Poniatowski Racial Discrimination Forum Project

Mark Poniatowski Rotarian of the Month for Racial Discrimination Forum

The Rotary Club of Castro Valley recently honored our firm founder and partner Mark Poniatowski as Rotarian of the Month, along with fellow club members Roland Williams and Bernie Kempen. They were honored for their work establishing the club’s Racial Discrimination Forum and initiating a serious discussion of race in our community.

Mark Poniatowski Founds Castro Valley Rotary Club Racial Discrimination Forum to Explore Community Bias Issues

Here is an excerpt from the club’s announcement: Continue reading →

Home Title Fraud a Growing Threat for California Homeowners

Title Fraud Legal Issues California

Home title fraud earned the “latest scam” label from the FBI back in 2008. Home title fraud (also known as “deed fraud”) is different from mortgage fraud. Title fraud occurs when someone obtains the title to your home through fraudulent methods. Then, the criminal tries to use your home’s equity to secure as many loans as possible. Homeowners can be completely unaware of this until the lender tries to foreclose on the home. It can take your real estate attorneys months to undo the damage. Continue reading →

Poniatowski Leding Parikh Estate Planning Attorneys

Estate Planning and Trust Work by Poniatowski Leding Parikh

We are pleased to have been able to handle the legal matters of the Hughes family, arranging their estate needs to their satisfaction.

“Our experience with Mark and his staff was a very positive one. With their legal knowledge and experience coupled with their professionalism, courtesy and patience they helped us create a very satisfactory family trust document. We have already recommended PLP Law firm to two families.”

Penelope Anne Hughes ~ Google Review
Creditors Rights for Debt Collection PLP Law

What are Creditors Rights?

Creditor Rights is a generic terms for the tool-box of rights that any creditor has to collect outstanding debt from the debtors that owe the creditor money. This Creditors Rights tool box is available whether in a bankruptcy or non-bankruptcy context.

Creditors Rights Protect Creditors When Debts Become Hard to Collect

If one of your debtors declares bankruptcy, or is not in bankruptcy but in default in payment and not responding to your collection efforts, it is important for you to learn more about your rights as a creditor and what you must do to give yourself the best opportunity to collect your debt. And the tools at your disposal differ depending on whether in a bankruptcy or non-bankruptcy context. This is what a Creditors Rights attorney can help you sort out. Continue reading →

Decades of Quality Legal Work for Our Business from PLP Law

We have used the Poniatowski Leding Parikh Law Firm and have known Mark Poniatowski for over 20 years; we are extremely pleased with the legal advice we have received over those years. The staff is professional, easy to work with and dedicated in protecting our interests. Many of the issues we have asked assistance for are outside “credit/collection/recovery law” and the results have been just as successful. Without the help of Mark and his staff, we know that we would not have had the successful outcomes we have had. We certainly appreciate the knowledge and support received through this law firm.

2020 Google my Business Review for Poniatowski Leding Parikh Law Corporation by a Northern California Heavy Equipment Dealership with multiple locations.

Mark Poniatowski Super Lawyer Creditors Rights

Mark D. Poniatowski Recognized for Creditor/Debtor Rights Legal Expertise by SuperLawyers

For the second year running, our partner Mark D. Poniatowski has been recognized by SuperLawyers for his strong reputation in the Bay Area legal community as a Creditor/Debtor Rights lawyer.

Poniatowski Earns 2020 SuperLawyers Rating for Creditors Rights Work

Mark has been practicing law in Castro Valley and the East Bay for over 30 years, starting out with a real estate and small business law practice in 1989. Continue reading →

New commercial office space trends leases landlords tenants

How Will Commercial Real Estate Change Post-COVID-19?

We have been following a growing narrative in the commercial real estate press that the Covid-19 crisis will foster permanent changes in how companies organize and run their workforces.

Office Space Will Look Very Different Post-COVID-19 With Social Distancing

These rapidly changing needs are already having an impact on commercial real estate:

Continue reading →

Commercial Real Estate Co-Ownership PLP Law Attorneys

Longtime Co-Owners of Commercial and Investment Properties Should Check Title Documents

Title to Co-Ownership of Real Property Put to the Test When Co-Owners Die or Become Incapacitated

We are seeing more and more cases where a co-owner of a jointly owned investment property retains us after the other co-owner dies or becomes incapacitated (as a result of Alzheimer’s or some other illness or accident).

  • In the case of the death of the other co-owner, our client is usually now dealing with a successor trustee, executor or administrator of the estate.
  • In the case of the incapacity of the other co-owner, our client is usually dealing with an agent under a power of attorney or a conservator.

In many cases, our client is surprised to learn that the vesting language in the deed to the property does not reflect the client’s understanding or intent regarding their ownership share. Continue reading →

Judgment In Favor Of PLP Law Client Upheld On Appeal Against Competing Secured Creditor In A Lien Priority Dispute

Poniatowski Parikh Commercial Property Creditors Rights

We represented a judgment lien creditor that sought priority of its attachment/judgment lien against the holder of a senior deed of trust in an interpleader action. This was to determine which party was entitled to nearly $300,000 in surplus funds after a trustee’s sale of commercial real property in Hayward, CA.

Hayward Commercial Real Estate Proceeds Subject to Creditor Dispute

After a 4-day bench trial in 2016 between these two competing secured creditors, the trial court entered judgment in favor our client, even though our client’s lien was recorded after the opposing party pension plan’s deed of trust. Continue reading →

Employers: Focus on the “B” of the ABC Test When Analyzing Contractor vs Employee Status Under AB5

Workers Contractors or Employees PLPLaw AB5

We have been asked for guidance by many of our small business clients regarding the classification of workers as either independent contractors or employees based on the new California law known as AB 5.

Defining Independent Contractor Status Under AB-5

There are certain labor law requirements triggered when a worker is considered an employee rather than an independent contractor. A full discussion of them is beyond the scope of this blog. But, as most employers know, the additional labor law and tax requirements applicable to employees, compared to independent contractors, are significant.

Now we have AB 5, which is a new law effective January 1, 2020. Continue reading →