Kathleen M. Ewins

Education, Admissions & Achievements

Academic Credentials

• University of San Diego School of Law, San Diego, California, J.D. 1991
• University of California, Davis, California, B.A., International Relations/Economics, 1984

Bar Admissions

• Member of the California Bar
• Admitted in numerous U.S. District Courts, 9^th Circuit and the Supreme Court

Past Accomplishments & Publications

Publications

• "Profile of Legal Malpractice Claims 2000-2003," American Bar Association Standing Committee On Lawyers' Professional Liability, published April 2005 (Report author)
• "Profile of Legal Malpractice Claims 2004-2007," American Bar Association Standing Committee On Lawyers' Professional Liability, published September 2008 (Report author)
• Loss Prevention By The Numbers," Professional Liability Litigation Alert, Section of Litigation, American Bar Association, Spring 2003
• "Chipping Away at the Attorney-Client Privilege and the Attorney Work Product Doctrine," Professional Liability Litigation Alert, Section of Litigation, American Bar Association, Winter 2003
• "A Perspective on the Legal Malpractice Trial-Within-A-Trial," American Bar Association Standing Committee On Lawyers' Professional Liability, National Legal Malpractice Conference, Fall 1998
• Co-Author of "Steering A Safer Path: Lawyers' Risk Management Guide and Tool Kit," 1999.
• "Bolstering The Immunity Defense," LPL Advisory, American Bar Association Standing Committee On Lawyers' Professional Liability, Spring 1998

Speaking Engagements

• "Risk Management:  Ethical and Professional Liability Issues that Confront Family Lawyers", American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers Annual Meeting, May 2011.
• "Case Law Developments", ABA National Legal Malpractice Conference, April 2010.
• "Conflicts of Interest, Voiding 3D (Disqualification, Disgorgement and Discipline)," Contra Costa County Bar Association, Litigation Section, November 20, 2009
• "The At Risk Attorney: Strategies to Help Colleagues with Substance Abuse and/or Other Impairment; Protect Clients; and Manage Risk", presented for the Bar Association of San Francisco, January 2009
• "Avoiding Attorney Liability To Non-Clients In The Transactional, Litigation and Estate Planning Settings" presented for Santa Clara County Bar Association, January 2002
• "High Tech Risks/Low Tech Skills: We Are All Technology Lawyers Now" presented at ABA Annual Meeting, Chicago, Illinois, August 2001
• "When Malpractice In Handling A Settlement Is Alleged" presented at ABA National Legal Malpractice Conference, Asheville, North Carolina, September 1998

Expertise & Affiliations

Special Expertise

• Special focus on law firms and judges
• Jury trials

Professional Affiliations

• State Bar of California
• Certified Legal Specialist – Legal Malpractice Law
• Member of the State Bar’s Legal Malpractice Law Advisory Commission
• Chair: Legal Malpractice Section of the Bar Association of San Francisco, California (2009-2010)
• Co-Chair: Electronic Communications Policy Committee, Section of Litigation, American Bar Association (2006-2009)
• Member: Standing Committee on Lawyers’ Professional Liability, American Bar Association (2003-2006), Liaison (2006-2007)
• Co-Chair: Professional Liability Litigation Committee, Section of Litigation, American Bar Association (2002-2006)
• Co-Chair: Trial By Jury: A Program Focused On Jury Thinking, American Bar Association, Seattle, Washington, September 2005
• Chair: National Legal Malpractice Conference, American Bar Association, San Francisco, California, September 2004
• Editor: Professional Liability Litigation Alert newsletter and electronic eAlert bulletin, Section of Litigation, American Bar Association (2002-2006); electronic eAdvisory, bulletin, Standing Committee on Lawyers’ Professional Liability, American Bar Association (2003-2006)

Program Chair

• American Bar Association Standing Committee on Lawyers’ Professional Liability, Fall 2011 National Legal Malpractice Conference
• “Same Sex, Same Rights?” presented at the ABA Annual Meeting, San Francisco, California in August 2007
• “Assault On the Attorney-Client Privilege: What Every Lawyer Needs to Know” presented at the ABA Annual Meeting, Chicago, Illinois, August 2005 and at the ABA National Legal Malpractice Conference, Chicago, Illinois, September 2006
• “Bias In the Courtroom” presented at the ABA Section of Litigation Annual Conference, Los Angeles, California, April 2006
• “The Blame Game: Attorneys and Accountants In the Crosshairs” presented at the ABA Section of Litigation Annual Conference, Phoenix, Arizona, April 2004 and at the ABA National Legal Malpractice Conference, San Francisco, California, September 2004
• “Trying the Case Within A Case” presented at the ABA National Legal Malpractice Conference, Miami Florida, April 2004
• “Diversity in the Courtroom” presented at the ABA Annual Meeting, San Francisco, California, August 2003
• “Negotiating for Litigators” presented at the ABA Annual Meeting, San Francisco, California, August 2003
• “Trial By Hurry: Making Every Minute Count” presented at the ABA Section of Litigation Annual Conference, Houston, Texas, April 2003

Civic Affiliations

Program Chair

“Same Sex, Same Rights?” presented at the ABA Annual Meeting, San Francisco, California in August 2007

“Assault On the Attorney-Client Privilege: What Every Lawyer Needs to Know” presented at the ABA Annual Meeting, Chicago, