Joseph Tobener

PRO

Joseph Tobener

also known as Tobener Ravenscroft LLP

5.0
Rating: 10.0

Licensed for 26 years

Landlord or tenant Lawyer at San Francisco, CA
Practice Areas: Landlord & Tenant

21 Masonic Avenue, Suite A, San Francisco, CA

About Joseph

Biography

Experienced tenant rights lawyers dedicated to protecting renters. We have successfully advocated for over 20,000 tenants and have a 99% success rate.

Deeply knowledgeable, dedicated, and passionate tenant attorneys, fighting for tenants and renters rights.

Practice Areas

1

Practice Area

Landlord or Tenant 100%

Tenant and renter rights attorneys focusing in wrongful evictions, habitability or repair issues, rent ordinance violations, landlord harassment, nuisance neighbors, sexual harassment by landlords or property managers, buyouts.

26 years | 2,000 cases

100%

Fees and Rates

We have not found any cost information for this lawyer

Licenses

Licensed in California for 26 years

State: California

Acquired: 1999

Active

No misconduct found

Location

Tobener Ravenscroft LLP

21 Masonic Avenue, Suite A, San Francisco, CA, 94118

tobenerlaw.com/

Tobener Ravenscroft LLP - Oakland Office

350 Frank H. Ogawa Plaza, Suite 603, Oakland, CA, 94612

tobenerlaw.com/

Tobener Ravenscroft LLP - San Jose Office

111 N. Market Street, Suite 300, San Jose, CA, 95113

tobenerlaw.com/

Tobener Ravenscroft LLP - Los Angeles Office

435 Spring Street, Suite 736, Los Angeles, CA, 90013

tobenerlaw.com/

Online Presence

Other places you can find Joseph online.

Joseph Tobener's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

5.0 /5.0

13 Client Reviews

5 star (13)
4 star (0)
3 star (0)
2 star (0)
1 star (0)

Posted by Ben | November 5, 2014

Honest advocate who puts your interests above his

Like everything else in life, there are good lawyers and bad lawyers, but Joe Tobener is a GREAT lawyer. He's about as knowledgeable, honest, and strategic as they come. He should be your first call.

Posted by Stephen | October 7, 2014

Compassionate, Dedicated Tenant Lawyer

Joe Tobener at the Tobener Law Center is one of the most dedicated attorneys I've met. His dedication to tenants is clear from his prompt responses to client questions and impressive knowledge of state and local laws. He focuses on landlord/tenant law and has become one of the premier Bay Area tenant... lawyers but still offers very reasonable fee rates and structures. I have recommended him to many friends with tenant issues and would do so again.

Posted by anonymous | July 15, 2020 | Consulted Attorney

This review is from a potential client who consulted with this attorney.

Super supportive and helpful

Tobener was very kind and thorough in helping me discuss the pros and cons of my issue with an illegal eviction notice, helping me make the decision that was best for me. When it became clear he was not the right lawyer for the case, he referred me to a very able attorney who had been a great help so... far.

Posted by anonymous | March 17, 2017 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

Amazing attorney, highly recommended

Attorney Tobener is one of the best! He was super helpful -- he explained my rights, set my expectations based on the strength of my case and even shared the relevant Civil Code statutes. We ended up winning!

Posted by Yi | August 24, 2016 | Hired Attorney

This review is from a person who hired this attorney.

