Marc is great! He is very knowledgeable, I needed some help with a landlord dispute and he knew exactly what to do. Gave me great advice. One phone call and my landlord started working with me instead of against me. Thank you so much for your help! I would recommend Marc for anyone who is having any issues with their landlord! read more

Unfortunately have to give a bad review of this company. I had high hopes being that Robert Reynold's father is a veteran and he seemed to really care about vets getting taken advantage of. But time and time again he ignored us and did nothing for our case. We hired him March of 2025 and as of August of 2026 we have absolutely ZERO to show for it. We've already found a new lawyer to work with us and no longer need Tenant Defenders but I am writing this review as a warning. Legal work does take time but not a year and a half. I contacted him many times over this period and was always told he was busy and just "needed a week" just to be met with silence. DO NOT HIRE. read more

INEPT AND OBTUSE! He was a asshole, he wasn't on my side at all. He wasn't patient with me and grilled me like I was the bad person and had the gall to tell me I looked like I was nuts. I'm the victim here. Run like hell from this lawyer. He wanted to charge me $325.00 a hour to look at the rest of my evidence. I'm being harassed by my landlord giving me multiple Lease Violations for damaging my apartment , I didn't damaged anything, that's why I came to him for help. He refused to take my disability into account, my arthritic hands. My fractured spine. HE TOOK MY APARTMENT'S SIDE. AND I GAVE HIM $235.00 TO TREAT ME THIS WAY. TAKE YOR CASE TO CRAIG FAGEN IN LA MESA, HE IS TOP DOG IN TENANT DISPUTES! EVEN DAN LICKEL SAID MR FAGAN IS TOP DOG! read more

Marc represented us in a dispute with our landlord, where he went above and beyond. Our landlord made an alleged mistake on our lease and attempted to force us into paying a higher amount to compensate for their error. Marc forcefully told them that we would not be paying the higher amount or sign a new lease. Eventually after many, many emails back and forth, Marc dissuaded our landlord from trying to evict us. Marc saved us from paying tens of thousands of dollars, far more than what we paid in legal fees. We're so thankful for his representation and highly recommend him to any tenant needing legal services. read more

This review is for Mar Whitham who helped me address a complex issue against a bad landlord. The initial phone consultation was worth the initial fee as the consultation is detailed and Marc is very informed on landlord tenant law. I asked him to follow up with legal documentation and it was put together as requested for a reasonable fee. Will likely continue to use Tenant defender services in the future. Marc was recommended to me by a friend having issues with their building being torn down to make room for a new high rise, and Marc was very helpful to that situation also. Go to guy for sure! read more

Hopeful for the great outcome that we expect with Mr. lickle,s, expertise! Very professional, matter of fact, and trustworthy!

I remember the passion in Marc's voice when we first spoke. Tenant Defender is the perfect name. For a small fee let these guys guide you against bad landlords and learn your rights. So many new laws protect renters now. You don't know what you don't know. Don't hesitate to use them, they are the best out there. read more

I used him years ago. he's still the best! I wouldn't go anywhere else. have recommended him to countless people. great advocate

If your looking for an atty to pay instead of paying your slumlord so you can live rent free even if the home is uninhabitable and the conditions are making you extremely Ill - then Marc Whitman is your guy! Save your money! Shame on Tenant Defenders for taking advantage of people that are already in distress it should be criminal read more

I should've read the reviews before coming to this place. He does do his best to make you feel small and stupid when he talks to you. If you have problems with your landlord, contact Legal Aid. They're free and they'll make sure to check on you every week. I've never seen an attorney this unprofessional. He defends tenants, which mostly have low income, and he does his best to milk every penny from them. Even after paying him, if I don't try to contact him for follow up, he'll never call or email me. Yes, a "supposedly professional" attorney ghosts his client after I paid him. I also forgot to mention. The only time he contacted me was to ask me to pay more. read more

