Lagunitas Lawyers

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...

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...

I am an accomplished California Bankruptcy and Business law attorney. My areas of expertise include a broad range of insolvency matters for creditors.

I provide extensive experience and knowledge, focused on maximizing benefits and minimizing losses. With a long history of successful results, I am dedicated to innovative and practical solutions for your bankruptcy and insolvency problems.

I have been honored with recognition as a Northern California Super Lawyer, Best Lawyers of America, and an AV Rating from Martindale-Hubbell.

Visit my website for more information and to see representative cases.

I am an accomplished California attorney, representing clients with Government, Environmental, Natural Resources and Land Use matters. I have over 30 years of experience with a broad array of federal, state and local issues. I bring knowledgeable and skilled advocacy to effectively and efficiently meet your legal needs. A recipient of CalCIMA's Spirit of the Industry Award, I am also listed among The Best Lawyers in America and Northern California Super Lawyers.

I am an accomplished ADA Compliance & Defense attorney. With a practice encompassing over 30 years, I am dedicated to providing exceptional service and legal representation. I am a member of the American College of Real Estate Lawyers and on the Advisory Board of Directors of the Advanced Commercial Leasing Institute, Georgetown University Law Center. I also serve as Chair of JMBM's ADA Compliance & Defense Group and am the author of the ADA Compliance & Defense Blog. My transactional practice includes leasing, lease administration for developers and tenants, acquisition and sales, portfolio management, regulation of real property use and development,...

Matthew Kenefick has an extensive law practice which includes litigation, real estate and compliance matters. Mr. Kenefick represents a variety of industries including manufacturers, financial institutions, retailers, real estate developers, wineries and the hotel industry, among others.

L. Randolph Harris is a partner in JMBM's San Francisco office who works with a broad array of privately held companies and their owners on business and tax matters. Randy advises clients with regard to business transition, taxable and tax deferred mergers and acquisitions, joint ventures, restructuring, integrated tax planning, federal and state tax controversy resolution, and real estate transactions. Randy's experience includes counseling mature companies on operations, business transactions and mergers and acquisitions and counseling emerging and growth companies on business organization, financing and operations. He advises on income tax planning for individuals, partnerships and corporations and also advises...

As an experienced General Counsel with two stints at late-stage growth companies, Ronak Ray leads all legal matters for maturing businesses. He supported TaskUs’ board as corporate secretary and 18,000 people globally while managing to close a $500 million transaction with Blackstone before joining another scaling technology company at Pantheon as their General Counsel. Most recently, Ronak was appointed as Executive Managing Director of modCounsel to support growth companies for concierge in-house legal services from early stage to publicly listed businesses.

Erik Christensen litigates, and provides counsel on, corporate and employment issues in California and the District of Columbia. His experience includes working as a senior associate at top-ranked global law firms, including Littler Mendelson and Greenberg Traurig. Before this, Erik externed at the California Supreme Court and the First District Court of Appeal, two of the most prestigious opportunities provided to law students in California. Erik also served as a law clerk for the Los Angeles District Attorney’s Victim Impact Program (sometimes referred to as the “Special Victims Unit.”) His experience includes years of service with the 101st Airborne’s...

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...

Mr. Rose is dedicated to providing the best legal representation for injured victims and their families in a compassionate, efficient and effective manner. He is a passionate advocate for his clients and resolves most cases in a matter of months, rather than years. He is most widely known as one of the leading bicycle lawyers, pedestrian lawyers, and motorcycle accident lawyers in the San Francisco Bay Area. Mr. Rose also serves as a Mediator of claims throughout California.

Since 2007 our office has been dedicated to representing San Francisco and Sacramento area employees and victims of serious injuries in a wide range of employment, wrongful termination and injury cases. Individual approach to each client and each injury or employment case is what distinguishes us from other attorneys, as we recognize that each case is as different as each person who has been either injured or aggrieved by their employer.

Solving business problems from a legal perspective for technology companies. I have served as a trusted advisor to boards and C-suites in private and public companies for more than 15 years including more than 9 years at Actuate Corporation (NASDAQ:BIRT) as its SVP, GC, Chief Compliance Officer and Corporate Development until the sale of Actuate to OpenText, Inc in 2015. I have particular expertise with M&A, governance, managing litigation and operational process and policy improvement. A consistent strong performer, I was a securities litigator at Wilson Sonsini and Heller Ehrman and a law clerk at the Federal District Court for the...

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

Ella Zheng is the Managing Partner of Sanford Heisler Sharp McKnight’s Palo Alto and San Francisco offices and Chair of the firm’s Asian American Litigation and Finance Practice Group. In 2022, she was recognized as a Rising Star by Law360 and named an “Asian Leader Worth Watching” by Profiles in Diversity Journal. She has earned a spot on Super Lawyers’ Northern California Rising Stars list every year since 2016 and was named among the Top 40 Under 40 Civil Plaintiff Trial Lawyers in California by The National Trial Lawyers. In 2018, Ella was honored with the Tribute to Women Award...

