All Articles

Berliner Cohen Welcomes New Attorney Christian Wick

February 1, 2021 |

Berliner Cohen, LLP is happy to welcome back Christian D. Wick as a new attorney in our Business Litigation Department. Christian served as a Law Clerk with the Firm while studying law at Santa Clara University. Welcome, Christian. Read More

Berliner Cohen Announces Michael Cheng Elected Partner, January 2021

January 5, 2021 |

Berliner Cohen, LLP is pleased to announce that Michael “Mike” J. Cheng has been elected Partner in Business Litigation. Mike is a trial attorney who represents businesses and individuals in a variety of commercial disputes as well as real estate related litigation, including… Read More

COVID- 19 Preparation Plans – What Businesses Need to Know

December 16, 2020 |

California Division of Occupational Safety and Health (Cal/OSHA) new emergency regulation applies to most workers in California and requires employers to develop and implement a comprehensive written COVID-19 Prevention Program that addresses: A system for communicating COVID-19 information;… Read More

Proposition 15 (Split-Roll Initiative): How It Could Affect Commercial Property Taxes

November 23, 2020 |

Update as of November 23, 2020:  By a narrow margin (52% to 48%), it appears that California voters have rejected Proposition 15, the “split roll” initiative that would have eliminated the limitation on real property tax increases under Proposition 13 for many commercial and… Read More

Berliner Cohen, LLP ranked as Best Law Firm regionally by The U.S. News - Best Lawyers® 2021

November 12, 2020 |

Berliner Cohen, LLP has been regionally ranked  as a The U.S. News -  Best Lawyers® "Best Law Firms" rankings for 2021.  This rigorous ranking process has acknowledged the firm in six outstanding areas:  Tier 1 in Litigation: Land Use & Zoning Tier 1 in… Read More

Proposition 19: Big Changes After Valentine’s Day 2021

November 12, 2020 | ,

  This coming Valentine’s Day, your local California county assessor will be giddy in anticipation of what is to come because two days later -- Proposition 19(1) will go into effect.  As a result, property tax envelopes will soon need to be returned with much larger checks from their… Read More

IRS Announces Estate and Gift Tax Exclusions for 2021

November 12, 2020 | ,

On October 26, 2020, the Internal Revenue Service announced the exclusion amounts for 2021.  Notably, the basic estate tax exclusion for 2021 increased to $11,700,000, while the annual exclusion for gifts in 2021 remains at $15,000. A copy of Rev. Proc. 2020-45 can be found here. This is for… Read More

A Tribute To Retired Partner Hugh Isola

November 11, 2020 |

We are sorry to announce that our retired partner, Hugh Isola, passed away peacefully at home on November 3rd, 2020.  Our partner, Ralph Swanson, wrote a fitting tribute to Hugh that we would like to share with you... A TRIBUTE TO HUGH ISOLA  "When I first met Hugh Isola, I was a brand new… Read More

Local Paid Sick Leave Related to COVID-19

October 19, 2020 |

Review this chart detailing California's Paid Sick Leave categories for local businesses to ensure you are up-to-date and compliant.  Download the PDF here. For questions, please contact Christine H. Long, Partner and Department Chair, Berliner Cohen LLP (408) 286-5800… Read More

COVID-19 and Estate, Gift and Generation Skipping Transfer Opportunities

October 16, 2020 |

Our world has experienced some dramatic events in the past year.  Of course, we’re all aware of many of the terrible personal and economic consequences of COVID-19.  But the news is not all bad.  Together with certain recent law changes, the pandemic has created an environment… Read More

All Employers of 5 or More Must Update Their CFRA Leave Policies

October 14, 2020 |

Currently, the California Family Rights Act (“CFRA”), which largely mirrors the Federal Family Medical Leave Act, requires employers with 50 or more employees within a 75-mile radius to grant a leave of absence to eligible employees of up to 12 workweeks in a 12-month period for… Read More

Webinar: How to Minimize Your Exposure To The Franchise Tax Board When Exiting California, October 14, 2020

October 6, 2020 |

Berliner Cohen attorney David Bellumori joins Scott Fuller from LeavingtheBayArea.com to discuss residency planning and Franchise Tax Board (“FTB”) residency audits. If you are considering packing up and leaving the state, you will benefit from being aware that the FTB can be… Read More

Seven Berliner Cohen Attorneys Earn Best Lawyers in America

August 20, 2020 |

Berliner Cohen, LLP proudly congratulates our attorneys named as the top attorneys in the 2021 Best Lawyers in America®: Andrew Faber and Jonathan Wolf in Litigation, Samuel Farb, Steven Hallgrimson, and Peggy Springgay in Real Estate Law, Frank Ubhaus in… Read More

Wildfire Smoke Compliance for Employers

August 19, 2020 |

California currently has fires burning in all but one county. Employers who were already tapped on complying with employment laws need to now deal with wildfire compliance. In 2019, California passed a new regulation, which applies to workplaces where the AQI for PM 2.5 is 151 or greater and where… Read More

Complying With Consumer Privacy During COVID-19: Intro to the California Consumer Privacy Act (Webinar, August 4, 2020)

August 5, 2020 |

(Originally hosted as a Zoom webinar on August 4, 2020) Presenters: Jay Landrum, Partner, and Emily Tewes, Attorney This webinar is designed as an introduction to the CCPA for businesses who may be required to comply or may need to update their privacy policies. Our experienced attorneys… Read More