Business Details
25 Years
experience
Trusted Tenant Rights Representation
Founded in 2001, Greenstein & McDonald is the most successful tenant rights law firm in the San Francisco Bay Area. Our team of experienced attorneys has secured over $83 million in settlements and verdicts for tenants, representing more than 20,000 clients. We specialize in holding landlords accountable for wrongful evictions, habitability violations, discrimination, harassment, and other legal breaches. Our attorneys combine aggressive litigation with compassionate client care, leveraging decades of combined experience in civil rights and tenant advocacy. We maintain a proven track record of achieving landmark settlements, including the largest multi-tenant case in Northern California history.Our practice extends beyond litigation to include policy advocacy and community education on housing justice issues. With offices in San Francisco, we serve clients across Oakland, Berkeley, and surrounding communities. Our resources enable us to hire expert witnesses and dedicate full staffing to complex cases. We maintain transparency in all client communications and operate with unwavering ethical standards. Our attorneys' backgrounds in civil rights organizations and environmental justice movements strengthen our commitment to tenant protections.
Services
Eviction Defense
Habitability Violations
Discrimination Claims
Wrongful Eviction Litigation
Landlord Harassment
Rent Ordinance Violations
Security Deposit Disputes
Housing Inspections
Tenant Relocation
Lease Violations
Details
- Year established: 2001
Highlights and features
- We have secured over $83 million in tenant settlements since 2001
- Our attorneys combine civil rights advocacy with housing law expertise
- We handle complex multi-tenant cases with dedicated legal resources
- We maintain a proven track record of landmark eviction defense verdicts
- Our team includes former ACLU and environmental justice advocates
What people say
Exceptional results
Compassionate representation
Landmark settlements
Aggressive litigation
Expertise in tenant law
Services
Wrongful Eviction Litigation
We represent tenants facing illegal evictions through aggressive courtroom advocacy and strategic settlements. Our team has secured landmark verdicts including the largest single-unit eviction judgment in California history. With decades of combined experience, we challenge landlords' violations of local rent control ordinances and habitability standards while protecting tenants' rights to stable housing.
Habitability Violations
Our firm prosecutes landlords for failing to maintain habitable living conditions through code violations and neglect. We handle cases involving mold, lead paint, structural failures, and utility issues that compromise tenant safety. By leveraging environmental justice expertise, we secure compensation for habitability breaches while mandating necessary property improvements through legal action.
Discrimination Claims
We litigate housing discrimination cases based on race, disability, family status, and other protected classes. Our attorneys challenge landlords' discriminatory practices in evictions, rental terms, and property access. Through strategic class-action lawsuits and individual claims, we enforce compliance with federal and state fair housing laws while securing financial remedies for affected tenants.
Landlord Harassment
Our firm addresses physical and psychological harassment by landlords through legal injunctions and damage claims. We handle cases involving unauthorized entries, intimidation tactics, and retaliatory actions against tenants asserting their rights. By documenting patterns of abuse and pursuing punitive damages, we protect vulnerable residents from coercive landlord practices.
Multi-Unit Lawsuits
We represent groups of tenants in coordinated litigation against systemic landlord violations across multiple properties. Our track record includes the largest multi-tenant settlement in Bay Area history, addressing issues like discriminatory eviction policies and widespread habitability failures. Through consolidated legal actions, we amplify individual voices to achieve meaningful corporate accountability.
People
Steven J. McDonald
Attorney at Law
Co-founder with 25+ years of tenant rights experience, specializing in wrongful evictions and habitability cases. Former ACLU civil rights advocate and environmental justice campaigner with construction industry expertise.
Ariel Gershon
Attorney at Law
Civil litigation specialist with 15+ years of tenant advocacy, focusing on appellate cases and administrative law. Former technology professional and housing clinic apprentice with expertise in complex landlord-tenant disputes.
Kelli Shields
Attorney at Law
Environmental law specialist with 11+ years of experience in landlord-tenant litigation. Holds advanced degrees in environmental geography and medicinal plants, applying ecological perspectives to housing rights cases.
Kenneth M. Greenstein
Attorney at Law
Co-founder and social justice advocate with 25+ years of tenant representation. Human rights expert and environmental activist instrumental in establishing the firm's community-focused legal approach.
Questions
What types of tenant cases do you handle?
We handle all aspects of tenant rights including wrongful evictions, habitability violations, discrimination, landlord harassment, and rent ordinance violations.
How are your legal fees structured?
We work on contingency basis for most cases, meaning we only collect fees after successfully recovering compensation for our clients.
Can you help with emergency housing situations?
While we don't provide immediate emergency services, we prioritize urgent cases and offer same-day consultations for critical housing threats.
What areas do you serve?
Our primary focus is the San Francisco Bay Area including Oakland, Berkeley, and surrounding communities.
How do you handle multi-tenant lawsuits?
We consolidate individual claims into coordinated legal actions, leveraging collective strength to achieve systemic changes in landlord practices.
What makes your firm different from others?
Our unique combination of civil rights advocacy, environmental justice principles, and aggressive litigation strategy sets us apart in tenant representation.
