Philip Shakhnis is a forceful, meticulous and compassionate attorney with over 20 years of experience representing tenants. Philip has represented hundreds of tenants forced to live in slum conditions. Philip has also helped tenants poisoned by carbon monoxide leaks, exposed to mold and whose children have been lead poisoned. Philip is at the forefront of representing tenants wrongfully evicted from properties protected by local rent control laws. Philip focuses his law practice on representing tenants because he strongly believes that every family and every person deserves the right to a safe, decent and healthy home.
As part of his experience at prior law firms, Philip has personally handled lead poisoning, carbon monoxide and traumatic injury cases that have resulted in multi-million dollar settlements. Notably, Philip’s work resulted in a $10,000,000 settlement on behalf of a child poisoned by lead-based paint in his home which is one of the largest child lead poisoning settlements in the country. Philip has taken several cases to trial involving unsafe and unhealthy housing and wrongful eviction.
Philip received his B.A. from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1993 and graduated in 1998 from the University of Oregon School of Law with a certificate of completion in the environmental program.
Prior to law school, Philip worked as an environmental consultant and also spent a year in Israel on a fellowship, where he worked at the Israel Union for Environmental Defense. While in Israel, Philip also assisted in the formation of EcoPeace, a consortium of environmental groups from Egypt, Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority.
Philip is admitted to practice before the California State Courts, as well as the United States District Court Central District of California.
- University of Oregon School of Law
- J.D. (1998) | Law
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- Pardes Institute of Jewish Studies
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- University of California - Los Angeles
- B.A. (1993) | Political Science
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- Founder
- Shakhnis Law
- - Current
- Attorney
- Riley Ersoff & Shakhnis
- Attorney
- Riley Law Group
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- Attorney
- McNicholas & McNicholas, LLP
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- Owner
- Law Office of Philip Shakhnis
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- Attorney
- Environmental Law Foundation
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- American Top Attorney
- American Top Attorneys
- Good Rating
- Avvo
- California Top Lawyer
- California Top Lawyers
- Consumer Attorneys Association of Los Angeles
- Member
- Current
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- Los Angeles County Bar Association
- Member
- Current
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- California State Bar # 199461
- Member
- - Current
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- California
- State Bar of California
- ID Number: 199461
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- United States District Court, Central District of California
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- Free Consultation
- Landlord Tenant
- Housing Discrimination, Rent Control, Tenants' Rights
- Civil Rights
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Discrimination, Employment, Fair Housing, Police Misconduct, Privacy Law
- Consumer Law
- Class Action, Lemon Law
- Environmental Law
- Personal Injury
- Animal & Dog Bites, Brain Injury, Car Accidents, Construction Accidents, Motorcycle Accidents, Premises Liability, Truck Accidents, Wrongful Death
- Unsafe and Unhealthy Housing
- Child Lead Poisoning
- Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
- English: Spoken, Written
- Russian: Spoken
- Spanish: Spoken, Written
- Q. Is it proper for an California Attorney to settle a civil liability case by including property damages in the settlement
- A: Yes, in general an attorney in a mold case will seek to recover for all losses and injuries you sustained. Also, a court would likely prohibit filing two separate lawsuits (one for personal injuries and a second for property damage) as that would be a waste of the court's resources. Hope that helps.
- Q. I gave my landlord my 30 day notice but they are saying i have to give a 60 day notice.
- A: Unless the rental agreement provides a shorter notice period, a California tenant must give their landlord 30 days' notice to end a month-to-month tenancy. Tenants should check their rental agreement to see if it requires giving notice on the first of the month or on another specific date.
You may also have a lawsuit against your landlord for the breach of the warranty of habitability, negligence, nuisance and other claims for the uninhabitable conditions. You should consult with an attorney before you move out.
- Q. In a unlawful detainer suit what can a tenant counter sue for
- A: In California, tenants who are defendants in an unlawful detainer cannot file a cross-complaint. However, the tenant can file a separate lawsuit against the landlord for any breach of the rental agreement, negligence, fraud, harassment and other claims.