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Pasadena, CA Lawyers

18 distinguished attorneys in Pasadena, California, each reviewed by the Lawyers of Distinction Selection Committee.

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Pasadena attorney directory

Carl D. Barnes

Carl D. Barnes

Distinguished Lawyer

Personal Injury Law

2500 E. Colorado Boulevard, Suite 350, Pasadena, CA 91107

Honesty, integrity and personal injury law are terms not always used in the same sentence. At the Law Offices of Carl D. Barnes, we practice personal injury law a little differently. Personal service and results will never be outdated concepts in the practice of law, at least not at our firm. These values translate to a commitment to managing and litigating your case to ensure the highest level of client satisfaction while delivering optimal results through an appropriate verdict or settlement. Our personal injury lawyers ensure that all of our clients receive the guidance, counsel, and legal representation that they need in order to get the results that they deserve.

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Charles Pereyra-Suarez

Charles Pereyra-Suarez

Distinguished Lawyer

Criminal Defense Law

35 N Lake Ave suite 710, Pasadena, CA 91101, USA

Charles Pereyra-Suarez has handled a broad range of civil and criminal matters during his 27 years of practice. His experience includes business litigation, white collar criminal defense, whistleblower cases, health care, environmental, antitrust, international and First Amendment representation. He is active as a mediator and arbitrator of various litigation and business disputes.

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Daniel Friedenthal

Civil Litigation

215 N Marengo Ave, Pasadena, CA 91101, USA

Daniel Friedenthal graduated with honors from UCLA in 1983, with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science. He received his Juris Doctor from Rutgers University School of Law in 1986. Mr. Friedenthal is a member of both the California and Colorado Bars. Since the late 1980s, Mr. Friedenthal has routinely handled and tried complex, catastrophic and high exposure cases in a variety of fields, including premises liability, products liability, employment law, construction site accidents, suspicious/fraudulent claims, and auto, motorcycle and truck accident cases. He has tried more than 60 jury trials in some of the toughest jurisdictions in California. He began his career working at a large civil defense firm, before forming his own law firm in 1999. Mr. Friedenthal has achieved the elevated rank of Advocate in the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA), an organization of experienced trial lawyers dedicated to the promotion of civility, integrity and professionalism in trial advocacy. He takes pride in serving his clients in an ethical and zealous manner, while always being accessible and responsive to their needs. Mr. Friedenthal is often called at the eleventh hour to get up to speed on a case and take it to trial.

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David Lin

David Lin

Distinguished Lawyer

Civil Litigation

80 S Lake Ave suite 512, Pasadena, CA 91101, USA

David S. Lin is the founder and managing partner of the Law Offices of David S. Lin, specializing in representation of business clientele as well as individual plaintiffs in Southern California, and in foreign countries such as China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Lin has extensive legal experience, including numerous trials, which he has taken to successful verdicts and obtained significant monetary judgments on behalf of his clients. Lin is a graduate of Cornell University and Boston University School of Law. In addition to being a Super Lawyers honoree, Lin has also achieved numerous past accolades and award recognitions, including Pasadena Magazine’s Top Attorneys from 2012 through 2018 and Lawyers of Distinction for excellence in civil litigation in 2017 and 2018. After having worked at large, downtown Los Angeles law firms since 1991, Lin founded his own law firm in 2003. The firm prides itself on providing detailed, hands-on attention to its clients, whether large or small, and providing top-notch, big-firm legal services at a small-firm, competitive price. In today’s competitive business environment, the firm strives toward achieving the best possible results for its clients while maintaining the utmost integrity, confidentiality and professionalism in the handling and litigation of all cases.

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Eric Bonholtzer

Personal Injury Law

555 Union St, Pasadena, CA 91101, USA

Eric C. Bonholtzer is an award-winning personal injury trial attorney who works hard to ensure that his clients receive full compensation. Mr. Bonholtzer was selected as a Top 100 Up-and-Coming Attorney by Super Lawyers for seven straight years before becoming a Super Lawyer for the last two years. He was published in the Los Angeles Times as one of the Top 70 Personal Injury Law Attorneys in 2022 and won the Litigator of the Year Award in 2021, 2022 and 2023 from the American Institute of Trial Lawyers. He was selected as a 2024 National Trial Lawyers’ Top 100 Personal Injury Attorney as well as an exclusive Top 25 Motor Vehicle Accident Attorney. He has been a Lawyer of Distinction for multiple years and is a member of the National Association of Distinguished Counsel’s Top One Percent. He has also been selected as a Top Ten Nationally Ranked Attorney by the National Academy of Personal Injury Attorneys. He is a member of the prestigious American Board of Trial Advocates.

