San Francisco Trial Lawyer for Business and Public Entities
San Francisco Bay Area
- Current
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- Founder at Newdorf Legal
- Past
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- Deputy City Attorney at San Francisco City Attorney's Office
- Associate at O'Melveny & Myers
- Law Clerk at U.S. District Court, Northern District of California
- Intern at Los Angeles District Attorney's Office
- Summer Associate at Pillsbury Madison & Sutro
- Summer Associate at Horvitz & Levy
- Newspaper Reporter at American Lawyer Media
- Newspaper Reporter at Contra Costa Times
- Education
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- Loyola Law School, Loyola Marymount University
- Columbia University - Graduate School of Journalism
- University of California, Berkeley
- Columbia University in the City of New York
- Recommended
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- Industry
- Law Practice
- Websites
David Newdorf’s Summary
I have been a civil trial lawyer in San Francisco for 14 years. I currently practice in the areas of complex commercial disputes, class actions and civil rights (defense of public entities and employees). I have been lead counsel in more than one hundred litigation matters. The Ninth Circuit issued decisions idecisions (including one published) in two of my public entity cases in the Summer of 2008. (For more info, see http://www.section1983law.com )
I have taken numerous cases to trial in state and federal court, handled dozens of aribrtrations and mediations, and briefed and argued major appeals in the California Court of Appeal and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. My published decisions include Nishihama v. City and County of San Francisco (2001) 93 Cal. App. 4th 298, a frequently cited precedent capping medical costs when the plaintiff is covered by medical insurance.
As a former trial team leader in the San Francisco City Attorney's Office, I handled high profile cases and supervised lawyers handling hundreds of active litigation matters.
The State Bar Board of Governors appointed me to the Litigation Section Executive Committee for a three year term commencing September 2008.
David Newdorf’s Specialties:
Civil trials, civil appeals, arbitrations, mediations, civil discovery, e-discovery.
David Newdorf’s Experience
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Founder
Newdorf Legal
(Law Practice industry)
July 2008 — Present (1 year 1 month)
I am a San Francisco trial lawyer who represents businesses and public entities in complex commercial disputes, business torts, class actions and civil rights litigation. With a background in journalism, government service and a major national law firm, I offer big-firm results with small-firm attention. I practice in state and federal courts at the trial and appellate level.
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Deputy City Attorney
San Francisco City Attorney's Office
(Legal Services industry)
April 2001 — July 2008 (7 years 4 months)
I was a civil trial lawyer defending the City, government officials and employees in a variety of complex and high-profile cases. I represented the San Francisco Police Department at the trial and appellate level in the "fajitagate" civil rights case and defended the San Francisco Airport in a $40 million claim by a Houston developer. As a trial team leader, I supervised lawyers handling more than 150 active litigation matters.
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Associate
O'Melveny & Myers
(Law Practice industry)
1994 — 2001 (7 years)
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Law Clerk
U.S. District Court, Northern District of California
(Law Practice industry)
1995 — 1996 (1 year)
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Intern
Los Angeles District Attorney's Office
(Law Practice industry)
1994 — 1994 (less than a year)
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Summer Associate
Pillsbury Madison & Sutro
(Privately Held; 501-1000 employees; Law Practice industry)
May 1993 — August 1993 (4 months)
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Summer Associate
Horvitz & Levy
(Privately Held; 51-200 employees; Law Practice industry)
May 1992 — August 1992 (4 months)
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Newspaper Reporter
American Lawyer Media
(Privately Held; 201-500 employees; Newspapers industry)
1988 — 1991 (3 years)
I covered law and business at legal newspapers in South Florida (The Daily Business Review) and at The Recorder in San Francisco.
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Newspaper Reporter
Contra Costa Times
(Public Company; 1001-5000 employees; Newspapers industry)
1983 — 1986 (3 years)
I was a daily newspaper reporter covering local government and law enforcement in Contra Costa County, including Walnut Creek, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors, Antioch, and Pittsburg.
David Newdorf’s Education
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Loyola Law School, Loyola Marymount University
J.D. , 1991 — 1994
- Activities and Societies:
- Magna Cum Laude, Law Review editor, Moot Court board member, Order of the Coif, Sayre McNeil Scholar, St. Thomas Moore Law Honor Society
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Columbia University - Graduate School of Journalism
MS , Journalism , 1982 — 1983
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University of California, Berkeley
B.A. , English , 1979 — 1982
- Activities and Societies:
- Daily Californian, CalPIRG
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Columbia University in the City of New York
1978 — 1979
Additional Information
David Newdorf’s Websites:
David Newdorf’s Interests:
California civil litigation, trials and appeals, running, Cal Football
David Newdorf’s Honors:
James Madison Freedom of Information Award, Legal Counsel of The Year (2000)
David Newdorf’s Contact Settings
Interested In:
- career opportunities
- consulting offers
- new ventures
- job inquiries
- expertise requests
- business deals
- reference requests
- getting back in touch
