Professional Achievement |
Haas School of Business, University of California, Berkeley, CA
Golden Gate University School of Law, San Francisco, CA
Gerontology Program, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA
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Bio |
Althea T. Kippes is an attorney, gerontologist, and real estate broker who helps her clients buy and sell real residential estate. By focusing on the legal aspects of the real estate transaction, she negotiates the best terms for her clients and helps them avoid liability.
Given Ms. Kippes’s experience with senior housing options, she is able to assist her clients in identifying appropriate retirement communities and reviews continuing care agreements, explaining complex contract provisions so that her clients can understand their options and rights.
As a plaintiff’s trial lawyer and federal court litigator, Ms. Kippes successfully litigated a number of high-profile cases plaintiff's cases involving complex contract disputes, real estate issues, discrimination matters, and animal law. Ms. Kippes helped further the area of animal law by being one of the first professors teaching Animal Law at the law school level. She also successfully litigated one of the earliest animal law cases, where she obtained emotional distress damages for the loss of her client’s companion animal, a cocker spaniel named Daisy.
Ms. Kippes also handles appellate matters, including preparing writs and appeals on behalf of either the appellant or respondent. One noteworthy published appellate case is Gelini v. Tishgart, a case that garnered significant national attention from the business and legal community. See Gelini v. Tishgart (1999) 77 Cal. App. 4th 219.
After obtaining a Master’s degree in Gerontology, Ms. Kippes focused her real estate practice to meet the unique real estate needs of older adults and their families. As a Gerontologist, Certified Senior Advisor®, Seniors Real Estate Specialist®, and a certified Administrator for California Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly, Ms. Kippes understands the legal and real estate challenges facing older adults and creates comprehensive solutions. As a full service real estate broker, she provides a level of service to her clients.
Ms. Kippes frequently speaks before business, community, real estate, and legal associations. Her articles have been published in a variety of national and state periodicals and she has also been featured on local, state, and national media, including CNN, the BBC, Good Morning America, and All Things Considered.
Community involvement is important to Ms. Kippes, and she has served on the Board of Friends of San Francisco Animal Care & Control, The American Association for Justice, The Public Justice Foundation, and the Consumer Attorneys of California. The Consumer Attorneys of California awarded Ms. Kippes the Presidential Award of Merit for her outstanding dedication.
Ms. Kippes is also active politically. Originally appointed by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors to the Animal Commission, the Supervisors unanimously reappointed her for an additional two-year term as Commission Vice-Chair. Ms. Kippes continues to contribute to the community by performing pro bono work, for which the State Bar of California rewarded her with two Wiley W. Manuel Pro Bono Services Awards.
Ms. Kippes is a graduate of the Haas School of Business at the University of California at Berkeley. She earned her law degree from Golden Gate University School of Law and she holds a Master’s degree in Gerontology from San Francisco State University.
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