About Charles W.
Charles W. Applegate built a legal career that moves between the courthouse and a small office that bears his name. He is a California-licensed lawyer who has also handled matters in the 9th Circuit. His path to the benchroom and back began in the classrooms of Massachusetts and San Francisco.
He earned a B.A. in English from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 1994. Nearly a decade later he completed a J.D. in Civil Litigation at the University of California College of the Law, San Francisco in 2003. Those studies set a practical tone. He focused on litigation and the craft of persuasive writing.
Applegate’s early legal work was inside law firms. In 2005 he worked as an associate lawyer at Friedemann & Goldberg. The following year he joined Geary Shea O Donnell Grattan & Mitchell as an associate, gaining more courtroom exposure and case-handling responsibility. By 2007 he had moved into public service, taking a position as Deputy District Lawyer I in Mendocino County. A year later he advanced to Deputy District Lawyer II in Tulare County. Those years in county offices added trial experience and regular courtroom appearances to his résumé.
In 2009 he opened Applegate Law Office. He has operated that practice since, handling civil matters and representing clients who require courtroom advocacy. The move to solo practice gave him control over case selection and office procedures. He has managed litigation from intake to trial and appeal, and has filed matters in state and federal forums, including the 9th Circuit.
Outside the office he maintains memberships in professional and civic groups. He is a member of the State Bar of California and the American Bar Association. Locally he participates in the Sonoma County Bar Association and is affiliated with Friends Outside, Sonoma County. Those connections keep him engaged in local legal circles and community efforts.
Colleagues describe him as an attorney who prefers steady preparation to theatrics. He relies on courtroom experience earned across county district attorney offices and private practice. In recent years his work has blended trial practice with appellate filings when cases required review beyond the trial court.
As of 2026 he continues to run Applegate Law Office, practicing in California and taking select matters in the 9th Circuit. His current practice emphasizes civil litigation and appellate work handled from his private office.