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Greg Aslanian

Greg Aslanian

Distinguished Lawyer

Wills and Trust Law

234 E Colorado Blvd suite 800, Pasadena, CA 91101, USA

Greg Aslanian is a partner at Trust Law Partners, where he represents clients in complex trust and estate litigation throughout California. With a reputation for strategic thinking, sharp courtroom skills, and steadfast advocacy, Greg handles some of the firm’s most challenging and high-value disputes. Greg’s practice focuses on trust and will contests, breach of fiduciary duty claims, contested accountings, and elder financial abuse cases. He has extensive experience guiding beneficiaries, trustees, and other fiduciaries through emotionally charged disputes that often involve both legal complexity and deep family conflict. Known for his meticulous case preparation and ability to anticipate and counter opposing strategies, Greg consistently secures favorable outcomes for his clients—whether through trial, arbitration, or negotiated settlement. Before joining Trust Law Partners, Greg built a diverse litigation background in both civil and business disputes, honing the skills he now applies to the highly specialized world of trust and estate litigation. His early career experience gave him the ability to manage multifaceted cases involving intersecting legal issues, financial analysis, and sensitive personal dynamics. Clients and colleagues alike value Greg’s measured, solutions-oriented approach. He excels at breaking down complex issues into clear strategies, maintaining open communication with clients, and ensuring they are empowered throughout the litigation process. Greg earned his J.D. from Southwestern Law School and his B.A. from University of California Irvine. He is admitted to practice in all California state courts and the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. At Trust Law Partners, Greg works alongside the firm’s litigation team to deliver exceptional results, combining legal expertise with a deep understanding of the human elements that often drive trust and estate disputes.

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Gregory Mauro

Gregory Mauro

Featured Lawyer

Labor Law

301 N Lake Ave ste 600, Pasadena, CA 91101, USA

Gregory graduated from Whittier Law School in 2001 and has been a licensed attorney since 2002. He has dedicated his career to advocating for justice and ensuring that the rights of individuals are upheld. Gregory’s commitment to the legal profession is evident in his tireless efforts to bring about positive change and make a meaningful impact in the lives of those he serves. His specialization in Class Action Cases within California Employment Law underscores his commitment to protecting employee rights. This commitment forms the foundation of his law firm and employees who work along aside him. Gregory’s focuses on holding corporations accountable and ensuring employees receive the compensation they deserve.

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John Ciccarelli

John Ciccarelli

Distinguished Lawyer

Personal Injury Law

225 South Lake Avenue, Suite 300, Pasadena, CA 91101

Mr. Ciccarelli is admitted to practice in the following jurisdictions: California State Bar, admitted 1988, United States District Court in the Central, Northern, Eastern and Southern Districts of California, and United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, admitted 1989. Mr. Ciccarelli is an author and certified mediator. He has authored numerous articles on various legal topics and has served as a Judge Pro Tem in the Los Angeles County Courts. In addition to Lawyers of Distinction.

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Kristen Howard

Family and Divorce Law

301 E. Colorado Boulevard, Suite 610, Pasadena, CA 91101

Kristen M. Howard, partner at the firm, received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from San Diego State University in 1996 and her Juris Doctor degree from American College of Law in 2000. Before becoming partner, Kristen worked as a law clerk for Carolyn A. Makupson and completed an internship with the Los Angeles District Attorney's office. Kristen has served as a volunteer for the Los Angeles County Bar Pro Bono Domestic Violence Project and as a volunteer for the Harriett Buhai Center for Family Law Pro Bono Attorney Panel. She also served as a committee member for the Harriett Buhai Center for Family Law Annual Gospel Brunch fundraiser. Kristen is a member of the Los Angeles County Bar Association and Pasadena Bar Association. Kristen resides in Pasadena with her husband, their twins, and their Italian greyhound, Basil and doberman, Bruno.

