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Eric L. Toscano
Legal Entrepreneur & CEO of Tenant Law Group, PC
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Biography
I'm the CEO & Managing Attorney at Tenant Law Group, PC, a San Francisco-based law firm dedicated to justice for California renters. We help California tenants who have been harassed or forced to endure uninhabitable living conditions recover money for their losses. We represent tenants in disputes with landlords arising out of illegal evictions from rent-controlled apartments, harassment, defective conditions and repair issues, rodent and other pest infestations, floods, and fires. Law Firm 500 recognized Tenant Law Group as the 22nd fastest growing law firm in the United States in 2019 (the firm’s first year of eligibility) with an aggregate growth rate of 193%; and as the 12th fastest growing law firm in the United States in 2020 with an aggregate growth rate of 448.7%.
I enjoy running a plaintiff’s firm because we can represent people who would not otherwise be able to hire an attorney. There’s nothing more satisfying than working with single mothers, immigrant families, and individuals struggling to make ends meet. Although I now spend 100% of my time running the firm and no longer represent individual clients myself, I love that our firm actually helps people in need. That's why I became a lawyer.
Nowadays my passion is law practice management. I enjoy connecting with other professionals, particularly attorney entrepreneurs.
Education
- University of California, Davis, School of Law
- J.D. | Public Service Certificate, Pro Bono Certificate
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- Honors: The Order of Barristers (2009); American Bar Association (ABA) Law Student Division Student Bar Association President National Achievement Award (2009); Frank and Margaret Johns Alumni Association Award (2009); Joseph and Jan Cutter Lake Scholarship (2009).
- Activities: Law Students Association: President (2008-09), Vice President (2007-08), 1L Representative (2006-07); Moot Court: Moot Court Board Member (2008-09); UC Davis Asylum and Refugee Law National Moot Court Competition Fundraising and Outreach Chair (2008-09); Member, UC Davis ABA National Appellate Advocacy Competition (NAAC) National Finalist Team (04/2008); Member, UC Davis Western Regional Championship Team & Top Brief Award Recipient in ABA NAAC (03/2008); Trial Practice: Member, Trial Practice Honors Board (2008-09); ABA: Fourteenth Circuit Lieutenant Governor of Diversity (2007-08), UC Davis School of Law Student Representative (2007-08); Member, Recruitment, Retention, and Outreach Committee (2007-2008).
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- Stanford University
- B.A. | Economics
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- Stanford Student Enterprises: Director, Stanford Directory (1998-99); Business Manager, Stanford Directory (1998); Account Executive, Stanford Directory (1997); Manager, Stanford Custom Apparel (1997); Intern (1996-97). Study Abroad: Stanford in Florence, Italy (1997). Lived with a host family and became proficient in Italian language.
- Activities: Stanford Student Enterprises, Stanford in Florence, Men’s Rugby, Stanford Sierra Camp, Theta Delta Chi, Inter-Fraternity Council, and Original Winter One Acts.
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- Santa Clara University
- Combined Sciences
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- Associated Students of Santa Clara University: Freshman Class Senator; Sophomore Class Senator-elect and Chair, Civic Affairs Committee.
- Honors: Recipient of multiple academic scholarships; Santa Clara University Academic Honors Program; Dean’s List.
- Activities: Associated Students of Santa Clara University, Men’s Rugby, Latchkey Program, Italian Club, Thursday Night Teens, Volunteers in Promoting Santa Clara.
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Professional Experience
- CEO & Managing Attorney
- Tenant Law Group, PC
- - Current
- Tenant Law Group is a law firm dedicated to changing lives—one tenant at a time. We help California renters who have been harassed, discriminated against, or forced to endure uninhabitable living conditions recover money for their losses. We are committed to social justice and to the ideal that all members of our community, regardless of financial resources, are entitled to legal representation. While our clients include renters from all backgrounds, we are especially dedicated to the most vulnerable renters—namely, the indigent, the elderly, immigrants, blue-collar workers, and individuals with disabilities. We believe in doing well by doing good, understand the high demand for tenant rights attorneys in California generally and in the Bay Area in particular, and therefore aim to grow our firm as rapidly as possible to serve the approximately eighteen million renters in California.
- Founding Partner
- Toscano Kellogg & Van Aken LLP
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- Toscano Kellogg & Van Aken LLP was a San Francisco Bay Area civil litigation firm dedicated to seeking justice through trial advocacy for tenants, individuals, and businesses that have been harmed. Our firm represented tenants in disputes arising out of wrongful evictions, harassment by landlords, and substandard living conditions; individuals who have suffered personal injuries involving automobile, bicycle, pedestrian, and construction accidents, brain injuries, fire and burn injuries, and spinal injuries; families of deceased individuals in wrongful death cases; and businesses involved in breach of contract, business torts, and other business disputes. Our attorneys were passionate about courtroom advocacy and committed to providing our clients with exceptional legal representation. Toscano Kellogg & Van Aken LLP was proud to be a majority woman-owned law firm.
