Gaurav S Bali

Gaurav S Bali

4.8
Rating: 7.0

Licensed for 14 years

Criminal defense Lawyer at Oakland, CA
Practice Areas: Criminal Defense, Family, Personal Injury

420 3rd Street, Ste 250, Oakland, CA

About Gaurav

Biography

Practice Areas

3

Practice Areas

Family 33%

11 years

33%

Fees and Rates

Cost

Free Consultation

$0 first 15 minutes


Payment Methods

  • Cash
  • Check
  • Credit Card

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Licenses

Licensed in California for 14 years

State: California

Acquired: 2011

Active

No misconduct found

Location

Bali Law Offices

420 3rd Street, Ste 250, Oakland, CA, 94607

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Gaurav S Bali's Reviews

Avvo Review Score

4.8 /5.0

42 Client Reviews

Showing 1 - 5 of 42 reviews

Posted by Sharon from Napa | September 06, 2026 | Hired Attorney

Stellar Attorney with Integrity

In today’s world of ubiquitous litigation, we are all at risk of unwarranted malicious allegations and false accusations. This happened to me recently, and my utter incredulity over the allegations was accompanied by extreme emotional turmoil. I am just now regaining my physical strength and emotio...nal equanimity thanks to Gaurav Bali whose legal expertise and exemplary care far surpass that of the ordinary attorney. Mr. Bali offered words of solace knowing I was overwrought with fear and anxiety. Gaurav Bali read the incriminating letter that prompted my seeking an attorney, and he knew immediately how to handle the allegations. He said I needed a police report on record for my protection and that I needed a Cease and Desist Letter sent to the accusing person. I was so distraught I didn’t even think a crime of extortion had been committed. Mr. Bali’s Cease and Desist Letter was professional, straight forward, and on point. He quoted every applicable Penal Code, Civil Code, Code of Civil Procedure, and Welfare and Institutions Code replete with sections, subdivisions, paragraphs, etc, so that it would be easy for a lay person to look up the actual wording of each Code. He quoted case law as well, which added strength to the demands and cautionary warnings. I imagine it would take anyone, including seasoned attorneys, hours and hours not only to research all applicable laws, but then be sure all elements applied to the particular facts contained in the accusatory letter. Mr. Bali’s Cease and Desist Letter explained in summarized form the nature of each pertinent Code and the case law, so that the recipient could clearly understand the implications of her unlawful extortion measures and her false accusations. Unfortunately, it is easy to find attorneys willing to write a generic Cease and Desist Letter and charge too much for such a service. However, it is rare to find an attorney who cares and who possesses the legal acumen to provide a comprehensive, strong assessment of the case resulting in expeditious action to halt the harassment. Gaurav Bali addressed all of my concerns promptly, efficiently, and with such intellectual alacrity that I knew I had retained top legal counsel. My heart is still singing. His fees are not moderate, but neither are they overly exorbitant. Judging from all the work he displayed on my case, his fees are fair. If you pay for the very best counsel from the beginning, you can avoid later catastrophic legal fees for not taking care of the problem from the start. Mr. Bali addressed all of my concerns promptly, efficiently, and with such intellectual alacrity that I was finally able to sleep knowing he was doing everything lawfully possible to stop the harassment. If you are looking for a stellar attorney with integrity, I believe you will not find anyone better than Gaurav Bali. He is a consummate attorney.

Posted by Manuel Orozco | December 17, 2025 | Hired Attorney

You Matter — Steady Support During Divorce

I am extremely grateful for the support and guidance I received from my attorney (Gaurav)during one of the most difficult periods of my life. Divorce is emotionally overwhelming, but during moments when stress and uncertainty could have taken over, Gaurav consistently helped me step back, focus on lo...gic, and make decisions based on reason rather than emotion. Gaurav calm, thoughtful approach gave me clarity when I needed it most. He took the time to explain each step, set realistic expectations, and guide me through the process with patience and professionalism. Because of his strategic thinking and steady counsel, the outcome of my case exceeded my expectations. I truly felt supported, understood, and well-represented throughout the entire process. I would highly recommend Gaurav to anyone looking for an attorney who combines legal expertise with genuine care and sound judgment. Manuel Orozco

Posted by anonymous | November 07, 2025 | Hired Attorney

Best Trial Lawyer

Gaurav handled my family law matter in 2023. He supported me through a very tough time and guided me in the right direction. I have relied on him for other legal matters since as well. He fights fair but hard. Best attorney to have in your corner during a contentious case.

Posted by anonymous | May 04, 2025 | Hired Attorney

Poor communication and strategic planning

The representation I received was disappointing in several areas. Communication was consistently lacking-important documents were forwarded without explanation or context. Time management was problematic with minimal notice before important deadlines. There was a noticeable absence of strategic pl...anning and proactive guidance throughout the process. I was rarely given clear expectations about procedures or what to expect next. Overall, I lacked confidence in the quality of representation and cannot recommend these services to others seeking legal assistance.

