JUANITA GUILLEN-MELLMAN

Co-Founding Partner | Mellman & Mellman LLP

When Legal Problems Become Complex, Strategy Matters.
Strategic Counsel for Complex Property, Business & Fair Housing Matters

Complex legal issues rarely fit neatly into a single area of law. Property disputes often require navigating several overlapping legal frameworks, including landlord-tenant law, fair housing requirements, municipal code enforcement proceedings, and local tenant protection ordinances. Successfully navigating these matters requires thoughtful strategy, sound judgment, and an understanding of how each decision may affect the client’s legal position, finances, and long-term objectives.

Juanita Guillen-Mellman is the Co-Founding Partner of Mellman & Mellman LLP and provides strategic counsel to homeowners, housing providers, tenants, real estate investors, business owners, and families. In California, her practice includes real property and civil litigation, landlord-tenant law, fair housing, business disputes, municipal code enforcement, and estate planning. She is also licensed in Texas, where her practice is currently focused on estate planning.

Known for her thoughtful and strategic approach, Ms. Guillen-Mellman begins every representation by understanding what matters most to her client and developing a strategy designed to achieve those objectives. From there, she evaluates legal risks, anticipates challenges, identifies opportunities, and considers the financial and practical impact of each recommendation so clients can make informed decisions from a position of strength.

Whether advising clients before litigation, negotiating a settlement, representing them in mediation or arbitration, or advocating their interests through trial, Ms. Guillen-Mellman is committed to providing thoughtful counsel, strategic advocacy, and effective representation at every stage of the legal process. Fluent in both English and Spanish, Ms. Guillen-Mellman proudly represents a diverse client base in California and Texas.

REAL PROPERTY & CIVIL LITIGATION

Real property and civil litigation are central to Ms. Guillen-Mellman’s practice. Her work spans residential and commercial leasing matters, unlawful detainers, habitability claims, title and possession issues, business disputes, and related civil litigation. In California, where she is admitted to practice before all state and federal courts, Ms. Guillen-Mellman has extensive litigation experience, including contested motions, evidentiary hearings, and trials.

Ms. Guillen-Mellman believes successful advocacy begins long before a case reaches the courtroom. By anticipating challenges, identifying opportunities, and strategically positioning her clients from the outset, she helps them pursue the strongest possible outcome—whether achieved through negotiation, mediation, arbitration, or trial.

STRATEGIC COUNSEL FOR CALIFORNIA HOUSING PROVIDERS

California’s landlord-tenant laws continue to evolve at both the state and local levels, creating an increasingly complex regulatory landscape for those who own and manage residential housing. Ms. Guillen-Mellman counsels clients on California’s changing legal requirements, including the California Tenant Protection Act (AB 1482), the San Diego Tenant Protection Ordinance, the Chula Vista Residential Tenant Protections Ordinance, the Imperial Beach Just Cause Eviction Ordinance, relocation assistance requirements, owner move-in procedures, substantial remodel provisions, and other state and local regulations affecting residential housing.

Rather than simply preparing notices or reacting after a dispute has developed, she works with clients early to evaluate available options, preserve flexibility, identify opportunities, and strengthen their legal position in furtherance of their objectives.

STRATEGIC ADVOCACY FOR TENANTS

Tenant representation has been a meaningful part of Ms. Guillen-Mellman’s practice from the beginning of her legal career. She has extensive experience representing tenants in complex housing disputes and helping them understand and exercise their rights under California law.

She believes effective tenant representation extends far beyond defending an eviction action. Each matter begins with understanding the client’s objectives and evaluating what a favorable long-term resolution actually looks like for that client. Depending on the circumstances, that may mean preserving the tenancy, negotiating favorable settlement terms, securing additional time to relocate, obtaining financial compensation, or protecting the client’s rights and legal position for the future.

Drawing on her experience with landlord-tenant law, fair housing protections, local tenant protection ordinances, and municipal code enforcement, Ms. Guillen-Mellman develops strategies that look beyond the next procedural step. Her approach may include building a strong factual record of habitability or retaliation issues, coordinating with code enforcement, pursuing reasonable accommodations, preserving critical evidence, or seeking restraining orders and other protective relief when circumstances warrant.

FAIR HOUSING

Ms. Guillen-Mellman has represented clients on both sides of California fair housing disputes, including proceedings before the California Civil Rights Department. That balanced perspective allows her to anticipate competing legal arguments, evaluate risk from multiple angles, and develop strategies informed by how the dispute may be viewed from each side.

Her fair housing practice also includes counseling clients on compliance before disputes arise, including reasonable accommodation requests, assistance animals, source-of-income protections, disability-related issues, and other federal, state, and local fair housing requirements.

MUNICIPAL CODE ENFORCEMENT & HABITABILITY

Many property disputes extend beyond the courtroom. Ms. Guillen-Mellman regularly assists clients in navigating municipal code enforcement investigations, notices of violation, habitability concerns, and related administrative proceedings. She understands that these matters often intersect with unlawful detainer actions, fair housing issues, and civil litigation, requiring a coordinated legal strategy rather than isolated solutions.

She approaches code enforcement as part of the broader legal landscape, helping clients address immediate compliance or habitability concerns while considering how each step may affect related litigation, settlement strategy, and long-term objectives.

ESTATE PLANNING

Estate planning is about more than preparing legal documents—it is about creating a thoughtful plan that protects the people and assets most important to you. Ms. Guillen-Mellman provides estate planning services to clients in both California and Texas. She believes estate planning should be understandable—not intimidating, and takes the time to explain each recommendation, answer questions, and ensure clients leave with confidence that their wishes have been clearly documented and that every component of their estate plan is working together as intended.