- Founder & Principal Attorney
- Toscano Law
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- Founded San Francisco-based civil litigation firm offering services to individuals and businesses in the areas of tenant rights law, real estate law, and business law.
- Attorney
- Reed Smith LLP
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- Worked in the Intellectual Property Litigation Practice Group, focusing primarily on patent litigation as well as trademark litigation, trade secret litigation, and trademark prosecution. Patent litigation experience included virtually all aspects of fact discovery—collecting information from client, coordinating document productions, preparing discovery responses, and drafting discovery motions—as well as preparation of dispositive motions and pretrial disclosures. Was continuously involved in an Eastern District of Texas-based patent infringement lawsuit from initial pleadings through motions in limine. Gained additional experience in landlord-tenant law, receivership law (representing a court-appointed receiver in a variety of matters throughout California), and general commercial litigation.
- Summer Associate
- Reed Smith LLP
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- Researched legal issues and wrote memoranda for attorneys in the Commercial Litigation, Tax, Environmental Law, Real Estate, and Intellectual Property practice areas. Through the Homeless Advocacy Project, assisted an indigent client in securing Social Security Disability (SSI) benefits.
- Judicial Extern for the Hon. Morrison C. England, Jr.
- United States District Court, Eastern District of California
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- Researched legal issues pertaining to maritime law, habeas corpus petitions, etc. Wrote memoranda, drafted orders, and briefed Judge England.
- Law Clerk, Government Division
- Office of the City Attorney of San Francisco
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- Researched legal questions and wrote memoranda on First Amendment protections for protestors, possessory interest taxes on San Francisco Marina berth holders, and demurrers under California civil procedure. Drafted an answer. Researched and drafted legislation for several supervisors.
Publications
Articles & Publications
- Solo/Small Firm Toolkit
- Bar Association of San Francisco
- "Learning the Ins and Outs of Starting and Representing a Nonprofit"
- The Bar Association of San Francisco Bulletin
- "Learning to Love Big Law"
- The New Lawyer
Awards
- Superb Rating (10.0/10.0)
- Avvo.com
- Barrister of the Year
- Bar Association of San Francisco
- Clients' Choice Award
- Avvo.com
- Regional Best Brief Award (1st Place)
- American Bar Association National Appellate Advocacy Competition
Professional Associations
- Bar Association of San Francisco, Solo/Small Firm Section
- Executive Committee Member
- - Current
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- San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association
- Member
- - Current
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- Bar Association of San Francisco Barristers Club
- Member
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- Activities: Volunteer Co-Chair, Pro Bono and Community Service Committee (2011); Volunteer Member, Board of Directors (2012-2013); Volunteer Vice President, Board of Directors (2013)
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- Bar Association of San Francisco Technology Committee
- Member
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- Italian American Bar Association of Northern California
- Member
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- American Bar Association
- Member
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- Activities: ABA Law Student Division, Fourteenth Circuit Lieutenant Governor of Diversity (2007-08); ABA Law Student Division, UC Davis School of Law Student Representative (2007-08); ABA Law Student Division Silver Key Award (2008); ABA Law Student Division Student Bar Association President National Achievement Award (2009).
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- San Francisco Tenants Union
- Volunteer Counselor
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- Bar Association of San Francisco Barristers Club
- Volunteer Board Member & Vice President
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- Activities: The Barristers Club consists of the 3,200+ Bar Association of San Francisco (BASF) members in their first ten years of practice, as well as BASF members who are law students or legal professionals. The Barristers Club's Board of Directors plans activities dedicated to professional growth and community service, and serves as advocates for its members. As a Board member, I helped determine The Barristers Club's mission, set policy and procedures to fulfill this mission, and supported the membership in fulfilling this mission. I served as Vice President in 2013, chairing the Barristers Bylaw Review Committee and co-chairing the 2013 Judges Reception Committee.
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- BASF Barristers Club Pro Bono and Community Service Committee
- Volunteer Co-Chair
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- Activities: The Pro Bono and Community Service Committee connects attorneys, law firms, and a diverse range of nonprofit organizations in an effort to increase pro bono opportunities in the Bay Area and also to encourage more attorneys to give back to the community through pro bono work. As Co-Chair, I helped prepare the 2012 Pro Bono Resource Guide, planned CLE seminars, organized and volunteered for Barristers Club community service events, and helped run monthly Committee meetings.
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Jurisdictions Admitted to Practice
- California
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- 9th Circuit
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Fees
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Credit Cards Accepted
Visa, MasterCard, Discover - Contingent Fees
Practice Area
- Landlord Tenant
- Evictions, Housing Discrimination, Landlord Rights, Rent Control, Tenants' Rights
Languages
- Italian: Spoken, Written
- Spanish: Spoken, Written
Social Media
Contact & Map