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Wanger Jones Helsley PC

Practice Specialties

Wanger Jones Helsley is a full-service California law firm offering nine practice specialties from offices in Fresno and Sacramento. The firm pairs transactional and advisory work with the depth of a trial firm, serving businesses, institutions, and individuals across the Central Valley and statewide.

Corporate & Business

Practice Specialty

Strategic counsel for businesses at every stage — from formation and governance to complex transactions, restructuring, and regulatory compliance.

  • Bankruptcy & Insolvency
  • Data Privacy & Compliance
  • Tax Planning & Controversy
  • Business Formation & Governance
  • Corporate Finance & Restructuring
  • Mergers, Acquisitions & Asset Sales
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Real Estate

Practice Specialty

Comprehensive real estate representation for commercial, agricultural, and industrial clients — from transactions and entitlements to complex property disputes.

  • Construction Law
  • Land Use & Entitlements
  • Real Property Litigation
  • Commercial, Ag and Industrial Transactions
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Environmental, Water, & Land Use

Practice Specialty

Navigating the complex intersection of environmental regulation, land use law, and natural resource rights for businesses, developers, and public agencies.

  • Regulatory Compliance
  • Environmental Review (NEPA & CEQA)
  • Administrative Law/Agency Rulemaking
  • Water Rights Litigation and Transfers
  • Fisheries and Endangered Species Act Permitting
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Litigation & Dispute Resolution

Practice Specialty

WJH is the 'trial lawyer firm' other attorneys turn to — providing aggressive, experienced representation in State and Federal courts across a broad range of civil and criminal matters.

  • Consumer Fraud
  • Writs & Appeals
  • Consumer Class Actions
  • Arbitration & Mediation
  • Probate & Trust Litigation
  • Complex Commercial Litigation
  • White Collar and Criminal Defense
  • Cybersecurity & Emerging Technologies
  • Insurance Bad Faith, Coverage Opinions and Indemnity Claims
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Labor & Employment

Practice Specialty

Trusted management-side counsel for employers navigating wage and hour compliance, workplace investigations, employment litigation, and class action defense.

  • Wage & Hour Defense
  • Class Action Defense
  • Employment Litigation
  • Workplace Investigations
  • Employment Counseling & Compliance
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Criminal Defense & White Collar Crime

Practice Specialty

Experienced defense counsel for individuals and businesses facing federal and state criminal exposure, regulatory enforcement, and internal investigations.

  • Grand Jury Practice
  • Internal Investigations
  • White Collar Investigations
  • Regulatory Enforcement Defense
  • Federal & State Criminal Defense
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Family Law

Practice Specialty

Sophisticated representation in dissolution, custody, support, and premarital planning for high-asset and complex family matters.

  • Spousal & Child Support
  • Child Custody & Visitation
  • Dissolution & Legal Separation
  • Premarital & Postmarital Agreements
  • Property Division & Business Valuation
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Estate Planning and Probate Litigation

Practice Specialty

Comprehensive estate, trust, and probate counsel — from foundational planning to contested fiduciary and beneficiary litigation.

  • Estate Planning
  • Probate & Trust Litigation
  • Trust & Probate Administration
  • Conservatorships & Guardianships
  • Tax-Advantaged Wealth Transfer Planning
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Insurance Defense

Practice Specialty

Skilled defense counsel for insurers and insureds in liability, coverage, and bad faith matters across California state and federal courts.

  • Bad Faith Defense
  • Subrogation & Indemnity
  • General Liability Defense
  • Construction Defect Defense
  • Coverage Analysis & Opinions
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Frequently Asked Questions
What sets Wanger Jones Helsley apart?
Wanger Jones Helsley was founded in 1995 by the Honorable Oliver W. Wanger, a former United States District Judge. The firm pairs full-service transactional and advisory work with the depth of a trial firm, a combination, alongside its Central Valley roots, that is rare among regional firms.
What practice areas does Wanger Jones Helsley offer?
Wanger Jones Helsley offers nine practice specialties: Corporate & Business; Real Estate; Environmental, Water, & Land Use; Litigation & Dispute Resolution; Labor & Employment; Criminal Defense & White Collar; Family Law; Estate Planning & Probate; and Insurance Defense. Bankruptcy and insolvency work is handled within the Corporate & Business practice.
What recognition has Wanger Jones Helsley received?
Wanger Jones Helsley holds Martindale-Hubbell's A/V Preeminent rating and has been recognized in Chambers USA California Spotlight for Environment, in Super Lawyers continuously since 2018, and as a Best Law Firm in America. Individual attorneys appear on the Northern California Super Lawyers Top 100 list.
Where does Wanger Jones Helsley practice?
Wanger Jones Helsley serves clients from offices in Fresno, its Central Valley headquarters since 1995, and Sacramento, near the State Capitol. The firm represents clients throughout the Central Valley and across California in state and federal courts, and before regulatory agencies, including clients headquartered outside California with matters in the state.
Does Wanger Jones Helsley handle both transactions and litigation?
Yes. Wanger Jones Helsley is a full-service firm whose transactional and litigation attorneys work together. Clients can handle business, real estate, estate, and regulatory matters and, when those matters become contested, move to litigation with the same firm, a one-stop approach the firm applies even to transactional work.

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