Berkeley, California

Berkeley's first inhabitants were the Ohlone people until Europeans arrived in 1776. The Spanish conquered and settled east of the San Francisco Bay. Louis Peralta owned that area of land and used it for hunting, farming and raising cattle for meat and hides. Before he died he divided the land among his four sons. After the Mexican War of Independence in 1821, Mexico gained sovereignty over the area. Not long after that war, in 1846, the Mexican-American War started, and America eventually gained sovereignty over the area. 

During the Gold Rush, squatters moved on the area, which was divided later, via legal means, either into reservations or parcels of land for Americans who made claims to various areas of land. In 1866, Oakland's College of California began looking for a new home and found its new location in what is now called the Berkeley Hills, and a group of men from the college suggested that the college and its town should be named after the Anglo-Irish philosopher and poet George Berkeley, and the college later became the University of California, Berkeley in 1868. During the construction of the new college, houses were built near the new campus, as well as saloons and various industries around the wharf located in that area, called Ocean View. In 1876, the railroad reached Oakland, and new rail was laid into the in the area of Ocean View, and in 1878, the people of that area and the area around the campus, along with farmers, incorporated themselves as the town of Berkeley.

Berkeley had a growth spurt after the 1906 earthquake, as hundreds of people fled San Francisco seeking refuge in Berkeley. Then Berkeley had another big period of growth during World War II, when many moved to the area to work in war-related industries, such as shipbuilding. After World War II, Berkeley continued to grow at a moderate pace. In the 1960s, Berkeley was identified with social unrest and change, and in the 1970s, Berkeley residents began to move to the suburbs. From the 1980s to present, housing costs and the cost of living began to rise in Berkeley. Today, sales of homes are slow, but tourism to the area hasn't died. Berkeley is an attraction for both tourists from abroad and people from neighboring communities, as it is one of the most culturally diverse spots in the Bay Area.

At the Brod Law Firm, we take care of individuals and small businesses in Berkeley, and around the Bay Area. We focus on representing our clients' interests, and meeting their legal needs and challenges. Nothing is more important to us than taking care of our clients.

We are Berkeley injury attorneys, and in injury cases, we work on a contingency fee basis, which means that no legal fees are owed, unless we obtain a recovery on your behalf. the Brod Law Firm represents small businesses in Berkeley and the surrounding area, not large corporations and not insurance companies. We take pride in resolving the disputes of our clients in the most effective and efficient manner possible.

Directions to our San Francisco office from Berkeley are as follows: Take the Bay Bridge to San Francisco and exit at Fremont Street. Merge onto Fremont Street and turn left onto Mission Street. Turn right onto Anthony Street and take the first right onto Jessie Street. The office is at 100 Pine St #1250.