Joel H. Tranter, Attorney at Law

Three days be for a very important hearing, Joel informed me that he would not appear at the hearing until I paid him the full balance of my retainer installment, some $ 750. When I told him I did not have it immediately, he said he would no longer represent me. I had to appear at the hearing by myself. I later paid him the $ 750.
The total amount I paid to him during the representation was $ 2500.00. He appeared in court once. He charged me for transportation to and from the courthouse. He also charges per text message in addition to the time spent texting, some $ 2 each. Joel actually did very little work on my case even though he billed me for 10 hours. When I confronted him about how little had actually been done in comparison to my bill, he responded by saying he was doing me a favor by not charging more. I had to file most of the documents at the c.c. county courthouse myself.
The overall experience and expense left me feeling very manipulated and taken advantage of.
I do not recommend him for low income people, looking for a good attorney to represent them at a fair price. Once he funds out you are employed, be ready to pour out your bank account.

I was recommended to Joel by a friend and I am so grateful to her! After having had a terrible and completely ineffectual previous attorney, I was very discouraged and frustrated and did not know what to expect. Joel was able to very quickly assume the handling of my case, trouble shoot the previous attorney’s errors and present me with a clear course of action. Following this course of action led to a timely and very satisfactory resolution of my situation. Joel was calm, knowledgeable, nonjudgemental and respectful at all times. He was prompt in his response to calls and emails and seemed to genuinely appreciate the emotional strain I was under. I would happily turn to him with any future issue subject to family law that presented itself in my life, and I recommend him with confidence to anyone needing the services of a family law attorney.

I was overwhelmed with relief finding Joel after moving to the Bay area and looking around for a lawyer. I had interviewed several people and didn’t feel comfortable with anyone, untill I called Joel. I was very concerned about my divorce preceding and Joel created a professionally warm and friendly environment for me to handle my personal business in a direct, honest and easy way. He helped me navigate through an unpleasant situation and created a positive atmosphere to begin and conclude my divorce procedure. Everything went as planned and there were no hiccups. He answered all of my questions very well and again, created a positive environment for me. I truly appreciated his services and would recommend him to anyone.

When I found Joel, the only thing I knew was that I wanted dissolution. I had no idea what I was entitled to, but he fought for everything I deserved and was entitled to. The dissolution of my domestic partnership was extremely complicated, but Joel is the perfect attorney to handle difficult situations. He is determined, very patient and has your best interest. He listens to your needs and worries through your difficult time. He is very knowledgeable about divorce, domestic partnerships, child custody and child support. Joel has been a dedicated counsel and I would recommend him because of his aggressiveness when dealing with non-​reasonable people.

Joel has represented me in a case that has required an attorney who is ethical, intelligent and clever. He has been able to break down a difficult situation into a clear-​cut case that leaves no room for any «dealing» to settle. He walks the walk… side by side with you, with honesty and integrity as his guideposts. I would not be writing this if I did not believe in him; his word is his bond, and he is a rare gem.

My divorce is nearing completion and I am extremely happy that I chose Joel to help me through the process. My wife and I had already come to an agreement about custody, but I really felt like I needed some perspective on the financial pieces, as well as someone to help me avoid overlooking anything that might hurt me in the future. I had heard horror stories and was really nervous about talking to a divorce attorney for fear they would intentionally escalate things to make more money. Joel was respectful, informative, and gave me a sense of assurance that I really needed during an already emotionally charged time. I can’t recommend him highly enough!