I love this guy! He knows the law inside and out. When I had problems with my landlord 4 years ago he helped me and is very thorough. I moved into a granny flat in North Park back in October of 2015. The sweet lady who lived in the front house who owned it always was kind and became like my grandmother. Then she sadly died in June of 2018 and gave her property to this sad woman who has a very nasty daughter that takes terrible advantage of her. She , her daughter and her niece moved in to the front house in May of 2019. Then right after New Years Day in 2020 she gave me a 60 day notice. I know her loser daughter wanted to move into this house. I went to Mark and he explained everything and answered all my questions. The landlady backed off. Then this last Monday she tried again, this time with a clueless attorney to try and boot me out again with another 60 day notice. So I went right to Mark and again, he just hit it out of the park and saved me from having to leave. For those sour apples who whine about having to pay a consultation fee...News Alert...he doesn't work for free and if you need assistance you have to PAY for it. It's a reasonable fee and again Mark clears the clouds and tells you exactly what your rights are as a tenant. I highly recommend Mark if you are dealing with a bad landlord. Mark is on our side as renters and he is easy to talk to and nails these bastards to the wall. Don't be afraid to stand up for your rights as a tenant. I now have a major weight lifted off my shoulders thanks to Mark. Well done Mark!! read more

Dan, is a great attorney and guy. We had an issue with our landlord, and Dan helped us out. Even when the landlord tried to run up our bill by calling a bunch of times, and sending a half dozen emails in an hour; to the point that Dan had to tell his office to stop answering the phone if they thought it was him, and auto-replying to spam from the landlord. Dan was understanding and reasonable about the resulting charge, which was much lower than what he could have charged. He did actually talk to the landlord for 30 minutes, and then the landlord acted like none of that conversation took place. Yes, I'm a professional just like Dan so I understand the need for charges for work rendered. He could have easily charged us for all the spam and phone calls the landlord sent in a childish attempt to shoot up the charges, and the time it took for Dan's office to answer the phones. I blame the landlord for those and not Dan. Dan helped us come up with a plan to deal with the landlord, and what to do in handling the landlord in the future. We came up with a game plan as it were to deal with the landlord. I would recommend Dan to anyone needing a lawyer to deal with tenant issues or real estate. The charges are reasonable, especially when you consider the amount of work it takes to become an attorney, and the overhead they have to maintain for their office. The quality of his work is great, he's knowledgeable of the law, and his demand letters are very concise and worded well. read more

Dan Lickel was absolutely amazing. Shortly after the beginning of COVID, my landlord's son took over management of the apartment building I lived in. It was a great spot in Mission Beach with long-term tenants ranging from 3-10 years tenancy. The son came by and had the realization -- why do we have long-term tenants when we could have AirBnb?!?!!?! Thus began the worst year of my adult life. The landlord's son sent us illegal termination notices during the moratorium, threatened to dock our wages and have us arrested for trespassing if we didn't leave, turned our water off multiple times without notice, and more. After contacting over 10 lawyers and multiple visits to Volunteer Lawyers of San Diego, I thought we were out of options. All of them said our 2nd termination of tenancy notice was valid and we had to leave. During my research I had come across Tenant Defenders, but I was put off by the consultation fee when other lawyers did free consultations, so I never called. Finally, literally the day before we had to move out, I scheduled a consultation with Dan Lickel. I thought, "You know what, a lot of the lawyers I spoke to said they did tenant law but weren't even familiar with the information I knew. I want to talk to an expert, just to know for sure". Everything changed after that day. Dan immediately saw that our termination of tenancy notice was invalid. At this time we had already found a new place to go and just needed a few more months before we could move in. Not only were we able to move out on our own timeline, but Dan negotiated a $25,000 cash-for-keys payout. Dan was literally the sunshine through our darkest days. I recommend him to everyone I know. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU. read more

My consultation with Marc was very pleasant. Although my case is a bit of a petty dispute with my ex roommate, he treated it with as much seriousness and respect as I would suspect he treats his other clients with bigger issues. He provided me clarity and peace of mind in a timely matter. I was happy to pay his $175 consultation fee for 55 minutes of his expertise and professionalism. read more

Marc did an outstanding job representing us on a disputed lease extension with our landlord who had sold the property we were renting. We ended up with a fair resolution where the other parties agreed to honor our lease extension and avoided a potentially costly litigation. read more

