Top best L Lawyers in ZIP 94618 | 37 available

Welcome to my Avvo page. I'm a solo attorney in private practice. My primary areas of practices are land use and environmental law (especially the California Environmental Quality Act) and elections law, focusing on ballot measure. My primary focus is litigation, although I also represent clients in administrative processes. I primarily represent environmental and community groups. You may send me an e-mail to check whether your legal needs match what I can provide.. As you can tell from my biographical information, I didn't start off intending to be an attorney.  I went through college, graduate school and a post-doc intending to do genetics, and spent ten years doing so, first in academia and then as an industrial biotech researcher.  After being laid off and facing relocation to the midwest, I decided to switch careers instead.. I had gotten involved in local politics and served a short term on the Emeryville City Council.  That got me interested in government, and specifically environmental and land use regulations.  It was a short step from there into law school, and thence into my current practice.. My practice is oriented primarily towards representing environmental and community groups as plaintiffs in environmental and land use disputes.. I got into law intending to do environmental law only.  However, land use law is so connected with environmental law, especially in urban areas, that one can hardly do one without the other.  My electoral law work arose from helping environmental groups first draft, and then qualify ballot measures.. I have also done a few cases involving illegal or improper expenditure of public funds (Code of Civil Procedure Sect. 526a).  Such cases are not easy. They involve a lot of discovery and a full-blown bench trial, compared to most of my cases, which are petitions for a writ of mandate.  The latter usually don't involve much if any discovery and are briefed and then heard, usually with at most two or three hours of oral argument.

I am Jennifer C. Phillips, a lawyer representing clients throughout Alameda, San Mateo, San Francisco and Contra Costa Counties.  I understand that a family law problem can affect your life in profound ways.  As your attorney, I will protect your interests and rights and will work with you to find the best resolution at the lowest possible cost.  I believe your money is better spent on family matters, not legal fees.

I am an attorney practicing exclusively in the area of trust and estate law. I prepare estate plans from the simple will to the complete family complex trust package. I advise and assist trustees in administering trusts. I advise beneficiaries of trusts as well.  When an estate requires a probate administration, I guide and represent the executor or administrator through the entire process. I am experienced in litigating will and trust contests, trustee challenges, and other probate litigation issues.  I will also consider conservatorship matters.. I practice primarily in Contra Costa and Alameda counties but I am capable of providing service throughout the northern California Bay area. Home and hospital visits are available with fully mobile draft, print, notary and copy capability for clients needing urgent planning and administration services. I run a low overhead office so that I can provide prompt and compassionate legal services at very competitive hourly and flat fee rates.