Top California Lawyers and Attorneys

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Lisa S.

Lisa Saperstein

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Russell G.

Russell Greenman

Russell Greenman is a corporate attorney with over a decade of experience. He primarily specializes in mergers and acquisitions, legal matters related to startup businesses, and commercial contracts. Russell is licensed to practice law in California and obtained his legal degree from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Yeshiva University. Since April 2013, Russell has been serving as a partner attorney at Weinberg Gonser LLP.
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Nicole C.

Nicole Clancy

Nicole Clancy Law provides services and consultations in all aspects of labor and employment law, including employee handbooks, wage and hour, wrongful termination, discrim...
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Joseph J.

Joseph Johnson

I solve the problems that my clients said were impossible to solve. I am the trial attorney you want in the board room, checking up on GC, and directing strategy as the t...
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Laura P.

Laura Portillo

Laura Portillo is a Pepperdine Law School graduate with a Certificate in Dispute Resolution from the Straus Institute. Laura is licensed to practice law in the states of Ca...
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Johnny M.

Johnny Manriquez

115 reviews
Johnny Manriques is a patent attorney with extensive experience in dealing with cases that involves intellectual property law and related legal matters. He has more than 14 years of experience and is licensed to practice law in California. Johnny is registered with the State Bar of California. He has a Juris Doctor degree in law. Johnny recently started his own firm, but worked with Procopio Cory for three years prior to starting his own law office.
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Tom S.

Tom Shnaider

82 reviews
Thomas has over 15 years of experience and is the founding partner of Shnaider, a corporate, business, and contracts & licensing law firm. He provides cost-effective service to clients, whether they are individuals or Fortune 100 companies in the US and internationally. In addition to law, he is a licensed real estate broker with expertise in real estate transactions and real estate law.
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Stacy S.

Stacy Smith

81 reviews
Stacy Smith is your go-to for your business and real estate needs. She can help with business sales and purchases, entity formation, contracts, and more. Whether your business needs help with vendor agreements or financing, Ms. Smith can help. She can also deal with things like zoning and separating or combining lots. She brings her 25 years of experience to every legal issue.
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Carlos P.

Carlos Perez

79 reviews
Carlos Perez has represented high-stake clients, including Facebook, Google and AMD. He primarily focuses on patents, but has experience in numerous business practice areas. Carlos is the founder of his own law firm, where he specializes in the preparation and prosecution of patents, as well as business litigation matters. He was also an associate at Baker Botts and Baker & McKenzie before he started his own law firm.
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Jann M.

Jann Moorhead

69 reviews
Jann Moorhead is a global transactional attorney with 25 years of experience representing established international companies and startups. She was the lead attorney for the Star Wars franchise and was in charge of negotiating the licensing activities. She has also negotiated many agreements for licensing, distribution, business transactions, privacy, and other commercial contracts across many industries such as consumer products, media, technology, software, and e-commerce.
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How Much Does It Cost to Hire a Lawyer in California?

California attorneys charge an hourly rate of $90 to $500 an hour on average. This can vary greatly depending on the kind of lawyer you employ and your specific legal needs.

How to Find the Best Lawyer in California?

To find California lawyers that are vetted and qualified, you might ask around or consult bar associations in your area. You could also make use of online services like UpCounsel, which make it easy to connect with top-rated lawyers that specialize in the area of law you require.

Need a Lawyer in California?

Lawyers in California are best found through UpCounsel. It’s as simple as posting a job onto the platform. Highly-qualified attorneys will submit proposals for you to look through, which you can assess based on your budget. To get started with your search for the best attorney in California, click here.

How Do I Find out if An Attorney Is Licensed in California?

Attorneys employed at California law firms should be vetted. To do so, you can visit the California State Bar’s website and use their attorney lookup tool.

FAQs about California Lawyers

What is the difference between a lawyer and an attorney in California?

While the terms are often used interchangeably, there are technical differences between a lawyer and attorney. While a lawyer can be considered an advisor or consultant, California attorneys specifically practice law in court.

Can a family member be your lawyer in California?

California lawyers can represent anyone, including family members, so representing relatives is legally permitted.

Who is eligible for legal aid in California?

