Last updated: August 2026
Clarence Olson is an attorney with Bay Legal, P.C. He handles California real estate and landlord-tenant matters, working with clients from the firm’s Palo Alto and Los Angeles offices and across the state. His work covers residential and commercial purchases and sales, lease drafting and review, security-deposit and habitability disputes, and unlawful detainer matters on both the landlord and the tenant side. He is admitted to practice in California and Arizona, and was named to the 2026 Northern California Super Lawyers Rising Stars list.
Practice snapshot: Clarence Olson handles California real estate transactions and landlord-tenant matters — purchases, sales, leases, deposit and habitability disputes, and unlawful detainer — for owners, landlords, and tenants.
Clarence was very useful in giving us advice on what our rights were as tenants. He was super responsive and made us feel like someone had our backs in a very stressful situation. Thank you, Clarence!
This review reflects one client’s experience. Results depend on the facts and law of each individual case and do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome in your matter.
What does Clarence handle at Bay Legal?
Clarence works on two connected areas of California law: California real estate law and California landlord-tenant law. Both turn on the same underlying documents — a purchase agreement, a deed, a lease — and on what California statute requires when those documents are silent or wrong.
On the real estate side, he advises buyers and sellers of residential and commercial property. That includes reviewing purchase agreements before signing, working through title and escrow questions, and handling seller disclosure obligations under the Transfer Disclosure Statement regime.
California’s residential seller disclosure requirements are set out at Civil Code § 1102 et seq. A seller who fails to disclose a known material defect can face liability well after closing.
On the landlord-tenant side, he drafts and reviews residential lease drafting and review and commercial leases, advises on notice requirements, and handles disputes over rent, repairs, deposits, and possession.
California real estate transactions
Most California home sales close without a lawyer. The ones that need one usually share a feature: something in the deal does not fit the standard form. A non-standard contingency, a title exception nobody can explain, an inherited property with unresolved ownership, a commercial lease that will survive the sale.
Clarence reviews the agreement before it binds you, identifies which terms carry real risk, and tells you plainly what a proposed change is worth. Where a transaction involves a tenant in place, the leasing analysis and the purchase analysis have to be done together — which is where the two halves of his practice meet.
- Residential and commercial purchase agreement review, including contingency and remedy terms — see buying residential property in California
- Title and escrow issues — exceptions, encumbrances, and vesting
- Seller disclosure obligations and disclosure disputes after closing
- Purchases and sales of tenant-occupied property
What does Clarence do in a landlord-tenant dispute?
The first step is almost always documentary. California landlord-tenant law is heavily proceduralized, and a large share of disputes are decided on whether a notice was correct rather than on who was right about the underlying facts.
Security deposits are governed by Civil Code § 1950.5, which requires a landlord to return the deposit, or an itemized statement of deductions, within 21 days of the tenant vacating. Habitability standards sit at Civil Code § 1941.1. Just-cause termination requirements for covered residential units are at Civil Code § 1946.2, and the unlawful detainer action itself is at Code of Civil Procedure § 1161.
Clarence reads the lease and the notices first, then tells you where you actually stand. Sometimes that answer is that a demand letter will resolve it. Sometimes it is that the notice served on you is defective and the case should not proceed. He works on both sides — landlords who need a compliant process, and tenants who have been served. See also tenant rights in California.
For the firm’s full treatment of the eviction process, see the California eviction defense and unlawful detainer process page.
Who does Clarence represent?
Property owners and buyers, residential and commercial landlords, and residential tenants. The firm takes both sides of landlord-tenant matters, subject to conflicts screening at intake.
Clients come from across California. Real estate and landlord-tenant matters are filed in the superior court of the county where the property sits, so venue for Clarence’s cases follows the property — commonly Santa Clara, San Mateo, and Alameda counties in Northern California, and Los Angeles County in the south.
Should a lease dispute go to mediation, small claims, or unlawful detainer?
These three routes answer different questions, and picking the wrong one costs time. The short version: mediation is for preserving a relationship, small claims is for money, and unlawful detainer is for possession.
| Mediation | Small claims | Unlawful detainer | |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it decides | Whatever the parties agree to | Money only — no possession, no injunction | Possession of the property, plus rent and damages |
| Can a lawyer appear? | Yes | No — parties represent themselves | Yes |
| Typical speed | Weeks, if both sides engage | Roughly one to three months to a hearing | Weeks — it is a statutory summary proceeding |
| Binding? | Only if a written settlement is signed | Yes, subject to a limited right of appeal | Yes |
| Best suited to | Ongoing tenancies and neighbor-adjacent disputes | Deposit disputes and modest damage claims | A landlord who needs the unit back, or a tenant served with a notice |
Attorneys may not represent a party at a California small claims hearing (Code of Civil Procedure § 116.530). An attorney can still prepare the case, organize the evidence, and advise on what to say — but you stand up alone. The jurisdictional limit is generally $12,500 for an individual and $6,250 for a business or other entity.
