Ann O’Connell

Ann O’Connell

Attorney · UC Berkeley School of Law

Ann O’Connell is a legal editor at Nolo specializing in landlord-tenant and real estate law. She writes for Nolo.com, Lawyers.com, and Avvo. Ann is a coauthor of Nolo's Essential Guide to Buying Your First Home, which won a silver Benjamin Franklin Award from the Independent Book Publishers Association in 2020, and Nolo’s Every Landlord’s Legal Guide.

Legal career. Before joining Nolo as an editor, Ann was a freelance writer for Nolo as well as other publications and law firms. Ann practiced civil litigation in California and Colorado, and had her own firm in Colorado. At her firm, she focused on real estate, landlord-tenant, and small business cases. 

Credentials. Ann earned her B.A. from Boston College and her J.D. from UC Berkeley Law. She has passed the bar exams in California, Nevada, and Colorado, where she is both an active attorney and a real estate broker.

Landlord-tenant law. Ann’s favorite part of writing about landlord-tenant matters is the opportunity to help tenants—who often find it difficult to afford or hire a lawyer to represent them—understand and assert their rights. Ann’s research and writing on coronavirus-related eviction bans and tenant rights has been cited by numerous news outlets and government agencies, including Yahoo Finance, CNET, Fannie Mae, and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

Articles By Ann O’Connell

California Community Property FAQ
Here's what everyone filing for divorce in California needs to know about the state's property division laws.
Negotiating a House Buyout at Divorce
"Buying out" your spouse might be an option if you want to keep the house after a divorce.
How Do I File for Divorce in Indiana?
Learn the process for filing a divorce—also called a “dissolution of marriage”—in Indiana.
How Do I File for Divorce in Pennsylvania?
Learn how the reason for your divorce can affect how you file for divorce in Pennsylvania.
Alaska Child Custody Laws
Learn how child custody works in Alaska, including how judges make custody decisions, whether they'll consider your child's preferences, and how to get your current custody or visitation orders changed.
Iowa Child Custody Laws
Learn how child custody works in Iowa, including parenting plan requirements, how judges decide when parents can't agree, how to change existing custody arrangements and when grandparents can get visitation.
How Do I File for Divorce in Illinois?
Even though you don’t have to prove your spouse’s fault to get a divorce in Illinois, you’ll still need to follow the state’s and court’s procedures when you file for divorce.
Remarriage and Child Support in Minnesota
Child support in Minnesota won't necessarily change just because one or both parents remarry. But remarriage might have an effect on the amount of support in some circumstances.
Child Support in Minnesota
Find out how child support is calculated in Minnesota and how those payments can be modified.
Child Support in Michigan
Michigan child support payments are calculated based on the parents' incomes and custody arrangement. Learn how child support is calculated, modified, and enforced in Michigan.