Expertise
As lawyers with big firm experience, backgrounds in economics and finance, and strong local roots, our core services encompass business, IP/trademarks, litigation, probate, and real estate. In addition to lawyers, we draw on our extensive and reliable network of experts to grow specific teams for clients’ needs. We combine sophisticated legal counsel with a hands-on approach, in-depth experience, and the momentum to go the distance.
Business
Known for our business acumen and legal service across multiple generations, business advice and counsel is a marquee practice of the firm. Bolstered by decades of legal experience and business knowledge, we blend our legal training with backgrounds in economics and finance, to provide in- depth legal counsel on business and related issues for companies throughout the Bay Area.
| Business Overview | General Counsel Services |
| Business Formation and Dissolution | Outside General Counsel |
| Family-Owned Business | Wine Law |
Estate Planning
A solid estate plan in its simplest sense is a roadmap. It identifies your chosen decision-makers for when you cannot manage your own affairs before you die and to handle your effects after death. Specialized planning can also minimize your long- term care expenses or eliminate them entirely. And a solid estate plan documents your wishes for the distribution of your worldly belongings, facilitating estate administration and probate proceedings.
| Estate Planning Overview | Tools for Life |
| Wills and Trusts | Asset Preservation |
| Tax Considerations | Elder Law |
| Charitable Planning | Succession Planning |
Trust Administration & Probate
Our team of legal professionals handle the complex probate process with the diligence and grace born of deep experience.We are also adept at creating trusts that take effect upon creation, eliminate probate, and in some cases avoid or limit inheritance and estate taxes.
| Trust Administration & Probate Overview | Probate Administration |
Trademarks
Many of our clients, especially growing businesses have unique ways of doing things. Their brands are reflected in writings or logos. We secure legal protection over specific trademarks and/or copyrights to enhance the value of your business’s intellectual property assets.
| Trademarks Overview | Trademark & Copyright Protection |
Litigation
We thrive on the give and take of legal negotiations, and pride ourselves on resolving the thorniest of disputes outside the courtroom. Our long history of handling complex issues and our deep experience litigating before federal, state, and local courts, gives us the leading edge on litigation avoidance techniques and pre-litigation counsel. While we appreciate that litigation is not always the best answer, we also understand the value of staking a claim and will fight to attain the best possible outcome.
| Litigation Overview | Litigation Advice and Counsel |
| Litigation Avoidance |
Real Estate
Remember the devil is in the details especially for real estate. If you’re looking to do a simple transfer or you need something more sophisticated, we can help. It adds value to discuss transactions, leases, physical descriptions, or litigation with an attorney.