements, ensuring environmental compliance, and dealing with both secured and unsecured financing. Additionally, I am well-versed in construction contracts, litigation, and arbitration. I am transaction-oriented and have significant experience in handling a broad spectrum of commercial contracts. My skills include reviewing, drafting, and negotiating joint venture agreements, development agreements, construction contracts, public utility agreements, vendor agreements,...

Taylor Burras is a Labor and Employment attorney. Her practice focuses on the hospitality and insurance industries.

Taylor has experience counseling and litigating on behalf of employers in matters relating to discrimination, harassment and wrongful termination, reduction in workforce, hiring, leaves of absence, and wage and hour issues. She has also handled matters before the Employment Development Department (EDD), Department of Labor Standards Enforcement, Department of Fair Employment and Housing, and the National Labor Relations Board. Taylor has successfully represented hotels, resorts and restaurants in numerous general and employment litigation matters. In the insurance industry, she has defended large insurance companies...

For over twenty years I have focused my entire legal practice on exclusively representing employees in a wide variety of employment matters, including wrongful terminations, unpaid wages, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, defamation and severance negotiations. I handle all lawsuits on a contingency fee basis, meaning that I do not charge a fee in a litigation if I do not secure a recovery on behalf of my client. I have advocated on behalf of several hundred employees in State and Federal Court and have completed nearly twenty trials.

Mr. Kronenberg's practice focuses on: - Catastrophic Injury: including representing people who consumed food allergens or pathogens, as well as workers who used defectively designed or manufactured food processing equipment, victims of traumatic brain injury, spinal cord trauma, nerve damage, and severe orthopedic injuries arising from construction accidents, industrial accidents, dangerous premises, auto accidents, wrongful death, governmental or public entity liability, and professional negligence. Mr. Kronenberg has more than a decade of experience litigating personal injury and product liability cases from their inception through trial and appeal. - Consumer Protection: litigating class action claims arising from...

Heidi Machen has been an attorney since 1996 when she graduated from University of California Hastings College of the Law and passed the California Bar Exam. Prior to hanging her shingle as a sole practitioner in 2008, representing clients in matters of employment and regulatory law, Ms. Machen served in various policy and executive positions in local and Bay Area government.

Among her extracurricular activities, she is an avid cyclist, a Vegan cook, an amateur oil painter, has been known to contribute to theatrical productions on or off stage, and to participate in Democratic party doings. She...

Former prosecutor. Experienced criminal, DUI, and juvenile defense attorney across California from North to South. Marc also represents people in Restraining Order cases.

Paul DeAngelis practices in the San Francisco Bay Area. He concentrates on real estate matters, including litigating buyer and seller disputes arising from transactions, neighbor and HOA disputes, and broker defense issues. He also provides transaction and counseling services to buyers and sellers, to property owners to resolve neighbor and HOA disputes, and to brokers and agents regarding risk management and BRE compliance issues. The information in this profile and any reviews or endorsements do not constitute a guarantee, warranty or prediction regarding the outcome of any legal representation. It is a communication within Rules of Professional Conduct of...

Bryan Kemnitzer is a partner at Kemnitzer, Barron, and Krieg, LLP. He received a B.A. from Stanford University in 1972 and a J.D. from McGeorge School of Law (University of the Pacific) in 1975. Bryan was admitted to the State Bar of California in 1975. He has been a civil litigator for more than 30 years and has tried numerous jury cases to judgment. He has served as an arbitrator, and as a Judge-Pro-Tem.

For more than 30 years, his practice has been focused on representing consumers, with an emphasis on the auto industry. Bryan has been involved not only in...

Who am I? Why do I do this? What are you getting when you hire me and my staff? Am I any good at this lawyer stuff? Will I win? Those are all good questions; and I even have answers for some of them.

I started the firm in the mid 1990’s after the Savings and Loan implosion killed commercial real estate for about five years.

In 1978, I got my California real estate license, and two years later, my broker’s license. In 1993, I was awarded the nationally recognized CCIM designation by the Commercial Investment...

Aaron Hicks is a personal injury and accident attorney with over 20 years of experience, and the founder of Hicks Law Firm, headquartered in Orange County, with additional offices in San Diego and Tennessee. He represents plaintiffs in a wide range of personal injury cases, including those involving traumatic brain injuries, catastrophic injuries, complex regional pain syndrome, and wrongful death. His practice covers various types of claims, such as product liability, premises liability, dog bites, car and trucking accidents, motorcycle and pedestrian accidents, hit-and-run incidents, Uber and Lyft accidents, and uninsured/underinsured motorist claims. Aaron has successfully tried numerous cases to verdict...

