Legal Services & Lawyers

Attorney John Martin advises individuals, families, and businesses in the areas of legacy planning, wealth preservation, estate & business succession planning, and estate administration.

Our law firm focuses exclusively on legacy planning, wealth preservation, estate and business succession planning, and estate administration. We are a unique law firm, serving a select group of clients not only during the implementation of their plan, but also over their lifetimes. Our trust and estate planning services enable clients to protect their spouse’s or child’s inheritance from creditors and predators, maximize control over their assets during their lifetime, benefit charities, and effectively transition their business to the next generation. Through an ongoing client maintenance program, we provide peace of mind that a client’s goals will not be undermined by a changing legal environment. From our location in Menlo Park, California, we advise individuals, families, and businesses throughout the Silicon Valley and San Francisco Bay Area.

I am a startup business lawyer and litigator practicing in Silicon Valley as head of a 4-lawyer boutique firm, George Grellas & Associates.

We are business lawyers with a specialty in early-stage tech startups. Since 1984, we have helped small to medium-sized businesses, startups, entrepreneurs, and executives - several thousand in all. We help form companies - fund them - sell or merge or acquire them - sell their assets - do their corporate work, employment work, contracts, leases, and standard terms - licensing, trademark, and IP work - founder and equity incentive structures - commercial deals of all types. We also do litigation: business - corporate - contract - fraud - trade secret - unfair competition - employment - business break-ups - commercial litigation generally.

I am a member of the State Bar-CEB Business and Intellectual Property Law Advisory Committee and a frequent contributing author to CEB business publications (Counseling California Corporations (3rd edition 2008); Advising California Partnerships (3rd edition 2009); California Business Law Practitioner Journal)). CEB stands for Continuing Education of the Bar and has been a leading publisher of lawyer practitioner treatises in California, in affiliation with our State Bar, for over 70 years.

Years ago, in law school, I also served as Chief Technical Editor of the Santa Clara Law Review.

I recently served as President of the Sunnyvale-Cupertino Bar Association (2008-09) and have served on its board of directors for many years.

I also am a member of the Santa Clara Bar Association and the State Bar of California.

Jennifer Mispagel became an associate at Lonich & Patton, LLP in November 2008.

Jennifer grew up in San Jose and attended Saint Francis High School in Mountain View. She graduated from Santa Clara University with a Bachelors of Science in Political Science in 2003. After completing her first year at Santa Clara University School of Law, Jennifer spent a summer in Tokyo studying the Japanese legal system and interning for a local law firm. When she returned to school, she enrolled in Santa Clara's MBA program to complement her legal education. She received her Juris Doctorate and her Masters in Business Administration in 2008. Jennifer received both the Witkin and CALI Awards in Community Property as well as the American Bankruptcy Institute Certificate of Excellence in Bankruptcy for her academic achievement in those courses.

While in law school, Jennifer interned for the Honorable Socrates Peter Manoukian in Santa Clara County Superior Court and worked for the legal department of a telecommunications startup. She also honed her legal and business skills working as a law clerk for more than three years in the areas of family law, business, finance and estate planning. She has found that the combination of her MBA and law degree provides her with a unique perspective that allows her to focus her practice on the three interrelated disciplines of business law, family law and estate planning.

In her spare time, Jennifer loves to travel throughout the United States and internationally. She also enjoys attending sporting events and staying active.

Jennifer is a member of the State Bar of California and the U.S. District Court, Northern District of California. She is also a member of the Santa Clara County Bar Association, including the Barristers and Family Law Sections.

SALARIED WORKERS STILL GET OVERTIME
In California, there are certain exemptions that allow employers to deny paying employees overtime. Whether or not an employee meets those exemptions is typically based on their job duties and responsibilities. There are many situations where employers misclassify employees as exempt from overtime based solely on their job title. For example, the employer will give the employee a fancy job title that includes the word Manager or Supervisor, when in fact, the employee is performing manual or clerical labor according to the employers strict guidelines and protocols. In other words, the employee is exercising independent discretion less than 50% of the time. This is just one factor that plays into whether or not you are properly classified as exempt from overtime.

We have the experience and resources to help you, just as we have helped these and other California Employees who have been misclassified:

- Laboratory Employees
- Computer IT/IS Professionals
- Computer Technicians/Engineers/Programmers
- Banking Employees
- Underwriters
- Network Administrators
- Commissioned Employees
- Sales Representatives
- Loss Prevention Employees
- Account Managers/Supervisors
- Managers and Assistant Managers
- Freight Employees
- Securities Brokers
- Commissioned Sales Employees
California employment lawyer
If you are not getting overtime wages and breaks based on an exemption, feel free to contact our office at 877-852-3912 to further discuss whether your employer properly classified you as exempt from overtime. Our firm is a leader in this field of law. We will provide you with a free, confidential consultation.