we are so grateful for Mr. Tobener's help

We cannot express how grateful our family to Mr. Tobener’s help! We were renting a house in SF, paying our rent on time and had a lease until June 2016. However, in late August, 2015, we suddenly received a letter which stated that our landlord has been confirmed of bankruptcy and our lease was no lo...nger valid. The disbursing agent, who is the attorney of the bank, told us by phone that we would have to vacate by November, and that he would get a court order to evict us. We were shocked and distressed. We have two small children who had just started their new school. How can we find a good school and move them in the beginning of a new school year? One of us just started a demanding job. Looking for a new home and moving will take too much time to put the new job at risk. The eviction threats caused both of us to lose a lot of sleep. We began to search for a tenant rights lawyer. We made a lot of phone calls and talked with several firms. However, most firms rejected us because our case is too complicated with the involvement of bankruptcy issue. We found one attorney who was willing to give it a try. However, he charged us a lot of money for legal search and asked us to pay more for further search. We felt that we may end up to wasting a lot of money, but still be evicted by November. We finally found Mr. Tobener, who was referred to us by a tenant lawyer. He told us Mr. Tobener can help us, but warned us that Tobener Law Center is a high-end firm. In the first 15 minutes call, Mr. Tobener immediately told us the law and the controlling case in this situation. He wrote a letter to the bank attorney the second day, which completely turned the situation around. We were amazed by his familiarity with the law and the power of his letter. The bank attorney immediately withdrew his threats in writing after he received Mr. Tobener’s letter. At that point, we knew we are in good hands. Surprisingly, Mr. Tobener’s legal fee is much less than the first attorney we hired since he spent substantial less time. During the next ten months, Mr. Tobener helped us in every step. He fiercely protected our tenant rights and diligently negotiated the settlement offer for us. He carefully listened to our needs and gave us great advice. He always answered our emails and phones promptly. He is very nice, and he is competent and strong at the same time. The bank attorney and his agents were not reasonable, but Mr. Tobener eventually turned this difficult case into a victory and successfully negotiated a buyout agreement at the right time for us. We are so happy about Mr. Tobener’s service. If you have tenant law issues, please take the lesson we learned in the hard way: hire the best in the business. Mr. Tobener is the best tenant rights lawyer from our experience and we know that he will give you the best results possible. We highly recommend Mr. Tobener without any reservation.

See All Client Reviews

Joseph Tobener's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse Joseph
Yi Sun Wilkinson headshot
Yi Wilkinson

Landlord or tenant lawyer | Jan 06

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer."

Gregory Jay Brod headshot
Gregory Brod

Landlord or tenant lawyer | Nov 04

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"Joe is an outstanding lawyer and a tremendous advocate for his clients. Anyone with a landlord tenant dispute would be very fortunate to have Joe Tobener on their side."

Elizabeth Treas Erhardt headshot
Elizabeth Erhardt

Landlord or tenant lawyer | Nov 04

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer."

Monique Juanita Farris headshot
Monique Farris

Landlord or tenant lawyer | Oct 23

Relationship: Worked for lawyer

"I endorse this lawyer."

Theshia Naidoo headshot
Theshia Naidoo

Landlord or tenant lawyer | Oct 10

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer."

Michael Robert Bracamontes headshot
Michael Bracamontes

Landlord or tenant lawyer | Oct 08

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I endorse this lawyer."

Kimberly Marie Amick headshot
Kimberly Amick

Landlord or tenant lawyer | Oct 07

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"Joe and I attended law school together, and have worked together since then. He is a professional and passionate advocate for his clients. He is always my first recommendation to anyone seeking counsel in this area of law."

John P Melia headshot
John Melia

Landlord or tenant lawyer | Oct 07

Relationship: Worked for lawyer

"I endorse this lawyer."

Sydney Si-Ning Leung headshot
Sydney Leung

Landlord or tenant lawyer | Oct 07

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Mr. Tobener is an expert in landlord/tenant issues. I refer all tenant-related issues to Mr. Tobener as he will rigorously represent the interests of the clients."

Jacqueline Ravenscroft headshot
Jacqueline Ravenscroft

Landlord or tenant lawyer | Sep 22

Relationship: Worked for lawyer

"Joe is not only the premier expert in Bay Area tenant rights, he is also genuinely passionate about his line of work and obtaining top notch results for clients."

Luke Taylor Vanderdrift headshot
Luke Vanderdrift

Landlord or tenant lawyer | Sep 19

Relationship: Worked for lawyer

"Joe brings a lot of passion to each of his cases and cares deeply about the rights of tenants. He's been doing this a long time so knows the area of law really well."

Kelly Dolores Van Aken headshot
Kelly Van Aken

Landlord or tenant lawyer | Aug 22

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Joe is the go-to expert on Tenant Law in San Francisco and a true advocate for Bay Area tenants. He is skilled, intelligent, and reliable. I strongly endorse him."