I am an AV-Rated attorney who represents workers in employment disputes and people who have been hurt in accidents. I represented the United States as a Department of Justice lawyer for 22 years, and I bring the experience I gained there to help real people.

The Law Office of Patrick O’Kennedy provides legal representation for families and individuals in family law and debt relief cases in Irvine and Orange County. Are you facing a difficult personal decision in divorce or financial matters? Our divorce and bankruptcy lawyer can listen to your case and help you chart the way forward in resolving the issue.

Robert has been helping injury victims and the families of wrongful death victims since graduating from Pepperdine Law School and becoming an attorney in 2006. Robert has obtained millions of dollars in recoveries for his clients every year and especially gets great satisfaction out of successfully resolving difficult cases. Robert has obtained many fantastic results for clients when police reports have blamed his client for the accident or prior attorneys have dropped the case. Robert is an animal lover, member of the Animal Legal Defense Fund and other animal welfare organizations and is always available for a...

Criminal Defense Lawyer and Civil Litigator for over 40 years in Santa Barbara, California; Certified Criminal Law Specialist (The State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization); Past President of California Attorneys for Criminal Justice (CACJ).

Mr. Sanger has handled numerous high profile cases, death penalty and other homicide cases as well as complex criminal white collar and civil litigation in state and federal courts.

Mr. Sanger is also a Professor of Law and Forensic Science at the Santa Barbara College of Law and consults on forensic issues on a selected basis. He is an opponent of the death penalty...

I have served in the State of California since 1988, handling Social Security Disability, Workers’ Compensation Law, Criminal Law, and Personal Injury matters. At the Law Offices of Norman J. Homen, our goal is to provide injured clients with the best results in a timely and cost-effective manner. For over 30 years, our outstanding litigation team has remained dedicated to the rights and welfare of the injured and disabled throughout Southern California. The cornerstone of my success is the quality of relationships that I maintain with clients. Clients are treated with integrity and respect for their needs, goals, and objectives. We...

Insurance companies reduce injured people to a claim number because it dehumanizes them. Phil set out to build a different kind of law firm because he realized many law firms do the same to their clients by treating them like numbers instead of people. Personal injury is not just a job to him. It is a public service he and his team enjoy. Phil’s clients know they have an aggressive advocate on their side who is willing to do what it takes to get them what they deserve. As a fifth-generation Californian, Phil has deep ties to the state. He went...

At the law office of Terrence Fantauzzi we help people take advantage of their rights under the bankruptcy code to restart, rebuild and recover financially. We exclusively handle bankruptcy cases in order to be effective and reliable advocates for our clients. Our law practice is EXCLUSIVE to consumer Bankruptcy having filed hundreds of chapter 7 and 13 petitions over the last 10+ years.

Attorney Patel has more than 15 years of experience and has worked on both sides (Defense and Applicant) of the workers' compensation arena, which gives him an edge in getting his clients what they deserve for benefits and medical treatment.

Mr. Patel is a well-versed, experienced, and practical attorney. He pays particular attention to detail and communicates regularly with his clients. His office is equipped with a Spanish interpreter and Spanish-speaking staff. He is very involved in local communities and businesses. Simply put: employment law/workers’ compensation is his passion, and he is still looking to answer why employers would ever engage...

David A. Shaneyfelt has nearly thirty years’ experience in litigating complex civil matters in state and Federal courts across the country. A former shareholder with the New York-based law firm of Anderson Kill, Mr. Shaneyfelt has represented numerous private and public business entities in disputes against insurance companies and joint powers agencies.

His representative cases and matters include the recovery of insurance policy benefits (defense and indemnity) for employment practices liability (EPLI) cases, wage and hour class actions, director and officer (D&O) liability, public entity liability, professional malpractice, reinsurance, accidental death insurance, and lifetime disability. He has also handled a wide-variety...

Shannon H.P. Ward is a Partner and Trial Lawyer at The Aarons Law Firm located in Encino, California, where she specializes in sexual harassment and assault cases, as well as handling the firm’s wrongful termination, discrimination, and retaliation cases.

Shannon has been asked to participate as a speaker and moderator for several professional legal seminars in Los Angeles, and actively participates in planning educational events for other attorneys through the Consumer Attorneys’ Association of Los Angeles (CAALA), where she is a member of the Education Committee and the Vice Chair of the Law Student Outreach Committee. Shannon has been named as...

