Real Estate Law

Having been active in both residential and commercial domains, my experience has spanned a wide spectrum of specialized practice areas: construction law involving defective construction and construction contracts, condominium issues on behalf of homeowners and on behalf of homeowners' associations, real estate sales transactions involving nondisclosure, brokers commissions, contract interpretation and drafting, neighbor issues, boundary and tree cutting disputes, easements, landslides, leases/mortgages, reviewing and drafting, explaining legal ramifications, business law, formation and dissolution of partnerships, corporations and LLC's, and competing claims among owners.

CA, Dec 1977
Bar Number: 77184

I am admitted to California Superior Courts, the United States District Court for the Northern District of California and the California Supreme Court.

Costa County Bar Association

I fulfill my continuing education hours by attending seminars in Real Property Law and Civil Procedure. Under the umbrella "Real Property Law," the courses I take are in the areas of Construction Law, Construction Defects, Real Estate Broker Practice, Boundary Disputes, Easements, Secured Transactions (mortgages), Commercial Leasing, Title Insurance and Recent Developments in Real Property Law.

I always seek to help my clients resolve their disputes through negotiation and/or mediation. However, if necessary to protect my clients’ rights and interests, I do not hesitate to litigate on their behalf.

1

California

I bring 33 years of experience to the practice of law and mediation in the fields of real estate and business. My solo practice was established on August 1, 1994.

In 1994, after having been a partner in the law firm of Whiting, Rubenstein, Swager & Levy for approximately 12 years, I formed my own solo practice, continuing to specialize in the same areas of real estate and business law. Currently, I am also a California licensed real estate broker.

I have been AV-rated by Martindale-Hubble and have done pro bono work for the Berkeley Humane Society, Tibetan Association of Northern California and the Richmond Art Center. I have served on the boards of four nonprofit corporations and have been a member of Richmond Rotary since 1987 and served as its first female president for 2000-2001. I also have been a member of American Inns of Court Symposium, Soroptimist Club and the Contract Costa County Fee Arbitration Panel.

(510) 223-0200

Mondays through Fridays
9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

I am available on weekends and evenings by special arrangement.

Yes

I do not have any fixed-price services or fees. In my practice, each case is relatively unique. For example, if I am asked to draft a commercial lease, my services might include assisting in protracted negotiations concerning the terms and provisions of the lease, in addition to drafting it. If the parties to the lease already are in agreement on most of the major provisions, then the amount of time necessary for me to assist is much less than would be required if the parties have not previously reached agreement on terms and conditions. Another example involves cases that are in a pre-litigation stage or already are in litigation. I am unable to predict in advance how much time will be required to handle the case from commencement through trial because a typical real estate case often involves more than two parties and numerous documents. Moreover, most of the cases (approximately 90%) which I handle settle before trial commences. I cannot predict in advance how soon the case will settle and how many parties might become involved in it.

hourly rate for my services is $300. I am prepared to do legal work at the rate of $275 per hour for those clients who found me through Nolo.

I typically do not offer a free initial consultation because, in most cases, during the initial consultations, I am able to review pertinent documents and/or absorb the underlying facts by discussing them with the client and then and there give the client advice and guidance about his/her legal position/options, rights and duties.

I do not have a typical retainer fee requirement.