Vahishta Falahati
Vahishta is an experienced real estate litigator for nearly two decades but now enjoys the transactional aspect of her practice. By drawing on her experience litigating contract disputes, Vahishta handles all aspects of commercial real estate transactions, including commercial office, retail and industrial leasing, and commercial purchase and sale. Vahishta’s commercial practice ranges from small scale individualized commercial sites to large scale office, retail and industrial sites.
Vahishta handles other aspects of real estate law such as residential sales, easements and boundary disputes, tenants-in-common disputes, partitions and more, and her clients include individuals, fiduciaries, and corporate entities.
Vahishta’s real estate practice is complemented by her corporate practice where she advises clients on general corporate and limited liability company matters, including formation and governance.
Vahishta practices a commonsense approach, and believes in high-quality, cost-effective, and successful representation. She is personally active in every aspect of her clients’ cases, and her clients are her priority.
During her legal career, Vahishta’s clients have included both individual and institutional clients in matters involving real estate, complex toxic tort liability, premises liability, construction defect, insurance defense, and general personal injury.
Vahishta is Of Counsel to Richardson Law Firm, Morrill Law, and Watson, Hoffe & Hass. She provides her knowledge and expertise as a real estate lawyer to these firms.
Vahishta is also an Adjunct Professor at Chabot College teaching paralegal students Contract Law and Computer Application and E-Discovery. Her students enjoy her straightforward teaching style along with real-world examples of the cases she has litigated over the years.
For many years, Vahishta volunteered her time teaching the Pro Per Clinic at the Contra Costa County Bar Association. She now volunteers her time serving on the Board of the Congress of Neutrals, a non-profit organization providing free mediation services in the Contra Costa Superior Court.
Since 2018, Vahishta has served as one of the update authors to the CEB – University of California Education of the Bar publication titled “Office Leasing: Drafting and Negotiating the Lease”.
Vahishta earned her B.A. in Philosophy and Politics from Saint Mary’s College of California, and her law degree from the University of San Francisco, School of Law. She is licensed to practice law in the State of California and is admitted to the Northern District of California and the Eastern District of California.
Vahishta enjoys skiing with her husband and two children at Heavenly, South Lake Tahoe. She also enjoys mountain biking and hiking in the terrains of Tahoe, and has a passion for gardening and the outdoors. She has explored over 30 countries, and has lived in several countries including Zanzibar, Tanzania.
Academic Appointment:
Adjunct Professor at Chabot College teaching Contract Law (Spring) and Computer Application and E-Discovery (Fall), 2020 – Present
Publications:
Update Author, “Office Leasing: Drafting and Negotiating the Lease” (CEB – University of California Education of the Bar), 2018 – Present
Author, “How to Avoid Discovery Sanctions” (Contra Costa Lawyer, March 2016.)
Author, “Commercial Tenants Who File Bankruptcy” (Contra Costa Lawyer, October 2014.)
Author, “Balancing the Cost of an Expert with Obtaining the Necessary Information,” (Contra Costa Lawyer, July 2008.)
Speaking Engagements:
Why are you so emotional? How to Respond to Gender Bias and High Conflict Situations, Contra Costa Bar Association’s MCLE Spectacular, 2021
Discovery, East Bay Trusts and Estates Lawyers “EBTEL” Probate Boot Camp, 2018
Licenses and Certificates:
California Real Estate Broker’s License, 2005 – Present
Mediation Certificate Training, 2016
Professional Activities:
Board Member, Congress of Neutrals
Member, American Bar Association, Real Estate Section
Member, Contra Costa County Bar Association
Professional Recognitions:
Recognized as a Northern California Super Lawyer
Recognized as a Northern California Rising Star by Super Lawyers. The designation means that she is a top-rated attorney as recognized by her peers.
Robert W. Richardson
Robert W. Richardson’s practice emphasizes real estate, construction and business law, and litigation. He represents commercial property owners and managers in a broad range of transactions involving shopping centers and commercial and industrial buildings. He handles commercial lease matters, including lease negotiation and dispute resolution for both landlords and tenants. He also represents parties in litigation and arbitration of commercial and residential real estate matters, including environmental and toxic litigation.Mr. Richardson has served on the Real Estate Advisory Committee of the American Arbitration Association and has served on the Board of Directors of the Real Estate Section of the Contra Costa County Bar Association and is a past President. He is also a member of the Real Property Sections of the California and American Bar Associations and past Chair of the Subcommittee on Arbitrator Qualifications, Standards and Ethics.
Mr. Richardson obtained his law degree in 1980 from Golden Gate University School of Law. He has been an Update author for the two-volume California Commercial Leasing series, Office Leasing: Drafting and Negotiating the Lease, and a consultant on the two-volume California Commercial Leasing series, “Retail Leasing: Drafting and Negotiating the Lease“, publications of the University of California Continuing Education of the Bar.