To be eligible for legal aid in California, you must be at least 125% below the Federal Poverty Level. However, in the state of California, you may still qualify for assistance if you can prove that you have certain health-related issues or if you’re a senior in the following cities or counties: Kings, Madera, Merced, Fresno, and Tulare.

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This is the most recent 20 reviews out of 7419 reviews for attorneys in California

Danny Minutillo
5.0
Clear Communication
Response Time
Knowledgeable
Meets Deadlines

Contractor Agreement

Danny Minutillo

"Danny has been great to work with, he always answers all are questions in a clear and knowledgable way."

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Bayside, CA,

Joel Douglas
5.0
Clear Communication
Response Time
Knowledgeable
Meets Deadlines

Patent Application Assistance

Joel Douglas

"I had an excellent experience working with Joel Douglas on my U.S. provisional patent application. Joel was professional, knowledgeable, responsive, and very clear throughout the process. He carefully reviewed my invention disclosure, addressed my questions and revisions, and helped ensure that the technical material was properly presented for the patent filing. I particularly appreciated his practical approach and his guidance on including the Computer Program Listing Appendix. The application was successfully filed with the USPTO as planned, and I am very satisfied with both the quality of his work and the overall process. I would definitely recommend Joel to inventors seeking experienced patent counsel."

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San Francisco, CA,

Anthony Whittington, Jd/Mba
5.0
Clear Communication
Response Time
Knowledgeable
Meets Deadlines

Conduct Trademark Search

Anthony Whittington, Jd/Mba

"Amazing bedside manner, responsive and knowledgable. I'm lucky to have found him."

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Greenbrae, CA,

Ryan Coyne
5.0
Clear Communication
Response Time
Knowledgeable
Meets Deadlines

Review & Redline Distribution Agreement

Ryan Coyne

"Experienced, prompt, and was versed in a unique space of international business and law that seemed the perfect fit for my needs. Would recommend to anyone looking for legal support!"

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Los Angeles, CA,

David Yamaguchi
5.0
Clear Communication
Response Time
Knowledgeable
Meets Deadlines

Consulting Contract Review

David Yamaguchi

"na"

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San Francisco, CA,

Alton Hare
4.8
Clear Communication
Response Time
Knowledgeable
Meets Deadlines

Privacy Policy Services

Alton Hare

"Took the time to truly understand our technically complex product, delivered a complete and consistent six-document legal package, and answered every question with practical, actionable guidance. Responsive and thorough, would gladly hire again."

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Sunnyvale, CA,

Rebecca Stacker
5.0
Clear Communication
Response Time
Knowledgeable
Meets Deadlines

Healthcare Attorney for MSO Review

Rebecca Stacker

"Rebecca helped set up a compliant MSO-PC structure for my IV hydration business. Her knowledge & support on the subject was invaluable and we are excited to work with her & her team again on the next project. Thanks again, Rebecca."

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Studio City, CA,

Mary Hodges
5.0
Clear Communication
Response Time
Knowledgeable
Meets Deadlines

Employment Contract Negotiations

Mary Hodges

"Mary is incredibly thoughtful, smart, kind, responsive, and productive with her feedback. She is able to handle interpersonal communications and relationships with business partners as well as negotiations and understand some of the clarification, confusion, and emotion that can come with contract negotiation and with business negotiations in general."

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San Francisco, CA,

Brandon Northington
5.0
Clear Communication
Response Time
Knowledgeable
Meets Deadlines

Telehealth Vendor SLA Review

Brandon Northington

"Brandon was excellent — reviewed our vendor contract and legal pages, and honestly went way beyond a basic redline. He caught a real regulatory issue our vendor had brushed off, backed it up with solid research (I double-checked it myself and it held up), and was always upfront about what was and wasn't included in the price. Clear communicator, fast turnaround, genuinely knows his stuff. Would hire again."

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Antioch, CA,

Mark Mcguinness
5.0
Clear Communication
Response Time
Knowledgeable
Meets Deadlines

Commercial Litigation Consultation & Legal Assessment

Mark Mcguinness

"I can't thank Mark and his team enough. From the beginning, his proposal was straightforward, clearly communicated, and he ultimately exceeded my expectations. Mark is extremely knowledgeable and has a unique ability to explain complex legal issues in a way that's easy to understand, even without a legal background. He was patient, took the time to answer all of my questions, and never made me feel rushed. I highly recommend working with Mark and his team."

