Terms of Use, Disclosures, and Cookies

By using any part of this website and any of its pages, you certify that you fully understand and agree to abide by the following Terms of Use, the use of cookies, and that you have fully read and understand all the following Disclosures noted here below and on the webpages linked here below.

1. Attorney Advertising

The statements, information, and representations on this website, any of its linked pages including any videos and images appearing hereupon or on any linked pages, and any advertising materials anywhere in the world including online referring to my law practice: (a) constitute attorney advertising; (b) do not constitute any guarantees, warranties, or predictions of any intermittent or total outcomes, intermittent or total costs or fees, or any measure of success in any settlements, transactions, litigation, or other legal matter in which I represent any individual or entity as a client or in any capacity whatsoever; (c) do not constitute attorney advice; and (d) are for general informational and/or entertainment purposes only. Please seek the immediate advice of Attorney Ali Shahrestani via an Initial Consultation appointment regarding your particular legal matter or question.

OPT OUT: By contacting the attorney via phone call, SMS (text) message, email, or mail and providing your phone number, email, or mailing address, you consent to receipt of marketing communications in the form of SMS (text) or MMS (links, images) messages, email, phone call, or mail from the attorney about him and his legal services; and you may opt-out of all such communications at any time by so informing the attorney via text, email, or mail.

2. Contract Required

An attorney-client relationship will not commence between me and any client until my formal written Attorney-Client Contract is signed by me and that particular client. I am not your attorney unless we both sign my formal Attorney-Client Contract, even if you have an Initial Consultation appointment with me or communicate with me via this website’s Contact Form, email, phone, mail, or any mode of communication any details or documents related to your legal or other confidential concerns.

3. Intellectual Property

All the content on this website is copyrighted and proprietary information belonging to me and may not be used or copied without my formal written consent, except where any such intellectual property rights belong solely to a third party or entity such as the logo links for Fox News, ABC News, the San Francisco Chronicle, and social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Medium, LinkedIn, and YouTube, as well as any stock images or website template belonging to Squarespace.

4. Client Testimonials

Where a few words in some of the actual client testimonials published on my website are written with various types of emphasis (e.g., capitalization, italics, bold), such grammatical emphasis is made by me, Ali Shahrestani, and not by the client; the same applies to corrections of typographic errors, misspellings, and corrections of my own name. The Avvo.com rating of me noted on this website is subject to change at any time based on Avvo.com’s fluctuating attorney rating algorithm, and thus it may not represent my present rating by that site. Any reviews or testimonials appearing on this website, any of its linked pages, and any advertising materials anywhere in the world including online about me do not constitute any guarantees, warranties, or predictions of any intermittent or total outcomes, intermittent or total costs or fees, or any measure of success in any settlements, transactions, litigation, or other legal matter in which I represent any individual or entity as a client or in any capacity whatsoever.

5. Lawful Purposes

By using this website, you agree to not violate any state, federal or international laws or treaties in your use of this website or to use this site for any immoral or improper purpose.

6. Adults Only

This website is not intended for use by persons under the age of 18. Parents are cautioned to monitor their minor children’s use and viewing of this website.

7. No Third-Party Postings

Persons not acting with my signed and written agreement are forbidden from posting to this website.

8. Opinions of Third Parties

The opinions and positions stated in the client reviews and testimonials on this website and in any statements written by third parties and quoted as such on this website are the opinions of the authors thereof, and such opinions and positions are not legal advice nor are they necessarily shared by me, Ali Shahrestani. The names, likenesses, opinions, and/or other products or intellectual property of third parties or other entities that may appear on this website do not necessarily indicate such a third party’s or entity’s support of me or my work as an attorney.

9. Links and Third Party Content

There may be some links that appear on my website that connect or direct the user to the website or web content of a third party. Any opinions stated on such outside websites are not necessarily my opinions, and I am not responsible for any content appearing on other websites. By using my website and/or by clicking on any link that appears on my website, regardless of whether the link is to a video or any other type of webpage, software, content, or other format of intellectual property belonging to any other third party, any user of my website acts at his/her own risk and at his/her sole discretion. I urge you to exercise extreme caution in clicking on any link that appears on this website, especially web-links that direct the user to the internet website or content of a third party entity outside of my website, as such links may contain malicious and harmful content.

10. Licensed in California, New York, and Massachusetts.

I practice law exclusively in California, New York, and Massachusetts, as well as the US District Courts for the Eastern, Southern, Northern, and Central Districts of CA, the US Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit, and the US District Courts for the Eastern and Southern Districts of New York.

11. Solo Practitioner. Electronic Service-of-Process, Professional Insurance.

I am the author of all the content of this website, except where explicitly noted. I am a solo practitioner attorney working primarily from my East Coast home office, and I do not have any employees, associates, or staff. Since my law practice is bi-coastal, for convenience I accept all relevant communications and service-of-process preferably via email to Ali@AliEsq.com, otherwise at 276 Fifth Avenue, Suite 704, New York, NY 10001. I do not carry professional liability insurance (also known as malpractice insurance, errors and omissions insurance, or professional negligence insurance).