Mikayla Gow Kellogg headshot
Mikayla Kellogg

Landlord or tenant lawyer | Jul 14

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Joe Tobener is incredibly well-regarded in the legal community, and he is known to be a top tenant attorney in San Francisco. He provides excellent service to his clients and is extremely knowledgeable about all things tenant law. I strongly endorse this lawyer."

Oliver Eugene Vallejo headshot
Oliver Vallejo

Landlord or tenant lawyer | Jul 11

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Joe cares for his clients. He possesses the skill, intellect and passion necessary to represent his clients well."

Eric Louis Toscano headshot
Eric Toscano

Unknown lawyer | Jul 10

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"That Joe Tobener is the attorney tenant rights organizations turn to when they need legal representation speaks volumes about his reputation in the San Francisco legal community. In addition to being an exceptional lawyer, Joe is also an accomplished entrepreneur whose firm was the recipient of the 2014 San Francisco Bay Guardian Best Small Business Award. He is also an invaluable resource for other tenant attorneys and is always very generous with his time. I enthusiastically endorse Joe!"

Anne Casey Costin headshot
Anne Costin

Landlord or tenant lawyer | Jul 09

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Joe Tobener is straightforward, knowledgeable, and quick to respond to emails. I feel confident referring clients with landlord tenant issues to his office."

Tracy Catherine Lemmon headshot
Tracy Lemmon

Landlord or tenant lawyer | Jul 08

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Joe Toebner is the kind of lawyer I like to send clients to. He is smart, personable and strategic. Joe always puts his clients first; this is especially important for clients who have less power than their opponents. I heartily endorse him."

Scott Takeo Okamoto headshot
Scott Okamoto

Landlord or tenant lawyer | Jul 08

Relationship: Opposing Counsel on matter

"As an attorney primarily representing landlords, I have had numerous cases against Joe. I have found him intelligent, diligent, ethical, and zealous. He is an effective negotiator without being difficult to negotiate with. I have also referred clients to Joe who speak very highly of his work. I highly endorse him as a tenant attorney."

Ryan Lawrence Werner headshot
Ryan Werner

Landlord or tenant lawyer | Sep 27

Relationship: Worked together on matter

"Joey is a passionate and thoughtful advocate for tenants' rights. Knowledgeable, intelligent, practical. I thoroughly enjoyed working with him and recommend him without hesitation."

Joseph Lawrence Keiser headshot
Joseph Keiser

Landlord or tenant lawyer | Sep 15

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Joey Tobener does great work, and I highly recommend his services. I've referred clients to Joey, and he has gotten them wonderful results. If you have landlord/tenant issues, then Joey Tobener is the attorney to call in San Francisco."

View All Endorsements
Jacqueline Ravenscroft headshot
Jacqueline Ravenscroft

Landlord or tenant lawyer

Robert Boyd McSparran headshot
Robert McSparran

Real estate lawyer

Jak Steven Marquez headshot
Jak Marquez

Landlord or tenant lawyer

David I. Blumenfeld headshot
David Blumenfeld

Landlord or tenant lawyer

Gregory Jay Brod headshot
Gregory Brod

Landlord or tenant lawyer

Andrew Mayer Zacks headshot
Andrew Zacks

Landlord or tenant lawyer

Richard Allen Hurlburt headshot
Richard Hurlburt

Real estate lawyer

Steven Adair MacDonald headshot
Steven MacDonald

Landlord or tenant lawyer

Mark Hooshmand headshot
Mark Hooshmand

Real estate lawyer

Elizabeth Treas Erhardt headshot
Elizabeth Erhardt

Landlord or tenant lawyer

Shauna Lea Matlin headshot
Shauna Matlin

Landlord or tenant lawyer

David Paul Wasserman headshot
David Wasserman

Landlord or tenant lawyer

Daniel Marc Bornstein headshot
Daniel Bornstein

Landlord or tenant lawyer

Mahsa Hakimi headshot
Mahsa Hakimi

Real estate lawyer

Koorosh Afshari headshot
Koorosh Afshari

Mediation lawyer

Michael Robert Bracamontes headshot
Michael Bracamontes

Landlord or tenant lawyer

Stephen Noel Ilg headshot
Stephen Ilg

Litigation lawyer

Keith Thomas Smith headshot
Keith Smith

Unknown lawyer

Anthony Lawrence Label headshot
Anthony Label

Personal injury lawyer

Kelly Dolores Van Aken headshot
Kelly Van Aken

Personal injury lawyer

Experience

Rating:  10.0 (Superb)