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Kyle Tracy

Kyle Tracy

Featured Lawyer

Civil Litigation

225 S Lake Ave #300, Pasadena, CA 91101, USA

Kyle Tracy is an experienced attorney who has successfully litigated against multi-national, multi-billion dollar corporations. Kyle is one of the early pioneers of talcum powder litigation. His case, Winkel v. Colgate-Palmolive, was the first ever jury verdict for a cosmetic talcum powder case. https://verdictsearch.com/verdict/woman-claimed-talcum-powder-exposed-her-to-asbestos-2/. In addition, Kyle also obtained the first ever cosmetic talcum powder settlement with the biggest cosmetic talcum powder defendant in the industry. Kyle has consistently been recognized nationally by the National Trial Lawyers Association. He has taught trial skills for practicing lawyers, coached high school mock trial teams, and volunteered in his community. During law school, Kyle was the recipient of the Board of Governors Award, the Sande Buhai Award, a member of the Dean's List, and was honored by being chosen as the commencement speaker for his graduating class.

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Lisa Tan

Lisa Tan

Featured Lawyer

Probate Law

275 E. California Blvd., Pasadena, CA 91106

Area of Practice: Probate and Trust Litigation isa Tan was named a Super Lawyer® Rising Star by Los Angeles Magazine from 2009 – 2015, and a Super Lawyer® in 2019. She was also voted a Pasadena Magazine Top Attorney by her peers from 2009 – 2013. FREE CONSULTATION To help clients get the financial and emotional justice they deserve, Lisa has mastered the complex legal, monetary and interpersonal issues involved in trust and probate litigation. Whether tackling breach of fiduciary duty, contested heirship, pretermitted and adopted heirs, will and trust validity, undue influence, contested powers of attorney or accountings, fraudulent transfers, partition actions, family and estate management disputes, or probate litigation, she provides clients with the highest level of personal service, while maintaining the utmost discretion. Lisa earned her Juris Doctor degree from the University of California Hastings College of Law, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations from the University of Southern California. When she’s not burning the midnight oil preparing cases you’ll probably find her working out at the gym.

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Lory Ishii

Civil Litigation

709 E Colorado Blvd #160, Pasadena, CA 91101, USA

Lory Ishii brings unwavering dedication to wildfire victims rooted in lived experience. During the 2025 Eaton Canyon wildfires, she faced the harrowing reality of wildfire destruction firsthand—awaiting evacuation orders, sheltering displaced neighbors, and witnessing her community reduced to ash. These events forged Lory’s personal mission: to help wildfire survivors rebuild, heal, and reclaim their futures. With over 15 years of legal experience, Lory is a seasoned litigator and trusted advocate. Prior to joining Fox Fire Attorneys, she founded and led a successful plaintiffs’ firm representing workers in complex cases. She secured multi-million dollar settlements for low-wage employees exploited by large corporations—championing justice for those too often unheard. Earlier in her career, she fought for victims of domestic violence and human trafficking in the nonprofit sector, working alongside Assistant U.S. Attorneys in Washington, D.C. to prosecute modern-day slavery. This deep-rooted commitment to justice now drives her work holding utility companies and other entities accountable for catastrophic wildfire damage. Lory is known for her compassionate, strategic, and tireless advocacy. She believes that legal representation is not just about recovery—it’s about restoration. Her clients benefit from her unique blend of personal empathy, legal rigor, and fierce resolve to achieve full and fair compensation. Lory earned her J.D. from the University of San Francisco School of Law, where she published in the USF Journal of Law and Social Challenges and taught Street Law to underserved youth. She holds a B.A. from the University of Texas at Austin. Outside the courtroom, Lory continues her lifelong dedication to service as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for youth in dependency court and as a board member of 626 Village, supporting seniors aging safely in their homes. She is also an active parent leader in South Pasadena, where she chairs PTA committees and builds stronger schools and communities.

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Louis Teran

Louis Teran

Distinguished Lawyer

Intellectual Property Law

1055 E. Colorado Blvd, Suite 500, Pasadena, CA 91106

Louis F. Teran is an attorney in Pasadena, California, and the founding attorney of SLC Law. His listed practice areas are business law, intellectual property law and civil litigation. The State Bar of California records his admission on June 5, 2007, and lists his license as active