12. Letters, Voice-mails, Emails, and/or Any Other Information or Documents Communicated to Ali Shahrestani, Esq.

Merely by receiving any communications (e.g., letters, voice-mails, emails, and/or any other information or documents, analog, digital, or otherwise) that any party communicates to me, I am not creating any attorney-client relationship with that party, I am not agreeing to review such communications (and I reserve the right to not review them and to delete them), and I am not agreeing to do any work for the sender party or any party related to such communications. Please read my Initial Consultation page information regarding how to set up an Initial Consultation appointment with me. In regards to any such communications, I strictly abide by all applicable law and rules of ethics.

13. User Data, Cookies, & Opting Out

For this law practice’s advertising and marketing purposes, this website (including all its webpages) may use cookies to collect publicly available data and demographic information about its users (e.g., age, gender, interests, IP address, location, browser type, household income, or other demographic information). By using this site, you accept its use of cookies in conjunction with your internet browser. To collect such data and information from its users, this website uses various software which may include but may not be limited to Google Analytics. You can read more about the Google Analytics cookie privacy policy here. If you are a user of this site, and you are located in the European Union, you can read more about the EU cookie consent law here. To opt-out of Google Analytics collection of your publicly available user information and demographic data, you can visit Google Analytics’s opt-out page here. Other internet browser companies (e.g., Mozilla, Yahoo, Microsoft, etc.) may provide similar opt-out functions, so make sure to find out about yours online. If you do not consent to this website’s continued use of cookies and collection of such data and information about its users (such as you), then you can discontinue use of this website. At your own discretion, you can clear this website’s cookies, if any, from your browser and computer. To learn more about what internet cookies are and how to clear them from your computer system and internet browser, consult your computer and internet tech support specialist at your own discretion. You can learn more about Google’s definition and use of cookies here. This law practice does not provide tech support, of course.

California-specific Privacy Policy, based on the same as published by the CA State Bar here: I do not collect personal information about you unless you choose to provide that information to me or you choose a voluntary service on this website where gathering personal information is necessary to deliver such specific services. During your visit to this website, the web server I use automatically gathers and stores certain information about your use of my website. To the best of my knowledge, this information does not personally identify you, and your e-mail address is not collected in this automatic process. The information that might be automatically collected and stored is: your internet domain and Internet Protocol (“IP”) address; the type of browser and operating system you used to access my site; the date and time of your visit to my site; the web pages or services you accessed at this site; the IP address of the website from which you came to this site; the website to which you go when you leave this site; and if you downloaded a form, the form that was downloaded. I use this information to evaluate and improve the content of my site and to make my site more useful to its visitors. I also use it to learn about the number of visitors to my site and the types of technology they use. To the best of my knowledge, this information does not identify or track you personally. I attempt to avoid the use of “cookies,” the simple text files stored on your computer by your web browser. Cookies might be used on my site when needed to maintain the functionality of an interactive application and used only during the session in which you access the interactive application. To the best of my knowledge, cookies created on your computer by using this website do not contain your personal information and do not compromise your privacy or security. The cookie feature is used only to store a randomly generated identifying temporary tag on your computer. You can refuse the cookie or delete the cookie file from your computer by using any of the widely available methods. If you turn off your cookie option, you may not be able to access some of the features in my site's interactive applications. This website contains links to third party sites and/or advertisers. I am not responsible for the use of cookies, the privacy policies, or the content of those sites.

14. SAMPLE CASE HISTORY

All Sample Case History noted on this website reflects legal matters that I have worked on personally and substantially, either alone or in collaboration with other attorneys.

Thank you for your understanding and compliance. Please contact me with any questions or concerns.

Ali Shahrestani, Esq.

Statement of New York State Client’s Rights

and Responsibilities:

Section One:

This Section is only for New York State Clients Dealing with Domestic Relations Legal Matters in New York State.

Unified Court System of the State of New York Statement of Client’s Rights and Responsibilities re: Domestic Relations Matters