Reviewers are going to complain about the up-front fee. However, I believe professionals should be paid their due. If you gotta ask for specialized knowledge instead of doing the research yourself, then open the wallet without complaining. I am a landlord in another state, but while renting here in CA, I was appalled at the situations I was experiencing in the Bel-Air Apartments in University Height/North Park run by Torrey Pines Property Mgmt. I scheduled an initial consultation and quite frankly, received far more monetary benefit than the fee. I also learned how to achieve my ultimate goal with focus and confidence. The peace of mind was also way more valuable than the fee. First, a lawyer is not a therapist, so get your facts organized before the call and don't fight the lawyer when he/she/they keep you on task. They already know you're upset - you paid money to get advice. Let them deliver the type of advice you paid for! Second, I learned that landlords and property managers are really good at covering their booties on the stuff inside your apartment. However, they are less diligent at covering clear violations of the warranty of habitability. Don't get emotionally attached to receiving "payback" for the issue that bothers you the most. Instead, find out how to get the solution you most likely want - getting out of your lease without paying the month-to-month increase and being required to give 30-days notice to vacate. My consultation did this and gave me information that helped some of my neighbors make decisions. I got what I wanted - I was placed on "at-will" status and was not required to give a 30-day notice to vacate. I had a runway of 9 months to find the apartment I really wanted - an enviable position here in San Diego! I saved more than 5X the consultation fee in the process. read more

My mother and I have been facing some legal problems with our landlord and just as we were ready to give up, I found Dan Lickel. He was literally the light at the end of our tunnel. We were able to schedule a consultation through the Tenant Defenders website last minute and we were squeezed in the next day! It was the best decision we took. Dan is a great, knowledgeable and patient lawyer who took the time to explain everything and gave us a prompt solution. He is not the type of guy to waste anyone's time and he was very transparent about what the future holds concerning costs, decisions to take, etc. Words cannot express how glad I am that I found Tenant Defenders and spoke to Dan Lickel and will be sure to recommend him to anyone facing legal issues :) read more

Yeah these guys are rude. Called for a question regarding deposit refund and the guy hung up on me saying I am asking for free legal advice. Scummy dirt ball lawyers. *UPDATE* After calling these clowns I called Law Office Of Mark John M Ignacio. Just got off the phone with Mark. He spoke to me about my situation, was very respectful and courteous. Answered my question for about 10 minutes. I know there are great Lawyers out there just not these guys. Thanks Tenant Defenders for helping me find a real lawyer! read more

Whew, dodged a bullet by not going with these guys. Whoever answered the phone not only didn't introduce themselves but was one of the most condescending people I've ever spoken to. He spoke down to me, he interrupted me, and when I tried to explain my situation he spoke to me as if I was too dumb to understand him. Since this person didn't introduce themselves upon answering the phone and then immediately went into describing how stupid was, "what you are looking for doesn't exsist" when I said "I'd like to ask a question", I don't know who I have the pleasure of thanking for helping me know who I would never hire as an attorney. read more

We hired Marc Whitman to help us get out of our lease with a difficult landlord. Marc was not only exceptional at the task, he literally blew me away by being able to predict, nearly word-for-word, everything that our slummy landlord said to us and everything that she did to try and protest. We scheduled a telephone consultation with Marc, and in our first phone call Marc laid out our rights very clearly. Marc generously allowed us to break up the phone call into several phone calls and emails, to spread the cost out while we went back and forth with our landlord. Each time we went back to Marc, he knew exactly how to handle our landlord's threats and protests. Each time we took his advice, our landlord backed down. Ultimately she completely relented and agreed to let us out of our lease. We had the benefit of the law on our side. Our landlord was threatening to do things that were illegal. However, using Tenant Defenders provided us with a game plan and the confidence to communicate with our landlord in the best way to meet our goals. HIRE MARC WHITMAN. It is that simple. You will not be disappointed. read more

I am looking for a Tenant Defender Lawyer and I came across this one online. I read some of the negative reviews online and still gave them a call to see for myself. DO NOT CONTACT THEM. The receptionist (make) was absolutely unprofessional and rude. Didn't let me finish speaking and just hung up on me. I'm still in shock that someone who owns a business can read all these comments about the people that work for them and still let them work considering their poor people skills. read more