ARE YOU REALLY AN INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR OR BEING CHEATED OUT OF BENEFITS?
Independent contractors generally receive less benefits and protections as well as incur more expenses than employees. If you are classified as an independent contractor, you may be getting cheated out of compensation and other protections. In California, this issue is taken very seriously!

There are many factors that are reflected upon in determining whether or not workers are independent contractors or employees. There are usually two threshold requirements for being an independent contractor. If either of the following are true, you are likely an employee and not an independent contractor: (1) You can quit or be terminated at any time without being legally obligated for failure to complete the job; or (2) The person you are working for assigns, reviews, and supervises your work.

California employment lawyer

Alan D. Khalfin, Esq. is a transactional attorney with vast experience in law and strategy across a wide range of fields, including technology, estate planning, finance, media, and energy. He is licensed to practice law in California.

Mr. Khalfin takes pride in providing companies and individuals with top-notch legal expertise and strategic planning that is both thorough and practical. As part of his practice, he has negotiated hundreds of agreements for clients and has overseen numerous complex international transactions.

Mr. Khalfin received his Juris Doctor from Santa Clara University School of Law and is a graduate of the Cornell Law School Institute of International and Comparative Law. He has received several CALI Awards for Excellence in Law and holds a B.A. form the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

Founder of The Walia Law Firm, Harjot "Ginny" Walia has handled numerous cases throughout the criminal courts of the greater San Francisco Bay Area. San Francisco criminal defense attorney, Harjot "Ginny" Walia, has achieved a very high level of success in a relatively short period of time. The firm has reached great heights due to Ms. Walia’s extensive jury trial record, brilliant mind, competitive attitude and a willingness to fight for her clients. She has handled hundreds of criminal cases as a San Francisco Public Defender and in private practice. Federal criminal defense attorney, Ginny Walia has commented as an expert legal analyst and a forensics expert in well publicized, high profile criminal cases on national television channels. Specifically, Ginny Walia was asked for her expert legal advice on the DNA evidence that was a part of the Scott Peterson case.

Ms. Walia’s substantial media experience is useful to protect clients in potentially high-profile cases. She handles numerous serious felony cases, and it is very hard to predict when a case will gather media attention. When one is accused of a serious crime, one should be prepared for the possibility of media attention. By having a rare San Francisco criminal defense attorney with substantial media experience her clients are always aware of media exposure pitfalls before they damage a case. Ms. Walia was also featured as a top story in the leading Bay Area legal newspaper, "The Recorder". "The Recorder" recognized Ms. Walia as a young and successful criminal defense attorney who has made her way to the top. Ms. Walia was also featured in "The New York Law Journal."

Elder trial gurus describe Ms. Walia as a prodigy, due to her command of the Evidence Code, trial objections, and strategy. She is unafraid to take on entire police departments and top officials at district attorneys' offices. Her courage, command of the law and compassionate demeanor earn her victories in her jury trial performances. Her tenacity against government corruption has resulted in potentially high-profile criminal charges against her clients being dismissed.

In her federal practice, she has earned the respect of federal judges for presenting the law "like an appellate attorney." In federal district court, judges hold attorneys to a very high level of professional skill. Ms. Walia exudes talent, intelligence and knowledge while presenting cases on behalf of her clients in federal courts. Ms. Walia has handled over 60 appeals in federal courts.

Ms. Walia’s extensive trial record, media experience, and confident attitude are qualities one needs in their criminal defense attorney. Before going into private practice, Ms. Walia worked at the Office of the Public Defender, San Francisco. There, she handled 100s of criminal cases during her participation in their rigorous trial training program. Throughout the program, Ms. Walia was undefeated at trial and won many motions that proved to be beneficial for her clients.

Harjot "Ginny" Walia started her career as a San Francisco criminal defense lawyer. She holds a B.S. in Psychology from UC Davis and a J.D. with Honors Lawyering Program from Golden Gate University, School of Law. Ms. Walia’s competitive attitude made it possible for her to graduate law school with honors in a short span of two years, passing first class with top scores in four classes. While at the University, she also held the responsibility of managing Golden Gate University competitive national mock trial team. As an undergraduate, Ms. Walia tutored Calculus and Genetics to fellow undergraduates for several years at the UC Davis Learning Skills Center.

Mitchell T. Ehrlich is a partner with Lonich and Patton and along with David Patton, he leads the Family Law practice. His practice focuses on all areas of Family Law including Dissolutions, Child Custody, Support Matters, Property and Business Division, Pre and Post-Nuptial Agreements, Paternity, Registered Domestic Partnerships, Guardianship and Adoptions. In 2009, he became a California Certified Family law Specialist.