How does Clarence work a new matter?
- Conflicts check and intake. Bay Legal runs a conflicts screen before any substantive discussion, which matters on landlord-tenant matters where the firm may already act for the other side.
- Document review. The lease, purchase agreement, notices, and the written correspondence trail — read before opinions are offered.
- Written assessment. What your position is, what the realistic outcomes are, and what each route costs.
- Action. A demand letter, a negotiation, a compliant notice, or a filing — whichever the assessment supports.
- Resolution and close-out, including the documents you will need to keep.
What matters does Clarence handle?
Representative matter types, drawn from the practice assignment on file:
- Residential and commercial purchase and sale agreement review
- Post-closing seller disclosure disputes
- Residential and commercial lease drafting, review, and negotiation
- Security deposit and habitability disputes
- Unlawful detainer matters for landlords and for tenants
Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome in any other matter. Every case turns on its own facts and the applicable law.
Education, bar admissions, and recognition
- Juris Doctor, University of Arizona, 2018
- Bachelor of Arts, History, University of Arizona, 2014
- Admitted to the State Bar of California, License No. 357525 — verify on the State Bar attorney search
- Admitted to the State Bar of Arizona
- Named to the 2026 Northern California Super Lawyers Rising Stars list
Super Lawyers Rising Stars is a peer-review and independent-research selection; no more than 2.5 percent of Northern California attorneys are named. The designation is not a certification of specialty or expertise by the State Bar of California.
Frequently Asked Questions
What kinds of cases does Clarence Olson take?
Clarence takes California real estate and landlord-tenant matters: purchase and sale agreement review, title and escrow questions, seller disclosure disputes, lease drafting and review, deposit and habitability disputes, and unlawful detainer on either side. He does not handle criminal defense, personal injury, immigration, or family law. Bay Legal covers several of those areas through other attorneys.
Is Clarence Olson licensed to practice law in California?
Yes. Clarence is an admitted member of the State Bar of California in good standing, License No. 357525, and he practices California law from Bay Legal’s Palo Alto and Los Angeles offices. His California admission is what authorises him to advise on California real estate and landlord-tenant matters. You can verify his status on the State Bar of California licensee search.
What does it mean that Clarence Olson is admitted in both California and Arizona?
He holds active admissions in two states. For a California client the practical answer is that his California admission is the one that matters — the Arizona admission does not extend or enlarge what he can do here. It is relevant if a matter touches Arizona property or an Arizona party, in which case the firm can address the cross-border question directly rather than referring it out.
How much does it cost to work with Clarence Olson?
Bay Legal uses flat-fee pricing on many matter types, so document review and drafting work often carry a quoted fee rather than an open hourly meter. Contested matters, including unlawful detainer, are more commonly hourly because the work depends on what the other side does. Many consultations are free. Ask for the fee structure at intake, before work begins.
Does Clarence Olson work with clients outside the Bay Area?
Yes. Bay Legal serves California statewide from two offices, Palo Alto and Los Angeles, and much of the document work is handled remotely. Where a matter requires a court appearance, it will be filed in the superior court of the county where the property is located. Call whichever office number is closer to you.
Related Questions
How long does a California unlawful detainer case take?
Unlawful detainer is a statutory summary proceeding, so it moves faster than ordinary civil litigation. An uncontested case can reach judgment in a few weeks. A contested one, where the tenant answers and raises defences, commonly runs two to three months depending on the court’s calendar.
When does a California landlord have to return a security deposit?
Within 21 days of the tenant vacating, the landlord must return the deposit or provide an itemised statement of deductions with supporting documentation. That is the rule at Civil Code § 1950.5. Missing the deadline exposes the landlord to statutory penalties beyond the deposit itself.
What is the just-cause requirement for California residential evictions?
For covered units, once a tenant has been in continuous occupancy for 12 months a landlord must have a qualifying just cause to terminate. No-fault grounds carry a relocation-assistance obligation. The framework sits at Civil Code § 1946.2. Not every unit is covered.
Do you need a lawyer to buy a house in California?
Not usually. California closings are typically handled through escrow without counsel. A lawyer earns their fee when the deal is non-standard: unusual contingencies, unresolved title, an inherited property, or a tenant in place who will still be there after closing.
Work with Clarence Olson
To discuss a California real estate or landlord-tenant matter with Clarence Olson, call the office nearest you or email intake.
Bay Legal, P.C. — serving California statewide
- Northern California office — 667 Lytton Ave Ste 3, Palo Alto, CA 94301 · (650) 668-8000
- Southern California office — 3211 Cahuenga Blvd W Ste 212, Los Angeles, CA 90068 · (213) 668-8000
- Intake: intake@baylegal.com · Fax: (650) 963-0041
This page is general information about California law and does not constitute legal advice or create an attorney-client relationship. For advice on your specific situation, contact a licensed California attorney.