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Valley Center, CA,

Seth Wiener
5.0
Clear Communication
Response Time
Knowledgeable
Meets Deadlines

Assist with Other Lawsuits & Disputes Matter

Seth Wiener

"Very knowledgeable!"

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Los Angeles, CA,

Karen Braveheart
5.0
Clear Communication
Response Time
Knowledgeable
Meets Deadlines

Review Privacy Policy

Karen Braveheart

"Incredibly easy to work with and she provided knowledgable advice about our specific industry."

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Los Gatos, CA,

Vincent Van Houden
5.0
Clear Communication
Response Time
Knowledgeable
Meets Deadlines

Review of Employee IP Assignment Agreement

Vincent Van Houden

"Vincent did solid, thorough work. He put together a detailed legal memo covering my invention ownership question, along with guidance on conflict of interest disclosure considerations. Clear explanations and practical recommendations throughout. Turnaround wasn't rushed, which was fine with me. Communication was easy to follow. This is my second time working with him."

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Pittsburg, CA,

Michael S Melfi
5.0
Clear Communication
Response Time
Knowledgeable
Meets Deadlines

Review Terms of Service

Michael S Melfi

"Michael was fantastic to work with. He took the time to understand both the legal and practical realities of my business instead of just making redlines in a vacuum. His feedback was thoughtful, pragmatic, and always explained in a way that made it easy to understand the trade-offs behind each recommendation. What I appreciated most was that he looked for solutions, not just problems. He helped strengthen our legal documents while also offering practical guidance on payments, risk management, and launch considerations that went well beyond the contracts themselves. I’d absolutely recommend Michael to any startup founder looking for a knowledgeable attorney who understands how to balance legal protection with building a real product."

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Thousand Oaks, CA,

Ali Shalchi
5.0
Clear Communication
Response Time
Knowledgeable
Meets Deadlines

Trademark Infringement Consults Services

Ali Shalchi

"Quick turnaround at an affordable price"

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Fremont, CA,

Anna Claxton
5.0
Clear Communication
Response Time
Knowledgeable
Meets Deadlines

Draft SaaS Agreement

Anna Claxton

"We are very happy working with Anna; she helped create our MSA and SOW. We are an AI Automation/Marketing Agency based out of Newport Beach, CA, serving businesses nationwide. We just closed our first enterprise engagement and needed assistance/guidance in getting the proper legal documentation to support this size scope. Anna was the right choice. We spoke with her on a call, she listened, we messaged her, and she responded promptly and made sure we were taken care of, which is all our company can ask for. Thank you, Anna!"

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Newport Beach, CA,

Jake Siciliano
5.0
Clear Communication
Response Time
Knowledgeable
Meets Deadlines

IP Attorney Needed — USPTO Trademark Filing + China Manufacturer Agreement Review

Jake Siciliano

"Jake was exceptional to work with! His guidance on trademark strategy in particular pushed my thinking in ways that helped shape the brand direction, beyond just the legal aspect of the work. Highly recommend."

.
Walnut Creek, CA,

Ryan A. Woods
5.0
Clear Communication
Response Time
Knowledgeable
Meets Deadlines

Review Equipment Lease

Ryan A. Woods

"Will be using Ryan in the future!"

.
Torrance, CA,

Eric Alspaugh
5.0
Clear Communication
Response Time
Knowledgeable
Meets Deadlines

Assist with Other Trademark & Copyright Matter

Eric Alspaugh

"Eric was great - our outcome was the best-case scenario."

.
Los Angeles, CA,

Ross Brandborg
5.0
Clear Communication
Response Time
Knowledgeable
Meets Deadlines

Patent Infringement Consultation

Ross Brandborg

"Ross provided exceptional legal counsel for our recent hardware FTO and clearance analysis. We were operating under a strictly accelerated, one-week deadline, and Ross exceeded all expectations. He quickly grasped the complex mechanical geometries of our product and delivered highly detailed claim charts and a robust non-infringement opinion ahead of schedule—even while navigating a holiday weekend. His communication was consistently prompt, clear, and professional. If you need a patent attorney who combines deep technical acumen with incredible speed and reliability, I cannot recommend Ross highly enough."

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Torrance, CA,


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