Law Office of Paul P. DeAngelis

Like the narrator in Mending Wall, Paul challenges past ways of thinking and looks for practical and creative ways to solve real estate problems. What might work best often turns on the economic realities, legal arguments, and people dynamics. He applies his experience in and out of court to fit each situation—some call for settlement talks or mediation, and others trial themes and admissible evidence. In 1996, Paul graduated with honors from Boston University School of Law. Since 1998, he has practiced in San Francisco and successfully represented clients in court actions, jury and bench trials, and arbitration hearings. Paul is a member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum®, The Top Trial Lawyers in America®.

Paul concentrates on real estate law:

• Neighbor Disputes related to trees, views, landscaping, fences, construction projects, boundary lines, access, easements, encroachments, noise, barking dogs, or other nuisances.
• Landlord-Tenant Matters, including tenant rights under the San Francisco Rent Ordinance, unsafe and uninhabitable conditions, building fires, wrongful and constructive evictions, OMIs, owner-property management, and statewide tenant protection laws.
• Commercial Leases to assist owners and tenants regarding leases and tenancy issues (recently Covid protection laws) for office, restaurant, and retail spaces.
• HOA Issues related to board and member problems, CC&Rs or house rules, maintenance obligations, noise, repairs, parking, short-term rentals, reserves, and assessment issues.
• Purchase and Sale Disputes regarding alleged nondisclosure or misrepresentation claims, making or responding to mediation demands, and handling pre-litigation mediations.
• Historic Property Investigations—to resolve neighbor disputes or to advise on developing or purchasing properties—regarding ownership, use, rights, and interests.

Paul stays active in his communities. He teaches at San Francisco State University’s Paralegal Program and serves on its Advisory Board. His courses include investigation, discovery, and trial, and ethics and public speaking. Paul also gives lectures to professional groups on real estate matters and other topics, including on the U.S. Legal System to visiting Judges from China through SFSU’s Center of Global Engagement.

He emphasizes the importance of pro bono work to his students as one way to address the 80% problem—80% cannot afford legal services. In 2010, Legal Services for Children awarded Paul the Child’s Advocacy Award from for his pro bono work representing disadvantaged youth in the Bay Area. His pro bono work in 2021 included:

• Representing non-profit wildlife group to assist with agreement for major funding.
• Representing elderly tenant where new owners sought unlawful changes to tenancy.
• Representing elderly homeowner to assist on title-ownership and probate issues.

Paul regularly swims in the San Francisco Bay as a member of the South End Rowing Club. He was featured on KQED’s My Spot. Listen to Paul’s interview My Spot: Braving the Icy Waters of San Francisco Bay. Paul maintains a Lifeguarding Certification from the American Red Cross.