Civility isn’t the absence of conflict — it’s how we resolve it.
Civility Law advises individuals, families, and business owners on trusts and estates, real estate, and civil litigation — with the discipline of advocates and the restraint of counsel you’d trust with your own family’s affairs.
Six practice areas. One standard of care.
Our team specializes in trust and estates, real estate law, title insurance defense, civil litigation, and business counsel — guidance built around your circumstances, not a one-size-fits-all approach.
Trust and Estates
Securing your legacy with careful planning and management of your assets, so your wishes are honored and your loved ones protected.
Title Insurance Defense
When disputes arise over property rights, we stand firm — resolving title claims efficiently to protect the value of your investment.
Civil Litigation
Strong, strategic advocacy in and out of court, protecting your business and personal interests when disputes can’t be resolved another way.
Business Law & Real Estate Investment
Legal guidance that scales with your business — from formation and contracts to complex investment structuring.
Corporate Services
Keeping your business compliant with evolving legal requirements, so governance stays ahead of the curve rather than behind it.
Real Estate Law
From contract to closing, we protect your investment at every stage — with the diligence to catch problems early and the follow-through to get the deal done.
Considered counsel, not a client number.
Three commitments that shape every matter we take on.
Direct Access
You work with the attorney handling your matter from the first call to the last signature — not a rotating cast of associates.
Plain-English Counsel
Legal decisions are easier to make when they’re explained clearly. We translate complex agreements and procedures into terms you can act on with confidence.
California Focus
Licensed to practice throughout California, we bring practical knowledge of the courts, title offices, and counterparties you’ll encounter across the state.
Straight answers to the questions we hear most.
Yes. We offer a complimentary initial consultation so we can understand your situation and outline how we can help — before any commitment is made.
Most real estate disputes move fastest through direct negotiation or mediation. When that isn’t enough, our litigation team is prepared to protect your position in court. We’ll walk you through the right approach for your situation during your consultation.
Strong contracts, clear governance documents, and proactive compliance review are the foundation. We work with business owners to put these protections in place before problems arise, not after.
It’s the ongoing work of meeting the legal and regulatory requirements that apply to your business — from corporate filings and governance to industry-specific obligations. We help clients stay ahead of these requirements so compliance never becomes a crisis.
Yes. While we’re based in San Francisco, we represent clients throughout the greater Bay Area and across California.
Schedule a consultation today.
Discuss your individual needs and how Civility Law can help — in a confidential, no-obligation conversation.
Where we focus.
Six areas of practice, one consistent approach: understand the full picture before recommending a path forward.
Trust and Estates
Securing your legacy with careful planning and management of your assets, so your wishes are honored and your loved ones protected.
Title Insurance Defense
When disputes arise over property rights, we stand firm — resolving title claims efficiently to protect the value of your investment.
Civil Litigation
Strong, strategic advocacy in and out of court, protecting your business and personal interests when disputes can’t be resolved another way.
Business Law and Real Estate Investment
Legal guidance that scales with your business — from formation and contracts to complex investment structuring.
Corporate Services
Keeping your business compliant with evolving legal requirements, so governance stays ahead of the curve rather than behind it.
Real Estate Law
From contract to closing, we protect your investment at every stage — with the diligence to catch problems early and the follow-through to get the deal done.
Not sure which area applies to you?
Most matters touch more than one practice area. Tell us what’s going on and we’ll point you in the right direction.
Trust and Estates
Wills, trusts, and estate administration form the foundation of a plan that holds up when it matters. We help you structure your estate to reflect your wishes clearly, minimize disputes among beneficiaries, and guide families and fiduciaries through probate and trust administration with clarity at every step.
What this covers
- Wills and revocable living trusts
- Trust funding and asset titling
- Powers of attorney and healthcare directives
- Trust and estate administration after a death
- Probate proceedings and court filings
- Trustee and executor guidance and support
Common situations
- Starting a family and wanting a plan in place for guardianship and asset distribution
- Acquiring property, a business, or other assets that need to be accounted for
- Being named trustee or executor and unsure where to start
- A loved one has passed away and the estate needs to move through probate or trust administration
- Beneficiaries disagree about how a trust or estate is being handled
How we work
We start by understanding your family and your assets, then build a plan that’s straightforward to administer later. For families already in the middle of administering an estate or trust, we step in to organize the process, communicate with beneficiaries, and resolve disagreements before they escalate.
Ready to put an estate plan in place?
Schedule a confidential consultation to talk through your family’s situation and the right structure for your estate.
Title Insurance Defense
Title disputes can stall a transaction or cloud ownership for years if left unresolved. We defend title insurance claims and represent buyers, sellers, and lenders in resolving encumbrances, boundary disputes, and defects in the chain of title — working toward resolution that protects your investment.
What this covers
- Defense of title insurance claims
- Boundary and easement disputes
- Clouded title and chain-of-title defects
- Liens, encumbrances, and encroachments
- Quiet title actions
- Representing buyers, sellers, and lenders in title disputes
Common situations
- A title company has denied or is disputing a claim on your policy
- A survey or title search has revealed a boundary or easement conflict
- A property sale is stalled because of a title defect
- A lien or old encumbrance has surfaced that affects your ownership
How we work
We start with the title report and chain of title, identify exactly where the defect or dispute originated, and pursue the fastest resolution — whether that’s a negotiated release, a quiet title action, or a formal claim against a title policy.
Facing a title dispute?
Schedule a consultation to review your title report and discuss the fastest path to resolution.
Civil Litigation
Not every disagreement needs a courtroom — but when it does, you want counsel who’s prepared for one. We represent individuals and businesses in civil disputes from contract and property claims to partnership and probate litigation, pursuing negotiated resolution first and trial when it’s the only path forward.