Honors

2022

Super Lawyer, Northern California Super Lawyers

2021

Super Lawyer, Northern California Super Lawyers

2020

Super Lawyer, Northern California Super Lawyers

2019

Super Lawyer, Northern California Super Lawyers

2018

Super Lawyer, Northern California Super Lawyers

2017

Super Lawyer, Northern California Super Lawyers

2015

Superb Rating (10/10), Avvo

2014

Business of the Year -- Law Firm, San Francisco Bay Guardian

2014

Superb Rating (10/10), Avvo

2014

Client's Choice, Avvo

2013

Superb Rating (10/10), Avvo

2007

Certicate of Excellence Instruction, UC Hastings College of Law

Work Experience

2001 - Present

Managing Partner, Tobener Ravenscroft LLP

2000 - Present

Counselor, San Francisco Tenants Union

2005 - 2007

Professor, UC Hastings College of Law

2005 - 2014

Professor, San Francisco State University

Associations

2011 - Present

San Francisco Tenant Lawyers Bar Association

Member

2007 - Present

San Francisco State University

Adjunct Professor CLE

2002 - Present

San Francisco Tenants Union

Counselor

2001 - Present

San Francisco Tenants Union

Voting Member

2006 - 2008

University of California Hastings College of Law

Adjunct Professor

Sample of Legal Cases

Tenant v. Landlord

$142,500 awarded to tenants

Tenant v. Landlord

$212,500

Tenant v. Landlord

$190,000 awarded to tenant

Tenant v. Landlord

$250,000 awarded to tenants

Tenant v. Landlord

$115,000 awarded to tenant

Tenant v. Landlord

$500,000 awarded to tenants

Tenant v. Landlord

$350,000 awarded to tenants

Tenant v. Landlord

$81,000 awarded to tenants

Tenant v. Landlord

$90,000 awarded to tenants

Tenant v. Landlord

$250,000+ awarded to tenants

Tenant v. Landlord

$80,000 awarded to tenants

Tenant v. Landlord

$82,500 awarded to tenant

Tenant v. Landlord

$200,000 awarded to tenant

Windsor MHP

$1.2 million awared

Tenant v. Landlord

$195,000 awarded to tenants

Tenant v. Landlord

$180,000 awarded to tenants

Tenant v. Landlord

$500,000 awarded

Tenant v. Landlord

$187,500 awarded to tenant

Tenant v. Landlord

$315,000 awarded to tenant

Tenant v. Landlord

$425,000 awarded to tenant

Tenant v. Landlord

$190,000 awarded to tenant

Tenant v. Landlord

$225,000 awarded to tenants

Tenant v. Landlord

$384,905 awarded to tenants

Tenant v. Landlord

$134,000 awarded to tenant

Tenant v. Landlord

$400,000 awarded to tenant

See More Legal Cases

Education

1999

UC Hastings COL

JD - Juris Doctor

1996

Univ of California at Los Angeles

BA

N/A

San Francisco State University

Masters in Counseling

Speaking Engagements

2014

Tenant Attorney Roundtable Restriction Following No-Fault Eviction

2014

San Francisco State University CLE Bluebooking and Cite Checking CLE

2011

San Francisco Tenants Union

Force Your Landlord to Repair

2007

UC Hastings

Legal Research and Writing

Publications

2016

San Francisco Apartment Magazine Tenant Attorney Tips

2014

California Lawyer Magazine To BnB - or Not?

2014

Daily Journal Lawyers Pursuing Short-Term Rentals

2014

2014

San Francisco Chronicle Airbnb Profits Prompted SF Eviction

2007

San Francisco State University Cite Checking and Bluebooking Action Guide

Languages

Spanish

English

Activity

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Avvo Rating Levels
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