For over 30 years, Mr. Sparer has successfully represented individuals and businesses in litigation involving securities, contract, insurance, real estate, probate, and trust matters. Sparer Law Group (SLG), Mr. Sparer has obtained over $200 million in settlements, judgments, and recoveries on behalf of securities investors. Mr. Sparer also leads an SLG team that has successfully defended financial professionals and investment funds under investigation by the SEC, FINRA, and the California Department of Business Oversight.

SLG regularly helps resolve sensitive and confidential family disputes involving claims of elder abuse or financial misconduct. In the process, Mr. Sparer has successfully...

I have built a career and a reputation by advocating for the rights of the accused. At Bulldog Law, my team and I have defended thousands of clients throughout the United States in various criminal cases across both state and federal courts, encompassing trials and appeals. Additionally, we manage personal injury and cryptocurrency cases. My lawyers and I have been described as "bulldogs" for our tenacious and successful representation in legal proceedings. We vigorously defend our clients, fully aware of the high stakes and our potential to significantly impact their lives.

Ernest C. Brown, ESQ, PE is highly experienced in construction contracts, negotiation, claims preparation, construction litigation, mechanic’s liens, bid protests, public works law and insurance coverage. He has resolved more than 2,500 construction disputes, including complex mediations, arbitrations, litigation, court trials, jury trials, DRB's and other innovative ADR approaches. He is a graduate of MIT in Civil and Environmental Engineering and earned a MS Construction Management and JD from the University of California, Berkeley. He also did graduate coursework at Harvard Law School in International Law. He is a senior construction lawyer and licensed civil engineer. Mr. Brown has...

Jon Welner is a leading practitioner of environmental law in California. His broad and deep experience over twenty years enables him to solve regulatory problems for clients in virtually every area of environmental practice, including air, water, hazardous materials, hazardous waste, consumer products, traditional and renewable energy, and natural resources. Jon helps clients make sense of the “alphabet soup” of state and federal environmental regulatory agencies in order to achieve their business objectives. He regularly represents clients in court to defend their interests and achieve their goals.

Jon has a robust land use practice and assists clients to successfully navigate the...

Mr. Luna holds Bachelor of Science degrees in both Management and Marketing from San Francisco State University and went to the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, where he graduated with honors and was appointed a member of the Traynor Honor Society. In addition, Mr. Luna received a coveted Witkin Award for studies conducted in International Banking.

After graduating from law school, Mr. Luna worked in a boutique civil litigation and general practice firm in Fresno, CA and then went on to work with a couple of different Workers' Compensation firms in the Bay Area (doing both applicants and...

I am also a Certified Public Accountant and have been doing tax work in the Bay Area for 30 years. I specialize in helping people and businesses pay as few taxes as possible without getting audited. In the estate planning area I help people preserve their property for their families and pay as few estate taxes as possible. I also am the Probate Doctor who can help fix impossible situations when estates are stuck in the quagmire of California Probate.

Roger Kirnos is the managing partner at Lemon Law Help by Knight Law Group in Los Angeles, representing clients throughout California. He graduated cum laude from Southwestern University School of Law in the top 10% of his class, earning several academic scholarships. During law school, he served as President of the Federalist Society and Vice President of the Business Law Society. He externed for Chief Judge Alexander Kozinski of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and Judge F. Gary Klausner of the U.S. District Court, Central District of California. He holds a B.A. in Economics with a minor in English...

The Law Offices Of Jeffrey B. Kahn, P.C. are uniquely qualified in tax. Is the IRS breathing down your neck and sending you intimidating notices and telephone calls? Are you having tax problems? Is the IRS filing liens, garnishing your wages, levying assets, and devastating your financial and personal life? IRS tax debts require immediate action. Don’t put off dealing with tax debts; inaction could be very expensive. Instead, consider professional IRS help. The Law Offices of Jeffrey B. Kahn, P.C. are uniquely qualified in tax, probate, trust, and business law. We can provide responsive, proactive...

Local Estate Elder Law Planning Attorney
Long term Pleasant Hill resident, Jeffrey Hall, didn’t follow the traditional path to the practice of law. Indeed, attorney Hall grew up in central Los Angeles, and in a time when there was no expectation that he would attend college; and law school was simply not an option. However, after completing his bachelor’s degree in Economics from Saint Mary’s College, he volunteered with the Air Force in 1981 and served for 9 years, both reserve and active. Upon returning to California, he and his wife made Pleasant Hill their home and have...

Shahrad Milanfar is a Trial Attorney and Mediator who has focused his career on serious personal injury, automotive, asbestos and other types of product liability, transportation/ trucking, and habitability cases. Since the beginning of his career, Shahrad has worked on catastrophic injury cases such as traumatic brain injury (TBI), serious orthopedic injuries, including quadriplegia and paraplegia.

Shahrad gained his trial and courtroom experience while working with the district attorney’s office and as a civil trial attorney. He has handled cases form inception to verdict as the primary trial attorney. Over the past 20+ years, Shahrad has managed serious personal injury and...

