Maranto Law, PC is focused on providing legal services to Bay Area families and low- and modest-income clients in the areas of estate planning, criminal defense and restraining orders.

Lee Maranto is the principal attorney at Maranto Law, PC.  He is originally from Burbank, California where he was raised by a working-class, single mother and is the first in his family to become a lawyer.

Mr. Maranto is an accomplished attorney with a wealth of experience in criminal defense and beyond. He started his own practice in 2014 to provide legal services to low- and modest-income clients, emphasizing estate planning, probate litigation, plaintiff employment issues, and criminal defense matters. His expertise extends to mediating probate disputes to settlement and handling probate trials and appeals.  Most recently, Lee has been using this extensive background in criminal law and probate to represent litigants in Temporary Restraining Orders concerning domestic violence and elder abuse matters.

Mr. Maranto’s legal career began with valuable experience as a law student at the Office of the Public Defender in San Francisco, where he provided crucial support to felony defense attorneys, conducted legal research, drafted motions and memoranda, and participated in court proceedings. His efforts included successfully arguing a 995 motion that removed a “strike” from a felony indictment, thereby averting a mandatory 25-year jail sentence under California’s “Three Strikes” law.

Since starting his own practice, Mr. Maranto has built a strong track record in misdemeanor DUI cases across Bay Area counties, achieving dismissals and successfully representing clients in DMV Admin Per Se (APS) hearings. Notable successes include securing dismissals and judicial Declarations of Factual Innocence in DUI cases, as well as successfully challenging license suspensions by identifying critical Title 17 issues in forensic evidence.

Mr. Maranto’s commitment to justice is further reflected in his previous roles.  His tenure as an Independent Hearing Officer at UC Berkeley from January 2012 to July 2016 involved presiding over all student disciplinary hearings, particularly those involving sexual misconduct, ensuring compliance with constitutional due process and relevant laws, and advising on complex legal and policy matters.  As a Contract Hearing Officer at the University of California, Riverside, Mr. Maranto trained UC staff in due process requirements and administrating sexual misconduct hearings.

Mr. Maranto holds a Juris Doctorate from Golden Gate University School of Law and a Bachelor of Arts in Community Studies and Politics from the University of California, Santa Cruz (double-major). He is licensed to practice law by the State Bar of California and the Supreme Court of Kansas. He holds certifications as a Certified Facilitator from Community At Work and as a Certified Mediator from the Social Justice Mediation Institute at the University of Masschusetts-Amherst.

Outside of his legal practice, Lee cherishes time with his two children, enjoys playing poker, and takes pleasure in exploring the diverse cultural offerings of the Bay Area. As a dedicated Oakland resident, he remains deeply involved in both professional and community activities, continuing to make a positive impact in the lives of his clients and the broader community. He is a board member of the Women Lawyers of Alameda County and a member of the Racial Diversity Task Force, a collaboration between the Alameda County Bar Association and the Charles Houston Bar Association. He is also a member of the East Bay Trust and Estates Lawyers Association and the parent’s community club at his neighborhood elementary school.

Lee looks forward to leveraging his extensive and diverse background to work with you to resolve your legal matter. Call him today.