Gaurav Bali

Replied last May 09, 2025

Dear Mr. O (I am aware of your name but respect your desire to remain anonymous). Thank you for your feedback. We are sorry to hear that your experience did not meet your expectations and regret that you feel dissatisfied with the representation you received. However, I strongly stand by the quality of our work and the effort invested in your case. You had a challenging case with (1) a pending Domestic Violence Temporary Restrianing Order against you, (2) a spouse who did not work much, if at all, during your long-term marriage, (3) supervised visitation with your children, (4) child and spousal support orders, and (5) an attorney's fees request. On top of that, you also alleged domestic violence against your spouse. I have dealt with this exact scenario in many cases; you were not the exception. Important documents were sent to you in a timely manner, and while we aim to provide full context whenever possible, it is also expected that clients communicate questions or concerns as they arise. Generally, when we receive emails from an opposing attorney, we simply forward those emails to clients. We do not spend time explaining each and every email in an effort to keep clients' costs down because we also do our best to stretch the deposit out for as long as possible. That is exactly what occurred in your case. Strategic decisions and deadlines were addressed with you extensively based on the emails that specifically tracked the motion for support and fees, and I gave you specific items to work on with my assistant. Given the above, let me first state that we had in-depth discussions with you about strategy and I made myself available to you as needed (as reflected in the numerous emails, aside from calls and texts). I am a trial attorney and know the level of detail required to convey the upside and downside risks in various scenarios. In response, you were unequivocal in your desire to settle the restraining order filed and issued against you outside of court, reduce litigation costs, and undertake private mediation. Overall, you did not want to escalate the conflict. Nonetheless, I am sorry if I was unclear about anything, but your questions and concerns were definitely answered. While you wanted to mediate, you also wanted to file a Request for Domestic Violence Restraining Order against your spouse because you also had a TRO against you. Your increased agitation with the situation was clear (supervised visitation and a TRO) and your demands on me increased; you wavered between litigation and finding a solution. Thus, strategic decisions were made with your best interests in mind based on the information available at each stage. And since we were still negotiating with opposing counsel about her TRO against you, we stalled on filing one against her which I later realized was your main feeling of disappointment. I have litigated cross requests for restraining orders throughout my career and made you aware of the possible outcomes. I can say confidentally that we achieved good results during the time we worked together. The issue was that the path forward was not clear because you wanted your spouse to dismiss the DV/TRO before you decided to file one against her. I recognize that expectations around communication and clarity in the overall process can vary, and we will continue to evaluate ways to improve the client experience. We are committed to delivering professional, diligent representation, and we regret that this was not your impression. We wish you the best moving forward. -Attorney Gaurav Bali

Posted by Serene | February 17, 2024 | Hired Attorney

Highly recommended

I highly recommend Gaurav Bali. He provides personalized representation and communicates directly for a more efficient and accurate working relationship. When you’re going through something difficult the most important thing is that your case is being handled professionally and as a priority, so you ...don’t feel like you’re just a “case” being handled from afar by front office staff. Gaurav gets the job done, listens and takes your case seriously. I would highly recommend hiring him.

See All Client Reviews

Gaurav S Bali's Lawyer Endorsements

Endorse Gaurav
Jennifer Gerstenzang headshot
Jennifer Gerstenzang

Criminal defense lawyer | Jan 06

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"Mr. Bali clearly cares deeply about his clients and making sure they get the best representation possible!"

Nick Farzin Forooghi headshot
Nick Forooghi

Criminal defense lawyer | Oct 30

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I have known Mr. Bali for a number of years. I have referred criminal law cases to him, and have heard him praised for his work on behalf of his clients. Mr. Bali represents his clients with knowledge, vigor and passion, and has their best interest in mind at all times representing them."

Anne Hanson Mania headshot
Anne Mania

Family lawyer | Aug 19

Relationship: Fellow lawyer in community

"I have been consistently impressed with Guarav's professionalism and dedication to his clients."

View All Endorsements
Nick Farzin Forooghi headshot
Nick Forooghi

Family lawyer

Experience

Rating:  7.0 (Very Good)

Honors

2012

Academic Excellence - Evidence, Dean of LLS

Work Experience

2011 - Present

Owner, Bali Law Offices

Associations

2012 - Present

Los Angeles County Bar Association

Member

2011 - Present

Alameda County Bar Association

Court Appointed Attorney

2011 - Present

Alameda County Bar Association

Guardianship Clinic Volunteer

Sample of Legal Cases

People v. D*

Not Guilty

People v. F******

Not Guilty

People v. W***

Case Dismissed

See More Legal Cases

Education

N/A

Lincoln Law School of San Jose

JD - Juris Doctor

N/A

University of California - Berkeley

BA - Bachelor of Arts

Speaking Engagements

2013

Family Law / Landlord & Tenant Issues

Real Estate & Family Law

Publications

Languages

English

Hindi

Activity

Avvo Rating

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Avvo Rating Levels
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