MY ADVICE: Pay for a consult with Marc! You have no idea how many rights you have as a renter in California - but Marc does! I know so many people who try to handle things on their own but it can go so much more smoothly with a professional that knows the law. As a former property manager myself, I knew who was winning all the cases against landlords which is why I called Marc when I was being treated unfairly by my property manager and property owner. Marc explained everything to me, helped me handle the situation with the correct wording and saved me from an illegal eviction after having lived here, in good standing, for over 5 years. Our housing laws are setup for good tenants and having someone who knows how to handle your housing situation will just take the stress away. I was able to find a new place with extra time and end the current situation peacefully. Marc was efficient and professional - I cannot recommend his company enough. I felt I had an ally through what could have a been a devastating experience during the pandemic. Pay for a consult - best money you will ever spend! read more

Stellar attorney. When it comes to problematic landlords and the law in regards to your lease Marc is the man to go to. I was dealing with a property management company where the agent was trying to intimidate me to move out might give me the direction as well as the reassurance on what was expected and lawful. If the property management company I'm dealing with decides to escalate things Marc will be the first person I contact. I highly recommend a consultation with this gentleman and you will rest assured after he explains to you the possibilities of your potential or pending case. read more

Let's just say Dan is the man! I came to him in a very stressful situation with a crappy landlord/unit. Paid for a consultation which was an amazing price and it was well worth it plus the money for a letter to my landlord. In the end, got what we wanted which was our money back and out of that lease! Thank you Dan for your help and understanding. My family and I are very pleased and thankful. read more

We were desperate for an attorney to help us after being fleeced by another attorney (she took our money and then ghosted us). At the last hour, we turned to Marc Whitham to save us from eviction. He was direct and spot-on answering our questions. When he said he would call, he called. When he said something would be completed, it got done. He is competent, honest, and fairly priced and saved our family from being homeless. Who could ask for anything more? read more

I had an awful conflict with a previous landlord and had to move out early. The landlord kept harassing me and threaten to sue me for the remaining rents. Needless to say the landlord was not returning my security deposit either. I found Marc's website through Google search, and booked a one-hour appointment with him. He answered my questions, explained my legal rights, and told me what I should do. After the consultation, he wrote a demand letter on my behalf to the landlord. Marc was very patient. He made several edits after getting my feedback on the letters. After the letter sent out, I got my security deposit back in about one week. I would say his writing is very effective. Marc charges a reasonable price for his consultation and writing up the legal documentations. More importantly, I think his services have unique values. It is a shame that some landlords try to take advantage of people with little resources. I am happy to find Marc who can make things right for the tenants at an affordable price. read more

I left a message on the office phone leaving the requested information and did not receive a call back. I am very disappointed. Reading the other reviews I thought they would be the ones to call. I was wrong. read more

I would give infinite stars if available. I read reviews for Tenant Defenders before selecting them as my legal counsel. When I called and spoke with Mr. Marc Whitham, I was immediately put at ease and decided to have a consultation. Yes, you must pay and it is definitely worth every penny. He explained my rights as a tenant and provided me with the confidence and feeling of safety I so desperately needed to see this lawsuit through. Of course, I found myself on edge at times. It is very scary when faced with the bullying tactics landlords use. I just held onto his words...they are landlords, not lords. This resonated with me as I was actually looking at them as lords up to that time. I actually feared them as such. Once I retained their services, Mr. Daniel Lickel met with my co-tenant and me to file a response with the court. We both felt very confident we would be able to stay in our current residence. That is exactly what happened! Tenant Defenders exceeded my expectations in every way, including a monetary aspect. Marc Whitham and Daniel Lickel are very brilliant legal minds, They are both extremely reassuring, patient with one's anxiety pertaining to the legal matter at hand and, in my opinion, are 2nd to Jesus in performing a miracle. I could not have been more pleased with their representation! If you are still wondering whether to retain their services, Do yourself a favor and get them on your side. Hand-To-God, SL read more

Mark is Amazing! He helped me get my deposit back and then some...He knows his business, and cares. He is a professional that knows the law. I highly recommend using Tennant Defenders services. read more

Marc Whitham is an extremely thorough, knowledgeable, and collaborative attorney. With just one consultation fee Marc has consistently guided me through two cases. Marc has been there for me every step of the way - doing way more than his fair share. I never felt misguided or alone in the process. With my first tenancy claim he informed me I should get The City of San Diego involved. To my surprise it was an illegal unit. My first attorney let this slip by causing me to lose my first tenancy case. Despite the complexity of my tenancy issues - Marc Whitham had been a stellar attorney. 10 out of 10 would recommend! read more

