Legal Services
Specialized tenant representation in rent-controlled and "just-cause-for-eviction" cities throughout California. Navigating high-stakes disputes and negotiations with landlords and property managers.
Tenant Buyouts ("Cash for Keys")
Your below-market-rate rental unit is essentially an asset. So when a property owner offers you payment to voluntarily vacate, know your rights and boost your negotiating power with a tenant buyout lawyer who understands and leverages your specific tenant rights and the buyout economics for real estate investors. Achieve a fair deal or walk away. Either way, be informed before making such a significant decision.
Pre-Litigation
(Before a Lawsuit)
Achieving settlements while avoiding court is generally preferred. But it often takes a credible threat of a lawsuit (assuming strong, provable legal claims exist to file an action) to "move the needle" with landlords and achieve results. Your goal may be compensation or it may simply be solidifying your right to continue living at your unit and getting your landlord to stop harassing you or pressuring you to move out.
Litigation*
(Lawsuit Filed in Court)
If Pre-Litigation doesn't achieve results, the next escalating step is a lawsuit. And if settlement is still unreachable during litigation, the process ultimately concludes with a jury deciding the winner at trial. An experienced trial lawyer is equipped to battle your landlord's defense firm in court and boost settlement leverage.
*NOT accepting Unlawful Detainer (Eviction Defense) cases.
No Upfront Fees or Costs for Qualified Cases
Qualified cases are handled on "contingency," meaning attorney fees are contingent on successful results. In other words, for cases that qualify, clients pay nothing until the case is settled or won in court.
About the Attorney
Education
J.D., University of San Diego School of Law
B.A., History, University of California, Los Angeles
Trial Attorney by Your Side
As both a former felony prosecutor and former criminal defense attorney, I spent over a decade gaining significant courtroom experience and developing invaluable trial skills in high stakes criminal jury trials and hearings. I began my career at two District Attorney's Offices, and later founded a successful criminal defense practice, which included a Public Defender caseload. Each year, I handled hundreds of cases, advocating and negotiating in courtrooms almost daily. I handled 30+ jury trials to verdict (with a near perfect win-rate excluding my first year as an attorney), prepared dozens more cases that successfully settled on Day One of trial, and handled complex felonies, which included murder, three-strikes, and multi-million-dollar embezzlement. These experiences carry over into my tenant law practice. And while few civil cases ultimately require trial, it remains critical to have an experienced trial lawyer in your corner who is skilled at arguing cases in front of a jury.
Exclusively Representing Tenants
My path from criminal law to civil litigation naturally led me to tenant rights. I previously served as Trial Counsel at a plaintiffs' tenant rights firm, representing individuals in lawsuits against former landlords for constructive eviction due to severe habitability issues, harassment, retaliation, and discrimination. When I founded my own tenant law practice, I expanded my focus to also support tenants currently living in their homes. Today, alongside litigation, I frequently assist protected tenants facing aggressive and illegal pressure to vacate, lowball buyout offers, or ongoing harassment, fraud, or neglect—helping them stand up for their rights without necessarily having to give up their homes.
Ari Rief, Esq.
About Rief Legal, P.C.
Statewide Cases
Representing tenants in rent-controlled and just-cause-for-eviction cities throughout California (e.g., Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland).
Flexible Remote Meetings
Book attorney calls or virtual meetings that conveniently fit within your schedule. In-person office appointments are available, too.
