Justia Legal Services & Lawyers Directory

Actually, I'm a Jersey girl, even though I've lived half my life in California. I have also lived in my three favorite places -- New York City, Los Angeles and Kauai, which makes me different from your average Jersey girl. I now hang my hat in Santa Cruz, CA, a small community of enterprising and creative professionals who enjoy the culture and the beauty of the Central Coast.

Professionally, my 22 years of experience in real estate and business law is a unique blend of traditional firm practice (litigation and transactional), business and real estate entrepreneurship and commercial lease management. My strength and passion is legal research and drafting, including pleadings and motions, pre-trial and trial documents, business formation documents, purchase and sale agreements, contracts, real estate agreements, residential and commercial leases, landlord-tenant forms and other related documents.

I am relentless in my research, creative in my thinking, talented in the art of written persuasion and a perfectionist in my composition. I bring to the practice not just a solid foundation in legal analysis and writing, but also a practical perspective in drafting transactional documents that facilitates ways to get around objections to language and ease of understanding, all leading to positive outcomes.

I limit my practice to real estate and business matters. I focus on keeping taking care of things before a problem arises so that you are less likely to end up litigating in a court room.

A primary area of focus is setting up new businesses. If you are seeking advice on whether to set up a corporation, LLC, limited partnership or something else, I can help you weigh the advantages of each to see which may be right for you. Preparation of buy/sell agreements, contracts, employment agreements and asset and stock sales, are crucial to your business transactions. If you'd like an attorney who will get back to you quickly with the information you need, you will feel comfortable working with me.

For real estate matters, my background in residential appraisals, condominium redevelopments and property management serve both legal and practical aspects of your handling your real estate deal.

For the small business owner who has recurring legal needs, but does not want or need a full-time attorney, consider our Virtual General Counsel Program as an affordable option that will fit into your budget.

I am happy to answer any questions you may have - please feel free to contact me at (408) 369-0800 ext. 202 or by email to efranz@prattattorneys.com.

David Patton is a certified family law specialist, limiting his practice to family law exclusively. He heads the firm’s family law practice.

Mr. Patton has over 20 years experience as a trial lawyer, spending his early years as a trial lawyer focusing on insurance defense and plaintiff’s personal injury cases. After co-founding Lonich & Patton, LLP in 1994, Mr. Patton developed the firm's family law practice. Since then, he has become one of Silicon Valley’s top family law attorneys.

Mr. Patton is a certified family law specialist. Only attorneys certified by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization may represent themselves as such. To be certified by the Board of Legal Specialization of the State Bar of California, an attorney must:

? Be an active member in good standing of the State Bar of California
? Pass a written examination covering California Family Law
? Have substantial experience in the field of Family Law
? Complete specified and State Bar approved legal education requirements applicable to the family law field
? Be favorably evaluated by judges and other attorneys concerning his or her knowledge, ability and experience in the practice of Family Law

A certified Family Law Specialist maintains and improves his or her knowledge and competence in the family law field regularly.

Mr. Patton delivers valuable trial experience and cost management to the firm's family law clients. He seeks settlement whenever possible. However, when a reasonable settlement cannot be reached, he draws upon his strong litigation and trial skills to obtain excellent results for his clients in court.

Mr. Patton was born in Oakland, California in 1960. He is a fifth generation resident of the State of California. Mr. Patton attended Skyline High School, where he was captain of the Skyline ski racing team. After graduating from high school, Mr. Patton attended the University of California at Berkeley. While at Berkeley, he spent a year in France where he attended the Political Science Institute branch of the Sorbonne in Paris. He was also president of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. Mr. Patton graduated from Berkeley with two Bachelor of Arts degrees in 1983, and then attended Santa Clara University School of Law. While at Santa Clara University, he served as an editor of the Santa Clara Law Review. He also spent a summer working for a law firm in Singapore, and attending the University of Singapore Law School. Mr. Patton graduated from Santa Clara University School of Law in 1987.

When not at work, Mr. Patton enjoys participating in sporting activities, including ski racing, scuba diving, golf and volleyball, as well as attending Cal Bears football games. He also enjoys travel, and has traveled extensively throughout the United States and abroad.

Mr. Patton is a member of the Santa Clara County Bar Association, where he is a member of the family law section, and the State Bar of California. He is admitted to practice in all California Courts, including the Federal District Court and U.S. Court of Appeals. Mr. Patton has been appointed by the Santa Clara Superior Court to act as a judge pro-tem (volunteer judge) and arbitrator. He has acted as a private judge and mediator as well.

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. He recently passed the California Family Law Certified Specialistâs Exam and is awaiting approval to be designated as a 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 & Pattonâs Family Law practice was developed. Prior to that, he amassed significant litigation experience handling the firmâs insurance defense, business law and employment law litigation matters as well as handling all of the firmâs appellate practice.

Born in Schenectady, NY in 1971, Mitchell grew up in San Jose, graduating from San Joseâs 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 isnât 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 clientâs 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 joined Lonich & Patton, LLP in November 2003 and is the ranking senior associate. Ms. Policastri began her relationship with the firm in 2001 as a second year law clerk and continued working until she left to prepare for the July 2003 Bar exam.

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 for her academic achievement 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, Canada, Mexico and Italy; she recently returned from her honeymoon in Tahiti, where she visited the neighboring islands of Bora Bora, Moorea and Taha’a. She also enjoys camping (Big Sur is a favorite) and stays active by jogging, biking, rollerblading and skiing. Most of all, she enjoys spending her free time with her husband, Franco, her killer Chihuahua, Paco, 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 Barristers and Family Law Sections) and American Bar Association.