The law office of William Utnehmer provides business advisory and legal services on a limited basis to a select group of clients. Utnehmer has a broad range of hands on experience in business contracts, entity formation, real estate transactions, business disputes, estate planning, patent law, complex litigation, inter-creditor relationships, unlawful foreclosure, defective securitizations, off balance sheet transactions, internet defamation and bankruptcy.

Mr. Utnehmer is focussing his practice on land use planning, transactional law and investments in the cannabis industry. He is recognized as one of the county’s foremost experts on the Sonoma County Cannabis Land Use Ordinance where he provides expert guidance in the processing of zoning and use permits, negotiation of ground leases, structure of land sales, coordination of best-in-class crop management and placement of capital investments.

Having negotiated over $1 billion in real estate transactions, served on several Boards of privately held companies and launched several start-up entities, Utnehmer has strategized, negotiated and successfully navigated myriad legal and business issues over the last twenty-five years. Mr. Utnehmer had the distinction of presenting oral arguments to the United States Bankruptcy Appellate Panel of the Ninth Circuit and winning a reversal on what had been one of the most confounding questions of bankruptcy law since its statutory introduction in 1876 (defining defalcation in the context of nondischargeability). The important opinion was published since it settled conflict between circuits in following the Supreme Court holding. Mr. Utnehmer is leading what is expected to be another precedent setting case that may change case law from what currently allows internet sites to post known defamatory content due to the existing legal defense as free speech under the federal Communications Decency Act.

Mr. Utnehmer became a licensed California real estate broker in 1990 and was admitted to the State Bar of California in 2000. Mr. Utnehmer served as a member of the Counselors of Real Estate, University of Wisconsin Real Estate Alumni Association, Urban Land Institute, International Council of Shopping Centers, the U.S. Green Building Council and the Board of Trustees for the Westside Waldorf School.

We have recently expanded our services to provide legal and advisory on a barter basis. While innovative to the legal profession, the concept is rooted in old tradition. Bill grew up in a farm community in northern Wisconsin where people worked hard to earn their money. And everyone was part of a community that helped each other. For years as a lawyer Bill had been providing pro bono legal services and helping friends and colleagues with their legal and business issues. What started as pro bono ended up more like barter.

With rates for legal services becoming ridiculously high, many people are resistant to retaining legal counsel. That’s part of the reason Bill became a lawyer himself. If you have a real estate question, a business issue, an entity to form, an estate to plan, a contract to review or just a legal question, we can easily help you with that. If you have a potential legal dispute, we can give you an overview of your situation and address both the legal and practical considerations. Often one thoughtfully crafted letter from you and/or a well-strategized phone call from a lawyer can resolve the problem. If you have a bigger problem that we can’t help you with, we can give you sound advice and point you in the right direction. There’s some comfort in knowing you have a lawyer on retainer. Let’s change how the system works so you can keep more of your hard earned money for yourself. And help restore integrity to the legal profession.