I called and They wouldn't even let me tell them my issues without paying them about $150. So i would be spending money regardless if they could help me or not. read more

My husband and I were given a 60-day notice to quit by our landlord, seemingly in retaliation for me reminding the landlord of some maintenance issues. Dan Lickel first informed us that the 60 day notice was invalid under San Diego law, and then helped us through the process of notifying our landlord of our intent to stay and fixing the maintenance issues ourselves, as that was the excuse for throwing us out. Dan was also fully prepared to take our landlord to court if he insisted on proceeding with an unlawful retainer action and so on, which for a while it looked like he was going to do. But today our landlord agreed to not further pursue the 60 day notice. Yay! Victory! Throughout, Dan was professional and reassuring. And his firm is actually affordable! I am highly satisfied with the result, and I would certainly call on Dan again should I have further landlord troubles. Tenant Defenders have earned their five stars. read more

My landlord is a millionaire. Has been a property owner and manager and landlord for 40 years. Tons of resources. And he knows how to walk a fine line that keeps renters from calling him on practices that are simply unethical, but too expensive for 99.99 of renters to challenge. When i finally called my landlord on his behavior and called the appropriate authorities to force the landlord to make the fixes necessary to bring him back under contract, the landlord began to wage war against me... Talked to a few lawyers, and AMAZING how many lawyers out there tailor their practice for landlords,and ignore the needs of tenants. The reasons seem obvious to me... One lawyer I spoke with, a woman who teaches law at UCLA in addition to maintaining a thriving practice, told me about an attorney she litigated AGAINST...Marc Whitham...and recommended I call him. So I did. Marc was precisely the type of person I wanted to help me during this very stressful time. Compassionate, not dismissive, a guy who instilled confidence and ease. Long story short, won the Superior Court case brought by the landlord. And with that victory, and Marc's assistance in preparing my Small Claims case against the landlord for his breaches, by the time the case was to be heard, the landlord asked to mediate, which also worked out in my favor. Hiring Marc to hold my hand through this stuff was money VERY well spent. Good lawyer, good man. read more

After over a year of written complaints about a inoperable window providing inadequate ventilation and causing mold in my bathroom, my landlord finally came out to look at the problem. His immediate response was to blame me for all the water damage, and, after telling me I was at fault for "gross neglect", he threatened eviction unless I gave 30 days notice. He also implied that I would be getting little - if any - of my rather hefty security deposit back as he planned to use it to fix the bathroom. I felt that this was wrong, and, being threatened with attorneys, I went looking for some legal advice. After phoning many law offices and attorneys, and getting no response, I looked on Yelp and found Marc Whitham at the very top of the list. He is at the top of the list for good reason. I left him a message, and he called me back within a couple hours. I explained the situation to him, and he gave me some brief advice over the phone before we set up an appointment to meet early the next week. He told me exactly how much everything would cost and what would be included with the cost, and he never charged me a penny more. Marc Whitham's legal council was invaluable. Not only did he inform me of my rights and clearly explain all the civil code, he acted as a voice of reason - empowering me to stand up to a landlord who was clearly in the wrong. He was personal and sincere, while remaining professional, and I felt like I had a powerful ally in my corner. In the end, Marc Whitham made sure that I was treated fairly and appropriately according to the law and gave me back the rights that I almost let my landlord bully me into giving away. He also gave me back peace of mind and empowered me to defend myself. I hope I will never have to use a tenant attorney again, but if I do, I know who I will be going to. read more