She works collaboratively with clients to understand their family dynamics, priorities, and long-term goals, designing estate plans that function as a comprehensive whole and provide lasting peace of mind. Using WealthCounsel®, a comprehensive estate-planning drafting platform, Ms. Guillen-Mellman prepares customized plans designed around each client’s unique circumstances. Depending on the client’s needs, an estate plan may include:

  • Revocable Living Trusts
  • Pour-Over Wills
  • Durable Powers of Attorney
  • Advance Health Care Directives
  • Living Wills
  • HIPAA Authorizations
  • Certificates of Trust
  • Trust Transfer Deeds and other ancillary documents necessary to fully implement the estate plan

EDUCATION

Ms. Guillen-Mellman earned her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Loyola Marymount University before receiving her Juris Doctor, cum laude, from Thomas Jefferson School of Law. During law school, she developed an interest in dispute resolution while participating in the Alternative Dispute Resolution Program and gained practical experience through internships with housing rights organizations, Legal Aid, and private estate planning practices. Those experiences provided early exposure to both litigation and proactive legal planning, perspectives that continue to influence her approach to representing clients today.

Those early experiences reinforced a philosophy that continues to guide her practice: understanding what matters most to the client, anticipating challenges before they arise, and developing thoughtful strategies that advance the client’s long-term objectives.

MEET STUART L. MELLMAN

Devoted & Accomplished Attorney

Stuart L. Mellman is a co-founding partner of Mellman & Mellman LLP, a law firm that has represented clients in various legal matters, including estate planning and probate, family law, real property, civil litigation and estate litigation.  Since becoming a member of the State Bar of California attorney Stuart L. Mellman has dedicated his career to helping individuals and businesses navigate their legal matters from estate plans to business litigation. He handles everything from transactional matters such as estate plans to complex civil and family litigation and offers proactive solutions that are rooted in integrity, efficiency and zealous advocacy.

Attorney Stuart L. Mellman understands that his clients need someone who will listen to and meet their specific needs. When you work with our firm, you will receive personalized legal services that address your unique goals.  Stuart L. Mellman is determined to provide superior legal representation and peace of mind by using a hands-on approach for every case.

EXCELLENT QUALIFICATIONS & EDUCATION

Attorney Stuart L. Mellman graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, with a focus of management and entrepreneurship. He then obtained his Juris Doctorate Degree from Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego, California where he graduated with the honor of Magna Cum Laude (top 4% of graduating class).  While at Thomas Jefferson School of Law, Attorney Stuart L. Mellman served as the managing editor of the school’s prestigious Law Review and realized several awards for scoring the highest grade in Contracts, Civil Procedure, and Community Property.  During Mr. Mellman’s last semester in law school he clerked for the honorable Roger T. Benitez of the Federal District Court for the Southern District of California.

Mr. Mellman gained extensive experience at medium-sized law firms before deciding to co-found his own law firm. In 2018, attorney Stuart L. Mellman opened Mellman & Mellman LLP, an established law firm in San Diego that serves clients throughout the entire state.  Attorney Stuart L. Mellman is admitted to practice law in all California state courts and the United States District Court for the Southern District of California.

Mr. Mellman has provided exceptional legal services to his clients, including:

  • Comprehensive Estate Plans for individuals and couples – from basic estates to complex and high net worth.
  • Estate Litigation including claims of undue influence, fraud, incapacity, and financial elder abuse.
  • Family Law Litigation including: dissolution of marriage (divorce), parentage, spousal support (alimony), child custody, move-away requests, prenuptial agreements, and domestic violence restraining orders.
  • Business Litigation including: breach of fiduciary duty, fraud, breach of contract, and violations of the business and professions code.
  • Civil Litigation including: claims relating to the Americans with Disability Act, landlord / tenant (evictions), tort claims such as negligence, emotional distress, and fraud.

Mr. Mellman has many memberships and affiliations, including:

  • State Bar of California (Member)
  • American Bar Association (Member)
  • Civil Litigation, Trusts & Estates, & Family Law Sections of the San Diego County Bar Association (Member)

Attorney Stuart L. Mellman is also greatly invested in the surrounding community and proudly serves low-income and elderly citizens through the San Diego County Bar Association’s Modest Means program.

To schedule a free initial consultation and learn more about our law firm, be sure to contact our firm today! We speak Spanish and have evening and weekend appointments available.  Attorney Stuart L. Mellman can be reached via telephone at 619-304-0600 and email at Slmellman@mellmanlaw.com

MEET SARAH SHANKEL

Associate Attorney

Sarah Shankel attended Connecticut College, graduating with the honors of summa cum laude (top 5% of graduating class) and Phi Beta Kappa Society with a Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and membership to Phi Beta Kappa. During her undergraduate studies, Sarah co-authored and published her research on archaeological method. She continued her education in the United Kingdom, earning a Master of Science in Forensic Anthropology from the University of Dundee.

While working in forensics, Sarah worked for a government agency identifying POWs and MIAs from WWII. Sarah obtained her Juris Doctor from University of San Diego School of Law where she was recognized for her pro bono service.

While in law school, Sarah gained litigation experience while interning with several prosecutorial agencies in San Diego including the California Office of the Attorney General, San Diego County District Attorney’s Office, San Diego Office of the City Attorney, and Judicial Intern at the San Diego County Superior Court. 

Licensed in California and Kansas