About Sean M. O'Neill
Partner
Legal Experience
My path to the law is as unique as the Bay Area itself, here's my story. In 2011, I graduated with a Juris Doctor and passed the California State Bar. Immediately following my passing of the Bar, I began work as a litigation associate with a long-established firm in Fremont; specializing in the litigation of real estate, business, and personal injury cases. During that time I handled numerous complex business and real estate disputes ranging from the rescission of grant deeds to actions for breach of commercial leases. At any given point in time I had over a dozen cases in active litigation, while at same time providing regular services to individuals seeking estate planning and other legal services. After three years, I established my own firm. I tell this story to demonstrate the breadth of business, legal, and life experience I bring to my practice. You can rest assured that having me as your attorney means that you have a determined advocate, as well as a trusted advisor. My goal is not to have our interaction be a one-time arrangement; rather, I hope to be your lawyer for life, counseling and assisting you, as needed, in all of your endeavors. |
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Military Service
I was born and raised in Fremont, California and attended Mission San Jose High School where I graduated in 2000. When I turned 17, I enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and was trained as an infantryman or, as commonly called in the Marines, a grunt. During my time in the Marines I was stationed at Camp Pendleton in San Diego and went on three deployments.
In 2002, I deployed with a Marine Expeditionary Unit, traveling to Singapore, Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Australia. In 2003, I was in initial wave of the invasion of Iraq with the First Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion of the First Marine Division. In 2004, I returned to Iraq where I was wounded in an ambush on the Iraqi-Syrian border in the town of Al-Qaim. In April of that year I participated in the First Battle of Fallujah, following which I received a Navy Achievement Medal for valor and a Purple Heart.
During my final deployment, I rose to command my own vehicle and 6 other Marines in various combat operations in Al-Anbar Province in Western Iraq.
In 2002, I deployed with a Marine Expeditionary Unit, traveling to Singapore, Jordan, Kuwait, Bahrain, and Australia. In 2003, I was in initial wave of the invasion of Iraq with the First Light Armored Reconnaissance Battalion of the First Marine Division. In 2004, I returned to Iraq where I was wounded in an ambush on the Iraqi-Syrian border in the town of Al-Qaim. In April of that year I participated in the First Battle of Fallujah, following which I received a Navy Achievement Medal for valor and a Purple Heart.
During my final deployment, I rose to command my own vehicle and 6 other Marines in various combat operations in Al-Anbar Province in Western Iraq.
Education
In September of 2004, I left the Marines and began my college studies, ultimately graduating from UC Berkeley in 2008. During my time at Cal I realized that my passion lay in the law and its power to protect and preserve the rights of all individuals in our society. Following my graduation from Cal, I began my legal studies at Santa Clara University’s School of Law, with a focus on tax and employment law.
While in Law School, I honed my courtroom skills via a clerkship with the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office where I successfully litigated Penal Code § 1538.5 hearings, which are motions by defendants to suppress evidence.
While in Law School, I honed my courtroom skills via a clerkship with the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office where I successfully litigated Penal Code § 1538.5 hearings, which are motions by defendants to suppress evidence.
2008 University of California, Berkeley, Bachelor of Arts, Political Science.
2011 Santa Clara University, School of Law, Juris Doctor.
About Steve A. Lian
Partner
Legal Experience
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My calling to the legal profession began with helping my father operate his dental practice. Believing it was his duty to pass his business knowledge to me, from a young age my father involved me in various aspects of his business to ensure that I would be able to navigate the business world.
In the beginning, I assisted him with bookkeeping and various accounting related tasks. Later, as my experience and knowledge grew I advised him on how to structure his various businesses and assets to protect them from potential liabilities. It was here that I got my first taste of managing and protecting wealth. A skill I would later use to help clients protect and transfer their wealth to their loved ones. During law school I took advantage of the various clinical courses they had available for students to gain experience in the practice of law. In addition I interned in a civil litigation firm and worked on various aspects of business litigation. Through these experiences and by serving as a tax and accounting consultant in a law firm, I've gained a lot of exposure to the various pressures that businesses face and how to appropriately respond to them. Areas of Practice: Business Law, Tax Planning, Estate Planning |
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Education
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I’ve always had a huge appetite for learning how things work, and was initially drawn to tax, accounting, and finance and their influence on business decisions because of their interconnected, puzzle-like aspects. Professors and supervisors have praised my tenacious research, determination to uncover presumptions that might adversely affect analysis, and ability to communicate with different types of audiences including judges, business people, and tax professionals.