My roommate and I went to Tenant Defenders to have a consultation with Marc Whitham today to discuss a landlord issue we are having. We are facing a complicated case involving landlord negligence as well as lease contract issues and as recent college graduates I wanted to make sure I found a good lawyer for an affordable price. I found Tenant Defenders on Yelp and called to make an appointment. After leaving a message, Marc called me back by the end of the day to discuss the background of my situation and to set up a consultation if I felt interested. He told me it would cost $150 for a consultation and my roommate and I decided to go ahead and set one up. During our consultation, Marc proved to be a very knowledgeable, competent, and compassionate professional. He took the time to really explain our options, the legality behind every path we could go down, and gave us advice on where we can go from here. We spent an hour and a half talking about our situation and at no time did we feel pressured to wrap it up or finish the consultation. He also offered to draw up a "Demand Letter" for a small fee if we decided that was the way we wanted to go. Although our housing situation remains complicated, Marc helped us understand our options from a legal standpoint in a patient, pressure-free, and easy to understand way. I am saving his business card for future use if I decide to pursue legal action and will be referring him to anyone in San Diego that requires counsel in any landlord/tenant conflict situation. read more

Marc did an amazing job helping me with a situation with a landlord. His prices are extremely reasonable, and we could not be happier.

Dan is a great lawyer for Tenants. He gives you full attention and very knowledgeable. Like in some reviews, the consultation is worth it. Very worth it than spending days/weeks/months searching in books/online. My issue had to do with an illegal unit and everything went well, thanks to Dan. I would definitely recommend him. read more

Dan Lickel has proven to be a highly conscientious professional attorney who will genuinely listen to every detail of your situation - and apply a fair evaluation and strategy that is designed to truly assist with your circumstances. After spending the time and research required to compare other specialists in his field to insure my trust was in the right place - I also found his fees to be more affordable than most. I would highly recommend Dan to anyone seeking a personable and well-informed attorney who is truly compassionate....a rare quality in any industry! read more

Marc advised me of my rights as a tenant and provided me with options for resolving a very unpleasant situation with my landlord. After speaking with him, I felt empowered and in control of my living situation for the first time in years. Finally, I have a solid plan of action. Additionally, Marc's passion for tenant's rights really impressed me. He was well prepared, familiar with my case, and really seemed invested in its outcome. Moreover, he listened to what I had to say, addressed my goals as a client, and answered all of my questions. I highly recommend Marc Whitman and Tenant Defenders for any tenant's rights issue that you may have. Tremendous value for services rendered. read more

We can't say enough great things about Marc Witham. He is professional, responsive, and has excellent follow-through. Most important, he is highly knowledgeable of California state rental laws so he's well qualified to put landlords in their place. In our case, my wife and I had lived in a rental house for seven years and always had a good relationship with the landlord. Due to an undiscovered water leak, the wood floors in the house began to heave and buckle over the course of a month. The landlord's handyman removed a section of flooring and we observed white mold covering the dirt crawl space. The entire floor needed to be removed and the mold remediated. Rather than work with us to temporarily move out, the landlord sent us an email stating she had no choice but to evict us. We're certain the true reason she evicted us was to substantially increase the rent. The effect on us was that we were pushed into a highly inflated San Diego rental market, with rents at 30% and higher than what we'd been paying. Panic set in the moment we received the 60-day notice. When we were evicted, our stress levels reached boiling point as our landlord kept calling us daily to find out when we'd be moving. We needed help right away. Marc's online appointment system let us set up an initial consultation (we were able to schedule a call the very next morning). As residential tenants, it cost us $160 for our first call. That may seem like a lot, but the waves of relief we felt afterward made it well worth the money. It's the relief from stress that we appreciated most. What we really needed was enough time to find a new rental. On that first call, after hearing our situation Marc was immediately able to cite a state code section that granted us far longer than the landlord's 60-day notice. He also advised that her notice wouldn't hold up because it wasn't properly formatted or delivered. It was clear we were working with the right attorney for the job. Our rental situation dragged on for over two months, and we spent just under $1,000 in attorney fees. It was worth every cent. Marc initially issued a detailed letter, filled with legal citations specific to our case (i.e., not a form letter), that pushed back on the landlord. When she kept calling us, which we considered harassment at that point, Marc intervened again and asserted he was now acting as our voice, stating all communications needed to go through him. Words can't express the relief we felt. Not only did Marc get us the time we needed to find a new place, he also helped negotiate an equitable settlement so we could recoup expenses we'd suffered. We're not talking millions here, but it was enough to ease the pain and cover our moving costs. If you're in a bind with your landlord, I would highly suggest Marc's services. My wife and I remain confident that hiring Marc was the smartest move we possibly could have done. - Kurt S. read more