Charlene B. Atack
Charlene B. Atack focuses her practice primarily in real property and land use law, including transactions and entitlement and permitting matters. Her expertise includes boundary disputes and boundary line agreements; environmental regulation; entitlements; residential, commercial, and mixed-use developments and subdivisions; coastal property developments; titles, easements, and leases; landlord-tenant law; parcel legality; real estate contracts; and road maintenance agreements. Ms. Atack is also trained in alternative dispute resolution and is an experienced private mediator.
Ms. Atack has more than 25 years of experience practicing law. Prior to co-founding Atack & Penrose, she was a partner with the law firm of Bosso Williams, practicing there for more than 20 years. Ms. Atack also was an assistant district attorney with the Monterey County District Attorney's Office and assistant attorney to the Modesto City Attorney. She earned her Juris Doctorate from the University of San Francisco School of Law and her Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of California at Berkeley.
Ms. Atack is the chairperson of the Real Property Section of the California State Bar for Santa Cruz County. She is also a member of the Santa Cruz County Bar Association and Women Lawyers of Santa Cruz County. Ms. Atack has served on the Board of Directors of the Montessori School and Habitat for Humanity Santa Cruz, Inc. Currently, she is a member of the Board of Santa Cruz Community Counseling Center, Inc.
Ms. Atack has received an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell, the national directory of lawyers, indicating professional excellence and the utmost ethical standards.
Bar Admission
Education
- J.D., University of San Francisco School of Law
- B.A., University of California at Berkeley
Memberships
- Chairperson, Santa Cruz County Real Property Section of the California State Bar
- Member of the Board of Santa Cruz Community Counseling Center, Inc.
- Santa Cruz County Bar Association
- Women Lawyers of Santa Cruz County
- Past Member, Board of Directors, Habitat For Humanity Santa Cruz, Inc.
- Past Member, Board of Directors, Montessori School
Alternative Dispute Resolution
- Private Mediator
- Certification in mediation and negotiation, Straus Institute for Dispute Resolution, Pepperdine University School of Law
Attorney Experience
- Bosso Williams (1989–2010)
- Murphy, Williams, Stevens and Book
- Monterey County District Attorney's Office
- Modesto City Attorney's Office
Practice Areas
- Land Use
- Landlord-Tenant Law
- Mediation
- Real Property
