My wife and I had our family trust documents prepared and signed yesterday and were very pleased…read morewith our working with Lucy Cain of the Bray Law Firm. She brings a great deal of experience to the table and is open to listening to all ideas and questions that we could come up in planning out the rest of our ultimate futures.

I called The Bray Law Firm LLP to have my will prepared. I met with attorney Lucy Cain. We talked…read moreand she asked questions to get to know me better. We discussed my wishes for Power of Attorney, Advanced Health Care Directive and the people who I wanted to make decisions when I could no longer do so. Lucy was very thorough about all the details I had not considered. I feel very confident with my Will. I can call her at any time in the future to make any modifications I find necessary. I found working with Lucy Cain and the staff at The Bray Law Firm LLP was very easy and pleasant. I highly recommend their services.

So I know I said I wasn't going to update this until after my divorce and I still intend to update…read moreit then, but she did send a bill that seems fair which is quick response and great value.

The attorneys at this firm helped me understand what is involved when a parent wants to modify a…read morecustody order for an out of state move. And they did it in non-legal jargon! I really appreciated that. Thank you!

GETTING A TRUST: Trust McKenna Koepke of Blackstock & Barsell as she is as sharp as a tack! What…read morea pleasant positive experience it was using McKenna to make my Trust. Hearing all the buzz on making sure you have a Trust in place; but also hearing of the nightmares with the court system when you DON'T have a Trust in place, I KNEW I needed one. So I searched and called McKenna Koepke of Blackstock & Barsell in Walnut Creek. This office has plenty of parking which was a plus for me. It is located very close to Whole Foods in Walnut Creek. I was greeted at the office door with a welcoming smile and immediately proceeded to meet McKenna in her office. She went through the Trust procedure precisely and in a way that I understood it; not confusing me with all the legal words/terms. She answered all my questions and gave me plenty of time to ask them all; and there were a lot. Indeed it was a very easy meeting full of education and knowledge. I knew right away that I wanted McKenna of Blackstock & Barsell to do my Trust. McKenna also promptly answered all my after-meeting telephone questions that had popped into my head later when I got home and the week after. I said yes to her doing my Trust and the ease it took to come to the final paperwork was astonishing. McKenna is friendly, extremely knowledgeable, tentative, expeditious and organized. AFTER TRUST FINALIZED AND FUTURE: McKenna is a hands-on person! Every time I call her with questions, she gets back to me promptly which is a rarity these days. For instance, I had a question about something I heard on the street about Power of Attorney and she quickly called me back and updated me. When I bought some property it was a quick call to her and it was taken care of. Hands-on McKenna has sent me educational emails of law changes which may affect my generation in case we need to change anything in our Trust. I can't begin to write how happy and secure I feel with McKenna Koepke of Blackstock & Barsell working on my behalf.

We worked with McKenna to help us with our estate planning, she was knowledgeable and pleasant to…read morework with. She also made the process super simple and straightforward. The turnaround time from our first meeting to when she was able to complete the documents was not long at all. We would definitely recommend her to others for the same services!

I wanted to create a comprehensive estate plan and trust. After researching attorneys in the East…read moreBay, I found Stefanie and was impressed by her excellent reviews. From our very first meeting, I understood why. She made what initially felt like a complicated and somewhat overwhelming process remarkably simple. She walked me through everything step by step and helped me think through not only my trust, but my banking and brokerage accounts, health care directive, and all the other details that needed to be addressed. In the end, she provided me with a complete, well-organized binder that gives me tremendous peace of mind knowing my family will have the information and direction they need. What has impressed me just as much is the relationship didn't end when the trust was completed. Four years later, some things in my life had changed, and I contacted Stefanie to review and update my estate plan. She remembered me, knew my documents, and once again made the entire process easy and straightforward. We went through what had changed, she helped me understand what needed to be adjusted, and I walked away feeling completely confident that everything was in order. I trust Stefanie, I believe in her, and I am extremely grateful for the work she has done for me. If you are considering creating or updating a trust, will, health care directive, or simply want to make sure your affairs are properly organized for the people you love, I highly recommend Stefanie West. She combines legal expertise with a very personal, compassionate approach. I would not hesitate to recommend Stefanie to my family and friends.

