Nicholas John Saranto

I was contacted by this attorney after being referred through a State Bar referral service. Initially, the voicemail and introduction were professional and gave me a positive first impression. Unfortunately, the call quickly went downhill. Very early on, the attorney claimed to already understand ...my case without asking several key questions that would reasonably be expected in a family law consultation. When I attempted to clarify or provide context, the conversation turned into what felt more like a lecture than a consultation. Comments such as “whoa,” “pump the brakes,” and repeated interruptions made it difficult to get a word in. The tone became increasingly dismissive, with statements like “no, no, no — this is this type of case,” despite limited fact-gathering. I ultimately let him speak uninterrupted, at which point the conversation abruptly shifted to billing. I was told the case would require a $12,000 fee, framed as reasonable because “it’s not $10k and other firms charge $15k.” There was no clear explanation of scope, strategy, or why that number made sense for my situation — just a comparison to higher numbers elsewhere. I then raised reasonable concerns about publicly available information: mixed reviews, limited time practicing in California, and lack of specialization in the specific area of law I was seeking help with. I asked how he would address those concerns and explain why hiring him would make sense. The response was dismissive, characterizing negative reviews as coming from “a few angry or upset people,” followed by the comment that this was not “sh*t on Nick day.” At that point, I ended the conversation and thanked him for his time. Overall, the experience felt unprofessional and overly familiar in tone, rather than client-centered or consultative. If this is how communication is handled with potential clients, I would be concerned about professionalism in higher-stakes settings. Zero stars if that were an option. I would also caution others that a State Bar referral does not appear to vet for professionalism or communication style. Only licensure i suppose.

Nicholas Saranto colluded with the opposite party’s lawyer in my estate case entitled Estate of Weibin Zhang in Alameda County 25PR109036. He did not object to the Judge’s decision while he knew he should have because I requested him to do so. Afterwards he lied he did, while court records showed tha...t he did not and in reality he also did not. I am having to fix this problem right now by continuing the case myself. He was hired through the Santa Clara SCCBA lawyer referral association. I’m investigating how much bribe he received from the opposite party’s lawyer if he received any. The Judge Kimberly Colwell is also very strange so not sure how much she is also involved in this if so. This review will remain in place until Nicholas refunded me the $5000 deposit and the Judge reversed her judgement and so the right things.

Hiring Nicholas Saranto was a terrible decision. I paid him $1,750 as a retainer, trusting he would represent me as agreed. Instead, he did almost nothing to move my case forward. Key filings like the motion to dismiss and countersuit were never submitted, despite his repeated assurances. In the end,... I had to draft and file these documents myself—something no paying client should ever have to do. To make matters worse, Mr. Saranto attempted to charge me an additional $1,155 for a plane ticket to attend a service hearing, claiming he would be out of town trick-or-treating with his niece. The hearing date was known since the start of his representation, yet he thought it was acceptable to stick me with this unethical charge. These fees weren’t part of our agreement and felt like a blatant attempt to squeeze me for more money. Finally, just two days before the service hearing, he withdrew as my attorney, abandoning me when I needed representation the most. This was both unprofessional and unethical, especially considering I had paid him for work he never completed. I am furious with how I was treated and feel completely taken advantage of. If you’re considering hiring Mr. Saranto, save yourself the money, stress, and disappointment. Look elsewhere—you deserve better.

Mr. Sarantos does indeed come off as someone that cares and is the right guy. Don't be tricked. I will attest to my personal experience, one that I still am dealing with. 2 weeks ago I consulted. On 10/24 I paid $1000 for just a demand letter for a denied $20k claim against my carrier that I inten...d to take to small claims. I am new father, a student, fighting cancer, and have a full time job. I got weaseled by my renters insurance on some bs after I had my home invaded and was robbed of almost everything of value. Due to the loss I have had to drop two classes and probably will drop the others to save my gpa because the situation got me very far behind and without any electronics to do online coursework. He knew this and after receiving payment has gone radio silent ***except when I called off my friends number , he answered , asked me if I had given him the loss inventory and some contact info that had already sat in his inbox for 4-5 days. He said he was on it and has gone back to zero communication(no text, email, or phone call back). Taking money with intention of not rendering service or with the intention and delivering this quality of service is just wrong and why I give one star.