What this covers
- Contract disputes and breach of contract claims
- Real property and boundary litigation
- Partnership and business disputes
- Trust and probate litigation
- Pre-litigation negotiation and demand letters
- Mediation and settlement negotiations
Common situations
- A contract or agreement has been breached and negotiation hasn’t resolved it
- A business partnership or venture is unwinding in a dispute
- You’ve received a demand letter or been served with a lawsuit
- A trust or estate dispute has escalated beyond informal discussion
How we work
Litigation is expensive and slow by design, so we evaluate every matter for a negotiated path first. When a case does need to go to court, we prepare it thoroughly from the outset rather than treating trial as a last resort improvised late.
Dealing with a dispute?
Schedule a consultation to understand your options — from negotiation to trial.
Business Law and Real Estate Investment
From entity formation to complex real estate investment structures, we advise business owners and investors on the agreements and governance that let a venture grow without legal exposure catching up to it later. We work alongside your other advisors, not around them.
What this covers
- Entity formation and structuring (LLCs, partnerships, corporations)
- Operating agreements and partnership agreements
- Real estate investment and syndication structures
- Purchase and sale agreements for investment property
- Joint venture agreements
- Ongoing contract drafting and review
Common situations
- Forming a new business or bringing on partners or investors
- Structuring a real estate investment with multiple owners
- Needing contracts reviewed or drafted for vendors, tenants, or partners
- A business that’s outgrowing informal agreements
How we work
We work alongside your accountant, broker, and other advisors so your legal structure matches your actual business and investment goals, not a generic template.
Building or investing in something new?
Schedule a consultation to talk through the right structure for your business or investment.
Corporate Services
Ongoing corporate compliance — filings, governance documents, board and shareholder matters — is easy to defer and expensive to neglect. We provide the ongoing counsel that keeps a company’s legal foundation current, so compliance is routine rather than a crisis.
What this covers
- Annual filings and state compliance requirements
- Corporate governance documents (bylaws, resolutions, minutes)
- Board and shareholder meeting support
- Stock issuance and equity documentation
- Contract review and vendor agreements
- General outside counsel for recurring legal questions
Common situations
- Falling behind on annual filings or governance documentation
- Bringing on a new shareholder, board member, or executive
- Needing a reliable point of contact for recurring legal questions
- Preparing for a transaction, audit, or due diligence review
How we work
We act as ongoing outside counsel, checking in regularly rather than waiting for a crisis, so governance stays current and compliance never becomes an emergency.
Need an ongoing legal partner?
Schedule a consultation to discuss how we can support your company’s compliance and governance.
Real Estate Law
Purchase agreements, leases, financing, and closing — every stage of a real estate transaction carries risk that’s cheaper to address before signing than after. We represent buyers, sellers, and investors through residential and commercial transactions, keeping the process moving without losing sight of the details.
What this covers
- Purchase and sale agreement review and negotiation
- Residential and commercial lease drafting and review
- Financing and closing coordination
- 1031 exchanges and investment property transactions
- Due diligence review
- Landlord-tenant matters
Common situations
- Buying or selling residential or commercial property
- Negotiating a lease as a landlord or tenant
- Structuring a 1031 exchange or other investment transaction
- A closing that has stalled over a contract or disclosure issue
How we work
We review every agreement with an eye toward what happens after closing, not just getting the deal signed, so the risks that matter are addressed while there’s still time to fix them.
Buying, selling, or leasing property?
Schedule a consultation to make sure your transaction is protected from contract to closing.
Counsel you’ll actually talk to.
Civility Law is intentionally small. Every client works directly with the attorney handling their matter — not a rotating cast of associates.
Kelly A. Vierra, Esq.
Attorney & OwnerKelly A. Vierra leads Civility Law’s trust and estates practice, guiding clients through estate planning, probate, and trust administration with an emphasis on clear communication and careful drafting. She writes on emerging issues in California trust and probate law, including recent developments in mediation and notice requirements in trust disputes.
“People rarely come to me because they want a legal fight — they come because something in their life needs to be put right. My job is to make that process as clear, direct, and human as possible.”
Admitted to practice law in California, Kelly built Civility Law around a simple idea: clients should always know exactly where their matter stands, and always be able to reach the person actually handling it.
Christian Jebb Digman
Legal AssistantChristian Jebb Digman supports Civility Law’s real estate and business matters as a legal assistant, coordinating case documentation, research, and client communication. He is a licensed engineer in the Philippines, and brings that planning and data management background to the detailed records real estate and business matters depend on.
His approach centers on precision and organization — making sure the details behind each matter are documented clearly and nothing falls through the cracks.
Ready to talk?
Schedule a consultation and speak directly with the attorney best suited to your matter.
Tell us where things stand.
Reach out directly, or send a few details below and we’ll follow up to schedule your consultation.
- Phone
- 415-938-8335
- kelly@civilitylaw.com
- Office
- 60 29th Street, No. 207
San Francisco, CA 94110
Thank you. Kelly and Christian have been notified and will follow up shortly to confirm your consultation.
Something went wrong. Your message wasn’t sent. Please call 415-938-8335 or email kelly@civilitylaw.com directly, or try again.
Let’s find a time to talk.
Share a few details and your preferred time, and we’ll confirm a consultation that works for your schedule — confidential and no-obligation.
Request received. Thank you — Kelly and Christian have been notified. We’ll follow up shortly to confirm your consultation.
Something went wrong. Your request wasn’t sent. Please call 415-938-8335 or email kelly@civilitylaw.com directly, or try again.