After experiencing truly one of the most difficult times of my life, I cannot express how much I…read moreappreciated having Stefanie in my corner to help me navigate the process of trust administration of my late mother's estate. Early on I naively thought that my mother's estate was not so complicated and I should be able to manage the trust administration on my own. But even when the estate is seemingly simple, beware the "Bureaucracy of Death!" There were a lot of unexpected hoops to jump through in dealing with banks and other institutions, even when the estate is in a trust and not probate. I searched and met with a handful of Contra Costa County area trust attorneys before I found Stefanie. What stood out about Stefanie is that she is a kind human being, along with being very smart and knowledgeable. Whenever I talked to her, it felt like I was speaking with a person, not a "lawyer," and I really appreciated that during a difficult time. She was also very responsive whenever I reached out with a question. Without her, I would have likely made many errors in administering the trust, had so many more headaches, and gone down unnecessary paths. Her pricing is very fair and I felt so lucky to have worked with her!

The difference between a good lawyer and great lawyer is called Dess. She provided me incredible…read moreinsight and understanding on a trust I need to manage. I've dealt with multiple attorneys over the years and Dess stands out as the best.

My wife and I had the pleasure to use the services of Dess. We had our wills and a trust set up…read more Dess guided us through this process effortlessly. She answered all of our questions and presented to us the best way to set up the wills and trust. We highly recommend Dess and will continue to her service in future dealings. Thank you Dess

Tracey was an absolute lifesaver during one of the hardest times in my life. Divorce is never easy,…read morebut she made the process much more manageable. From day one she set realistic expectations and gave honest, thoughtful advice. Tracey was incredibly responsive and always took the time to explain what was happening and outline clear options to keep things moving forward. For both custody and property issues, she took a level-headed, fair approach that always put the kids first. Her calm, practical style made a huge difference during a really stressful time. If you're looking for a divorce attorney who's smart, caring, and keeps things on track, I highly recommend Tracey Wapnick.

I worked with Tracey through a complex divorce that lasted more than two years. She is incredibly…read moreknowledgeable and patient, and she took the time to explain legal terms and processes clearly so I always understood what was happening. Rather than dictating decisions, she brought me along in the process and made sure I felt informed and involved. Tracey never sugarcoated issues -- she stayed grounded, realistic, and strategic, always advocating for my best interests. Even through psychological evaluations, failed mediations, and difficult negotiations, she remained consistent and kept me focused. In the end, she secured the best possible settlement for me. I highly recommend Tracey to anyone looking for a skilled, steady, and dedicated advocate.

Colleen was very responsive in helping us with a lease issue. Her guidance helped relieve stress…read more I will be calling her with any future issues. Thank you Colleen!

Working with Colleen was a great experience -- she's knowledgeable, responsive, and truly cares…read moreabout her clients. I'd definitely recommend her to anyone needing legal help.

HORRIBLE...STAY AWAY. Read Fiona's responses to bad reviews…read moreand notice that she always has "an excuse" and never truly takes responsibility. I hired Fiona because I needed to file for custody due to my Ex refusing to let me see our daughter. Fiona made poorly written declarations, filled incomplete and missing paperwork and apparently does not understand the law in which she practices. On our FIRST court date, Fiona showed up unprepared to court and got the Judge so upset that he walked off to his chambers. The Judge then handed me 23% custody and awarded Mother with primary custody of the child...DESPITE...Joint custody being the default for California. Fiona FAILED to argue the law as NO evidence was ever presented that shows me to have committed anything that would result in me having limited or reduced time with the child. Fiona FAILED to realize that there was NO FINDINGS OF FACTS that supported the Judges decision. Fiona also FAILED to argue Family Code 3170 (a) in that neither parties have attended mediation prior to this FIRST court date. Fiona Failed to properly prepare me for Mediation that followed our first Court date and the paper work that Fiona filed for my Divorce was incomplete so my divorce got stuck in limbo. Again..Fiona would only give me excuses and never took responsibility for her screwing up my case so badly. I ultimately fired Fiona and she was more than eggar to hand my case to someone else. I found out later that Fiona over charge me and I had to involve other agencies to get her to refund me what she over charged. Fiona screw up my entire case from the very beginning and causes irreparable damage to my daughter. Luckily, I found a NEW Lawyer who knew the law and could argue it. My daughter NOW lives with me because of a professional and not someone like Fiona, who in my opinion, is a horrible person that will only bleed you dry while giving you excuses.

Fiona is by far one of the most knowledgeable and passionate Family Law attorneys out there…read more She is generous, kind and understanding, and at the same time she knows where to focus her energy and attention to have a successful outcome. I consulted with her on many occasions and not only she gave me the best advice for myself and my children, but she also cared for me as a human being. I can't speak of her highly enough and hope she stays in practice for many more years to come. Thanks Fiona!