During my time in school I have received many accolades including being on the Honor's List and Dean's List. I was also awarded for having the best written brief in Advocacy and served on the Santa Clara Law Review as a research associate. In addition, I have completed all the educational and exam requirements to become a CPA and am currently fulfilling the experience requirement to attain full licensure. 2008 California State University, East Bay, Bachelor of Science, Accounting and Finance 2012 Santa Clara University, School of Law, Juris Doctor 2015 University of San Diego, School of Law, LL.M. in Taxation |
About John K. Salcedo
Associate
Legal Experience
I am a San Francisco Bay Area native. I was admitted to the State Bar of Texas in 2014 and the State Bar of California in 2018. The emphasis of my practice is commercial litigation, real estate litigation, personal injury, landlord tenant, and immigration.
While practicing in Texas, I developed a vast repertoire of skills related to complex transactional and litigation matters. I have developed experience researching and developing real property title abstracts to ensure that the owners of oil and resource interests were all accounted for and were given the proper value for their interest in these valuable resources. I also represented a national insurance carrier against bad faith claims. While practicing insurance defense, I developed experience in complex litigation, including handling Electronically Stored Information (“ESI”) during the civil discovery process. After returning to the San Francisco Bay area, I further developed my litigation experience. This includes assisting during trial preparation and trial presentation in both Alameda and San Francisco Counties. I also practice immigration, including family based petitions and waivers of admissibility. As an immigrant myself, I have a special appreciation for the concerns for immigration clients and I strive to provide each and every client with enthusiastic legal representation and support through the entire process. |
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Education
I obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley in 2008. I then attended law school at the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law of Yeshiva University in New York, New York and obtained my Juris Doctor in 2014. Practical knowledge has always been as important as academic excellence, so I participated in many legal clinics while a law student. I participated in Cardozo’s Intensive Trial Advocacy Program where I developed advanced court room advocacy skills. While in law school, I interned at multiple Federal agencies (United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York; Commodity Futures Trading Commission) and state agencies (New Jersey Bureau of Securities; District Attorney’s Office of Kings County, New York; New York Attorney General’s Office).
2008 University of California, Berkeley, Bachelor of Arts, Political Science
2014 Yeshiva University, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Juris Doctor
2008 University of California, Berkeley, Bachelor of Arts, Political Science
2014 Yeshiva University, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law, Juris Doctor
About Robert G. Waligore
Of Counsel
Legal Experience
I have practiced law for the past 35 years in the Bay Area. The emphasis of my practice for the last 20 years is family law–marital dissolution, paternity, child custody and visitation, child and spousal support, property division, and domestic violence restraining orders. Every case is different, just as each couple or family is different, with different needs, resulting if different outcomes. The breath and depth of my legal knowledge and litigation experience gives me the basis for helping my clients transition in their lives through a complex, usually difficult, and sometimes painful, time in their lives.
Upon graduation and passing the Bar examination, I practiced as an associate attorney for individual lawyers and small firms around the Bay. This gave me hands on experience in the practice of law, primarily in plaintiffs personal injury litigation–auto, products liability, toxic tort, and legal malpractice. A further emphasis of my practice was in real property law, principally construction litigation and commercial leasing. I entered into a partnership in the Willow Glen area of San Jose in 1992 and expanded my practice into the area of family law. For the past ten years, I have had an office in Fremont. My cases are mostly in the courts in Alameda and Santa Clara Counties, although I also represent clients in Contra Costa, San Mateo, San Francisco, Marin, Sonoma and San Joaquin Counties. |
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Education
I graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara, in 1973, and returned to the Bay Area for work, life, and experience. In 1978, to pursue a long-held career interest, I entered the School of Law at Golden Gate University, graduating in 1981. The focus of my studies was in land use and planning, taxation, and estate planning. I was an Associate Editor for Law Review and wrote on environmental law.
