ABOUT OUR LAW FIRM

These are our values and the pillars of Candelaria PC. Life happens. Let us help you navigate the most complex legal matters strategically and effectively.

What sets us apart besides our deep knowledge and experience in family law and estate planning matters is our strong connection to our clients and to the community. Representation matters, both to our clients and to our staff. We believe that our inclusive environment is essential to both the quality of our client service and personal satisfaction of our team. Our firm is steadfastly committed to a safe, diverse, and thriving community. Through our service to numerous local, regional, national organizations, including those who support women, BIPOC and LGBTIQ+ communities, and the underserved, we build up our community and stay true to our firm values.

Family Law
Our goal is simple: to resolve your family matter quickly and efficiently so that you can move forward with your life.

We believe in the value of negotiated settlements, but we are prepared to aggressively represent our clients in litigation and trial. Candelaria PC has two offices in the Bay Area, in Walnut Creek and Oakland. We represent clients in all areas of family law, including divorce proceedings, domestic partnership dissolutions, child custody disputes, child and spousal support actions, high asset divorces, parentage proceedings, post-judgment modification and enforcement actions, domestic violence restraining orders, and the drafting of premarital (prenup) and postnuptial agreements.

We understand the sensitivities that family law issues present and take great care in resolving our clients’ disputes discreetly and respectfully. We strive to achieve client satisfaction with purposeful action, execution and results.

Estate Planning
Candelaria PC strives to help our clients protect and provide for their loved ones through thoughtful planning. From mitigating tax consequences to avoiding probate, the reasons for getting an estate plan are many. Careful and thorough planning can save a lot of heartache for your family after your passing and can ensure that your desires are respected and followed. Many clients express surprise at the number of issues that can arise in the process. You may elect a full estate plan or select a la carte services such as a will, advanced health directive, or a power of attorney. Let us help you in providing for the orderly administration and stewardship of your assets, and protect you in case of incapacity.

Diversity Policy
As our firm was founded by a Filipina American, we are firmly committed to diversifying the legal profession. By prioritizing inclusion and equal opportunity, we work to ensure diversity in our recruitment process and to retain talented lawyers and staff of diverse backgrounds that encompass a variety of characteristics, perspectives, experiences, and lifestyles.

In concert with our mission statement, we have taken and will continue to take steps to fight for access to justice and a pipeline to the legal field for underrepresented populations. Our attorneys volunteer at local clinics providing pro bono services, are involved in formal and informal mentoring for law students and young attorneys, and are leaders of various local organizations to ensure that our perspective is heard. The firm sponsors attorney memberships in affinity bars and financially support local continuing education programs on elimination of bias as well as networking opportunities that increase the inclusion of all people in the legal field. We are also committed to ensuring that our staff receives diversity training and that we support organizations that reflect our values. 

We strive to remember that while a statement is fine, action is better. Through our firm’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access Committee, our firm will continue evaluating and working towards equity every step of the way.

Resources
Candelaria PC is proud to be a part of local, statewide, and national organizations that support diversity in the legal profession and access to justice. Our attorneys are members and leaders in these organizations that are contributing to the efforts to provide equity and access. Our firm is committed to supporting these organizations, as well as others, and to receive training on an annual basis from these organizations.

1. California Lawyers Association

2. Alameda County Bar Association

3. Contra Costa County Bar Association

4. American Bar Association

5. Minority Bar Coalition

6. Asian American Bar Association of the Greater Bay Area

7. National Asian Pacific American Bar Association

8. Filipino Bar Association of Northern California

9. National Filipino American Lawyers Association

10. Women Lawyers of Alameda

Here are other resources we recommend. There is an endless supply of resources available on the Internet; we will periodically update this list to ensure that we are inclusive of a broad range of populations.

1. 1-Day Racial Equity Habit Building Challenge

2. Debby Irving’s Recommended Resources

3. Harvard Business Review - Towards a Racially Just Workplace

4. The Case for Reparations By Ta-Nehisi Coates

5. Equal Justice Initiative

6. Black Lives Matter - Resources

7. Stop AAPI Hate

8. Centers for Educational Justice & Community Engagement - Native American Student Development

9. Smithsonian Latino Center - Hispanic Heritage Month Resources

10. LGBTQ Educational Resources