Matt received his Juris Doctor degree from Thomas Jefferson School of Law in 2009 and previously studied at San Diego State University for his undergraduate B.A. in English and Political Science in 2006. He is currently a member of a number of legal organizations, including the Ventura County Bar Associations, the Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles, the Consumer Attorneys of California, and the California Bar. Matt worked for the insurance companies and large corporations for almost 10 years. He knows all the tricks they try to pull in order to avoid paying full compensation to victims of accidents. With a...

For 35 years, Howard Borenstein has provided trusted legal counsel for clients with Estate Planning, Probate and Tax Law needs. He is dedicated to resolving legal matters for individuals and businesses throughout Southern California.

Demonstrating his knowledge and skill, Howard has been Certified as a Taxation Law Specialist by The State Bar of California. He is committed to finding solutions for legal issues in an efficient and effective manner.

Outside of work, Howard is an active participant in the local community. In addition to working with the San Antonio Community Hospital and Harold W. Harris Foundation Trust, he is involved with the...

Nathan D. Wirtschafter, Corp. is a business litigation and business collection firm. We collect unpaid receivables, promissory notes and judgments. We help creditors recover owed debts. We represent clients in California’s state and federal courts, as well as in arbitration and mediation. We represent large companies, small businesses and individuals. The firm is committed to being personable, professional, and effective. We are consistent, ethical, highly skilled, and tenacious. We strive to find the best strategy to help our clients achieve their goals as quickly as possible within a budget that fits their needs. We...

Jonathan Roven is a dedicated plaintiff-side employment and personal injury attorney who founded Jonny Law with a mission to fight for workers and injury victims against powerful employers and insurance companies. Based in California and Nevada, Jonathan represents clients in wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wage and hour violations, and catastrophic injury cases. With a strong focus on employment law, Jonathan has successfully represented employees at all stages of litigation—from pre-litigation negotiation through trial and arbitration. He is known for aggressively pursuing justice for clients who’ve been wronged at work, including those targeted for whistleblowing, standing up to unlawful treatment, or...

Gerard V. Kassabian JD, LL.M, is a California licensed attorney with diverse experience in transaction and litigation matters representing high net-worth families with respect to their trusts and estates, family law, real estate and business law matters. Mr. Kassabian is admitted to practice before all California State Courts and the United States District Court of California, Central District. After graduating from the University of Southern California with dual-degrees in Business Finance with emphasis in Real Estate and Political Science, he attended Southwestern Law School where he was an associate editor of the Southwestern Law Review honors program followed by a...

I have been practicing criminal defense and DUI defense for well over 20 years. My office is located in Encino, California, and my practice focuses mainly on Los Angeles and Ventura Counties. No case is too large or too small for my firm. Call me any time for a free, confidential consultation about your case.

Suzanne Natbony is a third generation lawyer, with a focus on business transactional and regulatory/compliance law, and dispute resolution. She is licensed to practice in California, with her own law practice, Solve & Win, in West Los Angeles, in addition to being a Partner at the international law firm, Aliant LLP (AliantLaw.com) and Of Counsel to Merino Yebri LLP (MYlawLLP.com) in Century City. Ms. Natbony also serves as outside General Counsel to Beverly Hills Rejuvenation Center, a multi-state medical spa franchise (BHRCenter.com), Rejuva Medical Aesthetics, a westside medical spa, For Us By Us Network, a streaming video platform, and...

I am a shareholder at Grant Shenon. My practice primarily revolves around complex business and real estate transactions and disputes. I am known for my adept negotiation skills, which I use to strategically position my clients for success. Additionally, I often serve as outside general counsel, providing guidance on strategic business decisions, risk management, and general corporate compliance issues. I have been practicing law for over 14 years. My educational background includes a Juris Doctor Degree and a Masters Degree in Dispute Resolution from Pepperdine University School of Law. I also hold a Certificate of Entrepreneurship and the Law, and a...

I am the son of immigrants. My father came to the United States in 1964; my mother in 1968. They met at a party in Hempstead, New York. Turns out they are from the same province in the Philippines and that their towns are only an hour apart. My grandfather was a revered mathematics teacher in Manaoag. My father served 22 years in the U.S. Navy and another 20 years with the State of California; my mother made sure that my brother, sister and I had everything we needed to excel in school. It worked: I was valedictorian of my...

The Law Offices of Melissa J. Lyons, Inc., is here to help injured workers across Southern California navigate the complicated Worker's Compensation system. We understand the devastating impact work injuries can have, both on the injured work and their loved ones. We strive to make the process and simple as possible and enable workers to rest and heal.