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Marilee Marshall

Criminal Defense Law

20 North Raymond Avenue, 240, Pasadena, CA 91103

Marilee Marshall is a Pasadena, California, criminal defense attorney who founded Marilee Marshall and Associates in 1981. Her California license is active, and the State Bar lists an office at 20 North Raymond Avenue, Suite 240. She was admitted to the California bar on December 1, 1981. Trial defense and challenges to convictions both appear in Marshall’s case history. Her firm biography describes felony representation at trial and on appeal, including murder prosecutions and cases involving women who killed abusive spouses. It also identifies conspiracy to commit murder and gang-related homicide among her cases. The range extends to robbery and kidnapping, sexual offenses, domestic violence and assault, as well as fraud, theft, drugs and firearms. For clients already convicted, the biography describes two distinct kinds of work: appeals for people on death row and efforts to obtain parole for people serving life sentences. The latter involved proceedings in superior and appellate courts. Her firm, which limits its practice to criminal defense, separately identifies trials, appeals and writs as its work, including parole-related writs for lifers. Marshall’s undergraduate degree is from California State University, Fullerton, where she graduated with high honors; her law degree is from UCLA. Her professional biography lists admission to California state courts and federal district courts in California. It also lists the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court.

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Michael Carlin

Michael Carlin

Featured Lawyer

Labor Law

680 E Colorado Blvd ste 180, Pasadena, CA 91101, USA

Michael Carlin is an employment attorney and workers’ rights advocate based in Southern California. He is the founder and president of Workers Rights Law Firm, APC, where he represents employees in cases involving discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, and wage-and-hour violations. Before founding his firm, Michael represented major national and multinational employers in high-stakes workplace disputes. His experience on both sides of employment litigation gives him valuable perspective for how workplace decisions are made and what workers can do to pursue maximum compensation. Michael has handled matters at the trial and appellate levels. His work has included individual lawsuits, class actions, Private Attorneys General Act claims, internal investigations, administrative proceedings, and appeals in California and federal courts. He has published works relating to race discrimination, disability discrimination, and federal wage and hour protections.

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Stephen Ball

Civil Litigation

650 Sierra Madre Villa Avenue, Suite 203, Pasadena, CA 91107

Stephen C. Ball has successfully represented victims and consumers for almost thirty years in California and federal courts. He has been able to assist in trial those who have had their legal rights compromised by legal negligence or breach of fiduciary duty. His legal malpractice clients have included heirs, corporate board members, injured minors, injured workers, homeowners, those injured in aviation accidents and trust beneficiaries. Mr. Ball received his undergraduate education in biological sciences at the University of California, Santa Barbara in 1979 and thereafter went into business as a licensed contractor. He earned his law degree from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles in 1985 was admitted to practice in California that same year. He has also been admitted to practice in federal court since 1987 and in the United States Court of Claims since 1991. Mr. Ball has been involved in a number of benchmark cases, including 43 Superior Court jury trials.

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Wayne Dong

Wayne Dong

Distinguished Lawyer

Wills and Trust Law

275 E California Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91106, USA

As a working professional with more than a decade of prior professional experience with multiple large corporate entities, and now as an attorney, Wayne Dong recognizes the critical need for competent advocacy in the efficient resolution of every dispute. Each case, regardless of complexity or duration, requires a careful, measured and considered approach and every client deserves nothing less than a zealous advocate who will protect their rights. Wayne is honored to work closely with clients to aid in achieving their desired outcomes while addressing any concerns and providing effective legal counsel. Wayne was born and raised in the Los Angeles area and is a proud graduate of Southwestern Law School’s distinguished and nationally recognized Two-Year Accelerated SCALE Juris Doctor program. During his time in law school, Wayne received CALI awards as recognition for achieving the highest marks in multiple courses. Wayne also holds Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees from the University of California, Irvine, and was named to the Dean’s Honor List as recognition for academic excellence.

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Zhouming Zhu

Zhouming Zhu

Distinguished Lawyer

Labor & Employment Law

3020 East Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 91107

laire Zhu is an attorney at Gutierrez, Preciado & House, LLP, where she represents clients in employment matters. She brings a strong background in both U.S. and Chinese legal systems, having previously served as a judge assistant at the Shenzhen Intermediate People’s Court and worked in multiple California law firms handling complex civil and employment litigation. Claire earned her Juris Doctor from the University of San Diego School of Law, where she was a member of the San Diego Law Review and received the CALI Award for Legal Writing and Research. She also holds a Bachelor of Laws from Shenzhen University. Fluent in Mandarin and Cantonese, Claire is admitted to practice law in California and is committed to providing effective, culturally informed legal advocacy

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