About Desmond Tuck
San Mateo attorney Desmond Tuck has practiced real estate, construction, and probate law and litigation since 1984. After studying law for 3 years in South Africa where he was born and raised, he emigrated to San Francisco where he re-commenced his law studies. He attended night classes at San Francisco Law School beginning in 1979 and graduated with a J.D. degree in 1983.
Prior to his relocation to the US, Desmond served Articles of Clerkship for three years in a Johannesburg law firm, gaining experience in many fields of law, including real estate, estate planning, family law, debt collection, civil disputes, and criminal law. During that time he gained valuable experience in communicating with people from all corners of the human spectrum: from hardened criminals to accomplished barristers.
After arriving in the US, Desmond initially worked as an escrow officer, law librarian, and then as a law clerk for a prominent former San Francisco law firm, with a special emphasis on condominium construction defect litigation. After passing the California Bar exam in 1984, he worked as a law associate, and in 1985 opened his law offices in San Mateo.
Since then Desmond has served hundreds of clients in civil disputes involving mainly real estate, construction, probate matters, and some personal injury cases. He has tried, arbitrated, and mediated dozens of cases in all Bay Area counties.
Desmond was awarded an AV rating from the Martindale Hubbell Law Directory in 1997, and was honored as a Northern California Super Lawyer in 2005.
Desmond is interested in protecting the rights and interests of individuals needing professional assistance in dealing with the complexities and challenges of the legal system. His diverse life experience enables him to apply a unique approach and insights to problem-solving. As a trained mediator, he is able to identify the core of any problem accurately and quickly.
As a skilled martial artist with a 7th degree in black belt in Gojuryu karate-do, he also brings to bear an unusual sensitivity to risk assessment, the ability to quickly observe available options, and a calm state of mind. He travels annually to Japan for advanced training in order to further enhance his almost 50 years of training and teaching. His martial arts training has taught him to see the road ahead and to anticipate and avoid problems where possible, rather than simply doing ‘damage control’ after the fact.
Desmond began teaching Gojuryu karate in 1974 in South Africa and has also taught in the USA, UK, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Portugal, Mexico, Canada, and Japan. He currently operates a dojo in Palo Alto. In this process, he has inspired confidence in hundreds of teens and adults, who went on to make their mark in diverse endeavors internationally. He volunteers his time to engage in these activities, which are his passion.
As an experienced martial artist, Desmond has a unique analytical approach to legal problems. He represents individuals and companies in helping, where possible, to avoid disputes before they spiral out of control, and if not – to guide them to the best possible resolution with a firm hand.