Mr. Light firmly believes in the power of empathy and humanity. His strength of empathy and unique personal experience with tragedy has allowed him to connect with clients who’ve suffered their own profound losses. Mr. Light is honored to represent and advocate for individuals and families suffering from the universe of challenges that inherently follow a traumatic brain injury.

Nobody expects or can anticipate what follows a brain injury, even a “mild” trauma. Growing up, Mr. Light was reminded on a daily basis of the strength, determination, love, patience and understanding necessary to endure the aftermath of a life-altering event....

The Law Office of Glicel Sumagaysay handles employment matters as follows: *Federal employee, public entity employee, and private employee representation in the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ("EEOC"), federal court, Department of Fair Housing and Employment (“DFEH”), and state courts; *Claims include wrongful termination; retaliation; discrimination on the basis of disability, race, gender, and other protected statuses; *wage and hour matters with the Department of Labor Standards and Enforcement (“DLSE”) and courts; *small business employer compliance with California and federal law.

Mr. Tormey has over 20 years of experience in product development, marketing and intellectual property protection. As a company startup veteran, Mr. Tormey brings a unique perspective on the value of intellectual property to a small and growing business. As such, he also speaks to entrepreneurs and business executives on how to protect and leverage IP assets. Mr. Tormey is the author of the "Startup Guide to Intellectual Property." As a patent attorney, Mr. Tormey has drafted over 100 patent applications covering software, electronics, wireless, radio, mobile applications, encryption and automation controls. Besides intellectual property law, ...

HOLGER SIEGWART, ESQ. – German Lawyer in the USA (California) Rechtsanwalt (German Attorney at Law), licensed in Germany Attorney at Law, licensed in California Senior Adviser of the American Chamber of Commerce in Germany (AmCham) for California and the Western United States Since 2008 SIEGWART GERMAN AMERICAN LAW Inc. Counsel for US based corporate an individual clients and attorneys on German law, representation of US based corporate and individual clients in Germany; counsel for German and German speaking corporate and individual clients and attorneys on US law, representation of German and German speaking corporate and individual clients...

Zack was born and raised in San Francisco but has made Santa Rosa his home for the past fifteen years, owning and operating successful businesses and developing multiple ties to the community before deciding to become an attorney. Early on in his legal career, Zack spent four years with Legal Aid of Sonoma County under the umbrella of the State Bar of California’s Practical Training program. This allowed Zack to provide legal services under the supervision of an attorney. Based upon his calming presence and ability to put people at ease, Zack was asked to work in the Domestic Violence division...

Private Practice in real estate and business law for 40 years. Court and private mediator for 25 years. AV Rated and Northern California Super Lawyer.

Richard is a USPTO Registered Patent Attorney who loves helping creative people realize their dreams. Rich received his BA from Princeton University, then completed his Physics coursework at San Francisco State University. Rich received his J.D. with Honors & Certified in Intellectual Property from the University of Oregon School of Law. Rich has practiced in patent prosecution, patent litigation and military law, having served as an Army JAG Corps Captain stateside and overseas. Many lawyers call themselves "i.p. lawyers," but few are truly Registered with the USPTO, licensed to secure you your patent or ® Trademark. Look...

Sam graduated from the University of Utah with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Accounting in 2008 and his Juris Doctor from UNLV in 2011. He went on to receive a Masters of Law (LL.M.) in Taxation from Georgetown University in 2012. Sam’s practice includes estate planning, asset protection, trust administration, probate, guardianship, and business organization. Sam has established a strong reputation within the Las Vegas legal community for his expertise and provides continuing legal education courses in his areas of practice. Sam is fluent in Spanish and is licensed in both Nevada and Utah and is a member of the Southern...

For the past 45 years, I have dedicated my legal career to representing individuals in Northern California who have suffered catastrophic injuries. My practice areas include workers' compensation, industrial accidents, death claims, orthopedic injuries, amputations, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), traumatic brain injuries (TBI), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Zachary Rayo brings experience, efficiency and empathy to estate planning. Mr. Rayo’s approach is people-centered. He recognizes that the legal needs and special issues differ from client to client, that each person is unique, with unique needs that must be met with efficiency, active listening and care. Mr. Rayo knows the importance of social responsibility which manifests not only in ethical decisions and practices but also in involvement in socially important causes.

I’ve been an attorney for going on 20 years in the greater bay area of California. When you call me, you will talk to me directly. You won’t get assigned to a paralegal or another attorney. I have a passion for practicing law and helping my clients to the best of my ability. I like talking to people and getting to the heart of the matter through direct and clear talk.

Chad Johnson is a highly experienced Northern California bankruptcy attorney with over 19 years of dedicated service in the legal field. Throughout his career, Chad has been involved in the representation of over 7,000 Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy cases, providing expert guidance to his clients. Chad's commitment to his clients goes beyond just legal advice; he strives to provide compassionate support and clear communication, ensuring his clients feel informed and confident throughout the bankruptcy process.