About Melissa Raneri
Melissa Raneri Karlsten is a licensed attorney admitted to practice law in the State of California. She was admitted to the California State Bar in 2002 and holds bar number 220976. Her license is currently in active status. Ms. Karlsten is a shareholder at Aaron, Riechert, Carpol & Riffle, A.P.C., a law firm located in Redwood City, California. She has been practicing in the area of Estate Planning, Trust, and Probate Law since 2002.
Ms. Karlsten earned her Juris Doctor degree from the University of San Francisco School of Law in 2002, graduating cum laude. During her time at U.S.F., she was a member of the McAuliffe Honor Society and served as the technical editor for the Law Review. Prior to law school, she completed her undergraduate education at Santa Clara University, earning a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature in 1997.
Ms. Karlsten specializes in Estate Planning, Trust, and Probate Law. She represents clients in matters involving estate planning, trust administration, probate proceedings, and elder law issues. Her practice encompasses all stages of litigation, including initial case evaluation, discovery, mediation, settlement negotiations, and trial proceedings in both state and federal courts.
Throughout her career, Ms. Karlsten has handled cases in the Superior Court of California for the County of San Mateo, the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. She has also appeared before the California Court of Appeal on multiple occasions. In addition to her litigation practice, she serves as Independent Counsel in San Mateo County and Santa Clara County in conservatorship and limited conservatorship matters, and as a Guardian ad Litem in trusts and estates matters.
Ms. Karlsten is an active member of the San Mateo County Bar Association and served on its Board of Directors. From 2018 to 2024, she was a member of the Executive Committee of the Trusts and Estates Section (TEXCOM) of the California Lawyers Association. She has also been recognized as a Super Lawyer from 2016 to 2026. Ms. Karlsten is fluent in English and Spanish, allowing her to serve the diverse communities of the San Francisco Bay Area effectively.