Mitchell has over 10 years of experience as a civil litigator and trial attorney. Mitchell began focusing his practice exclusively on Family Law matters shortly after Lonich & Patton's Family Law practice was developed. Prior to that, he amassed significant litigation experience handling the firm's insurance defense, business law and employment law litigation matters as well as handling all of the firm's appellate practice.

Born in Schenectady, NY in 1971, Mitchell grew up in San Jose, graduating from San Jose's Pioneer High School in 1989. Mitchell then attended UC Santa Barbara where he graduated with a Degree in Economics in 1993. After working in Finance for a few years, he attended law school at Pepperdine University School of Law during which time he secured placement on the Deans Honors List numerous times, earned multiple scholarships, and earned assignments with the Washington D.C. Public Defender's Office, the U.S.D.A. and the U.S. District Bankruptcy Court. Mitchell graduated Cum Laude from Pepperdine in 1998 and then returned to San Jose to begin the active practice of law. He joined Lonich and Patton, LLP in 1999. Mr. Ehrlich is married, and he, his wife Wendy, 15 year step-son Jerry, three year old son Russell, infant daughter Ava and their dog Roxy who all live a happy and content life in the Willow Glen area of San Jose. When Mitchell is not with his family, working or in court, he enjoys hiking, jogging, tennis, cooking, winning swimming races in his backyard pool, and playing guitar.

Mitchell is very aware of the fact that he practices in a field in which, quite often, his clients and their children are in the midst of an emotionally stressful and financially difficult situation, where their futures seem uncertain and making decisions can be difficult. Accordingly, relying on his thorough understanding of the law, his extensive trial and litigation background and his experience handling such sensitive matters, he endeavors to offer his clients his valuable experience, counsel and advice in not only the many complicated legal issues they face, but also the short term and long term impacts of their decisions on themselves, their children and their financial lives. Mitchell always provides his clients with timely and detailed attention, along with a clear goal-oriented approach to their issues. Further, drawing on his Economics Degree and his experience in finance, Mitchell has a keen ability to analyze and explain in plain English, the many complicated financial issues that Family Law matters so often entail. Recognizing both the emotional and exceeding high financial toll that can be associated with prolonged litigation, Mitchell seeks to avoid needless litigation and he focuses his efforts on reaching settlements and informal resolutions whenever possible. However, when a reasonable settlement that serves his client's best interest cannot be reached, he draws upon his strong litigation and trial skills to obtain favorable outcomes to the myriad of issues facing his clients.

Mr. Ehrlich is a member of the State Bar of California, the Santa Clara Bar Association and the State and Local Bar Family Law Sections. He engages in many professional activities including serving as Judge Pro Tem for the Santa Clara County Family Court and serving as an Arbitrator for the Santa Clara County Bar Association's Attorney Client Fee Disputes Division. Mr. Ehrlich is also a Traffic Court Judge Pro Tem. Mr. Ehrlich also volunteers his time with the Pro Bono Association's Lawyers in the Library Program.

Gina Policastri is a Certified Family Law Specialist and limits her practice exclusively to family law.

Ms. Policastri obtained a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Santa Clara University in 2000 and her Juris Doctorate from Santa Clara University in 2003, where she earned a place as an editor of the Santa Clara Law Review by writing a legal comment on the Barry Bonds divorce case and the prenuptial agreement legislation it subsequently sparked. During law school, Gina earned both the Emery and Law Faculty Scholarships. She was also awarded a Public Interest Scholarship for her summer clerkship at the East San Jose Community Law Center, where she worked in the Small Business Group. She also received both the Witkin and CALI Awards in Community Property, which are given to the student achieving the highest grade in that course.

Since being admitted to the California bar, Gina has concentrated in the area of family law, where she uses her persuasive writing skills, familiarity with the Santa Clara County family court system and psychology background to effectively litigate cases on behalf of her clients.

Gina loves to travel and has traveled extensively throughout the United States and abroad. She enjoys spending her free time with her husband, two killer Chihuahuas, and her family, who live on California’s Central Coast.

Gina is a member of the State Bar of California and the U.S. District Court, Northern District of California. She is also a member of the Santa Clara County Bar Association (including the Family Law Section).

Kristy Hernandez received her B.A. in Political Science and Comparative Literature from the University of California at Davis. She received her Juris Doctorate from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law with a concentration in Advocacy.

In 2004 Kristy founded the Law Office of Kristy Hernandez which now has offices in Sacramento and Fresno. Kristy has assisted hundreds of clients in debt relief cases and is a passionate advocate for consumer rights. In addition to practicing law, from 2004 to 2007 Kristy taught at legal writing and oral advocacy as an adjunct professor at McGeorge School of Law.

Kristy is currently a member of the State Bar of California, the Eastern and Northern California Districts of the U.S. Federal Court, the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys, the American Association of University Women, and the National Association of Professional Women.

She enjoys reading, cooking, drinking wine and traveling the world with her beautiful daughter and extraordinary husband.