The Blue Collar Attorney

By Bob Cox

Whenever I think of a typical attorney, I have a mixed bag of positive and negative expectations. The positive images that come to mind are a person who’s extremely well dressed, intelligent and articulate. On the negative side of the ledger is an individual that may be a bit frosty, aloof and unapproachable. Once inside their office, I would expect to see a plethora of framed plaques, certificates and awards filling the walls that surround an immaculately decorated and expansive office space, filled with high end furniture that costs more than the average family sedan.

When I first met an attorney named Steven H. Berniker three years ago at a veteran’s PTSD fundraising event, I liked him instantly. Not only did I find his sharp wit and self deprecating sense of humor delightful, I was amazed by his friendliness, warmth and down-to-earth spirit.

Steven’s office is a reflection of his no frills approach to practicing law. While he could certainly afford to impress his prospective clients with a lavishly decorated office, Steven resists the urge to splurge because his primary goal is to offer the very best service at the lowest possible prices and keeping expenses down is a crucial part of his strategy.

I spoke with Steven the other day to learn more about his approach to practicing law.

Q: Please tell us a little about the Law Office of Steven H. Berniker.

A: We were established in 2009 and are dedicated to providing quality legal services at a fair price. Our firm focuses on family law, social security, disability and veteran’s benefits.

Q: What is your educational background?

I graduated from U.C. Berkeley in 1986 and graduated from Hastings School of Law in 1990 and have been an attorney in good standing since 1990.

Q: What inspired you to open your own practice?

A: In 2007, the law firm I was working for was planning to open a satellite office in Sacramento and at that time, the economy tanked. They changed their mind and I was here. So, I decided the best thing to do would be to use my experience and go out on my own.

Q: Was it scary for you to venture out on your own?

A: Well, yes. I started out in a 250 square foot office, no clients and all I had in my room was a computer and a phone.

Q: How did you manage to navigate through those humble beginnings?

A: By offering very competitive prices for quality representation. I really undercut my competition and I still am. I’m significantly less if you look around. But I don’t know how to say that without sounding cheap (laughs).

Q: Aside from offering low attorney fees, what else do you do to offer superior value?

A: We also offer unbundled services. Usually, when you hire an attorney, let’s say for divorce, you would hire me and anything that happens in your divorce is my responsibility. Unbundling allows my clients with limited budgets to select a portion of the services I provide, such as handling the custody part of your case in the event of a divorce.

Q: Is there anything else you do that makes your law firm stand out?

A: I’m really good at handling custody cases. I’m also very knowledgeable in dependency cases. Dependency is part of the juvenile court; when kids are taken away from their parents. In those cases, custody is fought out and it is often bloody, especially when relatives come in. My experience really does roll over well into plain family law.

Q: What elements of family law do you focus on?

A: Family law is a broad topic. It includes division of property, spousal support, child support, domestic violence and establishing restraining orders or opposing them. So when we say I do family law, we do all of that.

Q: You also focus on social security and veterans benefits, is that correct?

A: Yes, I worked for a very large worker’s compensation firm in Santa Rosa and when they had injured workers that were never going to return to work, they would have me deal with the social security part of the case. I have done hundreds of social security hearings and I’m very familiar with how to win your case. At that time, I also handled a number of V.A. cases as well. A lot of veterans apply who work can get social security and V.A. benefits. So, we assist veterans who have served our country and suffered injuries during their service. If we can prove all that, then you can get a stipend every month on top of what you’re getting.

Q: Do you have a specific approach to dealing with challenges and staying positive?

A: My approach is very blue collar. If you come to my office, it’s not fancy, as you know. That allows me to keep the prices down and my approach is very goal oriented. What I’ve learned about law is that fairness is a concept that people have but what you consider fair, the law may not, so we need to be goal oriented and how we get to what you want.

Q: I’ve always enjoyed our meetings because you have a terrific sense of humor. Does that help you in your practice?

A: Yes, because I’m dealing with good people during difficult times. I don’t know how to say it in a nice way, that’s what you’re here for (laughs)! A good sense of humor helps deal with the stress and nastiness that is going to come up. It’s important to realize that yes, this is a stressful time, but this is going to pass and life is going to go on.

Editor’s notes: For more information about the Law Office of Steven H. Berniker, visit their website at www.familylawfirmsac.com, call (916) 480-9200 or stop by their office at 2424 Arden Way, Suite 360 in Sacramento, CA.