Please See: http://www.nycourts.gov/divorce/part1400.shtml#1400.2

An attorney may not refuse to represent you on the basis of race, creed, color, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin or disability.
You are entitled to an attorney who will be capable of handling your case; show you courtesy and consideration at all times; represent you zealously; and preserve your confidences and secrets that are revealed in the course of the relationship.
You are entitled to a written retainer agreement which must set forth, in plain language, the nature of the relationship and the details of the fee arrangement. At your request, and before you sign the agreement, you are entitled to have your attorney clarify in writing any of its terms, or include additional provisions.
You are entitled to fully understand the proposed rates and retainer fee before you sign a retainer agreement, as in any other contract.
You may refuse to enter into any fee arrangement that you find unsatisfactory.
Your attorney may not request a fee that is contingent on the securing of a divorce or on the amount of money or property that may be obtained.
Your attorney may not request a retainer fee that is nonrefundable. That is, should you discharge your attorney, or should your attorney withdraw from the case, before the retainer is used up, he or she is entitled to be paid commensurate with the work performed on your case and any expenses, but must return the balance of the retainer to you. However, your attorney may enter into a minimum fee arrangement with you that provides for the payment of a specific amount below which the fee will not fall based upon the handling of the case to its conclusion.
You are entitled to know the approximate number of attorneys and other legal staff members who will be working on your case at any given time and what you will be charged for the services of each.
You are entitled to know in advance how you will be asked to pay legal fees and expenses, and how the retainer, if any, will be spent.
At your request, and after your attorney has had a reasonable opportunity to investigate your case, you are entitled to be given an estimate of approximate future costs of your case, which estimate shall be made in good faith but may be subject to change due to facts and circumstances affecting the case.
You are entitled to receive a written, itemized bill on a regular basis, at least every 60 days.
You are expected to review the itemized bills sent by counsel, and to raise any objections or errors in a timely manner. Time spent in discussion or explanation of bills will not be charged to you.
You are expected to be truthful in all discussions with your attorney, and to provide all relevant information and documentation to enable him or her to competently prepare your case.
You are entitled to be kept informed of the status of your case, and to be provided with copies of correspondence and documents prepared on your behalf or received from the court or your adversary.
You have the right to be present in court at the time that conferences are held.
You are entitled to make the ultimate decision on the objectives to be pursued in your case, and to make the final decision regarding the settlement of your case.
Your attorney’s written retainer agreement must specify under what circumstances he or she might seek to withdraw as your attorney for nonpayment of legal fees. If an action or proceeding is pending, the court may give your attorney a “charging lien,” which entitles your attorney to payment for services already rendered at the end of the case out of the proceeds of the final order or judgment.
You are under no legal obligation to sign a confession of judgment or promissory note, or to agree to a lien or mortgage on your home to cover legal fees. Your attorney’s written retainer agreement must specify whether, and under what circumstances, such security may be requested. In no event may such security interest be obtained by your attorney without prior court approval and notice to your adversary. An attorney’s security interest in the marital residence cannot be foreclosed against you.
You are entitled to have your attorney’s best efforts exerted on your behalf, but no particular results can be guaranteed.
If you entrust money with an attorney for an escrow deposit in your case, the attorney must safeguard the escrow in a special bank account. You are entitled to a written escrow agreement, a written receipt, and a complete record concerning the escrow. When the terms of the escrow agreement have been performed, the attorney must promptly make payment of the escrow to all persons who are entitled to it.
In the event of a fee dispute, you may have the right to seek arbitration. Your attorney will provide you with the necessary information regarding arbitration in the event of a fee dispute, or upon your request.

Section Two:

This Section is for all New York State Clients.

Statement of Client’s Responsibilities

Please See: http://www.nycourts.gov/attorneys/clientsresponsibilities.shtml

Reciprocal trust, courtesy and respect are the hallmarks of the attorney-client relationship. Within that relationship, the client looks to the attorney for expertise, education, sound judgment, protection, advocacy and representation. These expectations can be achieved only if the client fulfills the following responsibilities:

The client is expected to treat the lawyer and the lawyer’s staff, if any, with courtesy and consideration.
The client’s relationship with the lawyer should be one of complete candor and the client should apprise the lawyer of all facts or circumstances of the matter being handled by the lawyer even if the client believes that those facts may be detrimental to the client’s cause or unflattering to the client.
The client must honor the fee arrangement as agreed to with the lawyer to the extent required by law.
All bills tendered to the client for services rendered pursuant to the agreed upon arrangement regarding fees and expenses should be paid when due.
A client who discharges the attorney and terminates the attorney-client relationship must nevertheless honor financial commitments under the agreed to arrangement regarding fees and expenses to the extent required by law.
Although the client should expect that his or her letters, telephone calls, emails, faxes and other communications to the lawyer will be answered within a reasonable time, the client should recognize that the lawyer has other clients who may be equally deserving of the lawyer’s time and attention.
The client should maintain contact with the lawyer, promptly notify the lawyer of any change in telephone number, address, email, or other electronic contact information, and respond promptly to a request from the lawyer for information and cooperation.
The client must realize that the lawyer is required to respect only legitimate objectives of the client and that the lawyer will not advocate or propose positions that are unprofessional or contrary to law or the New York Rules of Professional Conduct.
The lawyer may decline to accept a matter if the lawyer has previous personal or professional commitments that will prohibit the lawyer from devoting adequate time to representing the client competently and diligently.
A lawyer is under no obligation to accept a client if the lawyer determines that the cause of the client is without merit, a conflict of interest would exist or a suitable working relationship with the client is not likely.

Section Three: