Melinda Garcia

Attorney Melinda Garcia is the Managing Shareholder at the Pleasanton law firm Garcia & Gurney, where she focuses on providing businesses with the legal advice and assistance they need to compete in today's market.  As a litigator, Ms. Garcia regularly appears in California state courts and private forums such as arbitrations and mediations.  As a transactional lawyer, Ms. Garcia has acquired the expertise to competently advise businesses with respect to employment issues, intellectual property, business organization, real estate acquisition, commercial leasing, mergers and acquisitions, international business transactions, and other matters.

Ms. Garcia is known for her keen business sense and her ability to provide effective legal solutions for both businesses and individuals.  Ms. Garcia believes that it is extremely important to learn as much as possible about her clients' business needs and operating environment, and she is a firm believer in sharing her knowledge with her clients and others.  Ms. Garcia has educated business owners all over California with her popular lecture, "The Ten Things Every Small Business Owner Should Know."  She has also taught continuing legal education courses on the formation, taxation, and operation of Limited Liability Companies and Limited Liability Partnerships in California, and has been the keynote speaker for the San Francisco Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners and various local chambers of commerce and networking organizations.

A native of the San Francisco Bay Area, Ms. Garcia maintains a deep commitment to community service.  For three years, Ms. Garcia served as a Director and Chair of the Axis Community Health Foundation, which provides health services to the indigent.  She is on the advisory board of the San Jose Regional Medical Center and has coached the successful Amador Valley High School Honors Mock Trial Team for the last five years.  Ms. Garcia recently joined the Board of Directors of the Las Positas College Foundation.

Ms. Garcia has been repeatedly recognized for her contributions to the legal and business communities of the Bay Area.  In 2008, Ms. Garcia was one of three finalists in Hispanic Business Magazine's Annual Entrepreneur of the Year Awards for Entrepreneurial Excellence in the Latina Entrepreneur category.  In 2004, Ms. Garcia was named to the top "40 Under 40" list of business persons by the East Bay Business Times.  In 2006, local columnist Jim Ott featured her in the Tri-Valley Herald newspaper, and she also appeared in an "Up Close" feature in the East Bay Business Times.

Ms. Garcia holds degrees from the University of California at Berkeley and the Santa Clara University School of Law.  She was selected to participate in the Honors Moot Court, the Hispanic National Moot Court, the Santa Clara University Law School Trial Team, and the American Bar Association Negotiation Team.  In 1999, she received a Santa Clara University Alumni Award.

Education:  

• J.D., Santa Clara University School of Law (1999)
• B.A., University of California at Berkeley (1995)

Admissions:

• California State Courts
• U.S. District Court, Eastern District of California
• U.S. District Court, Northern District of California
• U.S. District Court, Central District of California
• U.S. Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit

Professional Associations/Memberships:

• State Bar of California (Employment, Litigation, Business and Real Property Sections)
• American Bar Association
• Santa Clara County Bar Association
• Eastern Alameda County Bar Association
• Contra Costa County Bar Association
• Hispanic National Bar Association
• National Association of Women Business Owners
• Pleasanton North Rotary Club
• Pleasanton Chamber of Commerce
• Livermore Chamber of Commerce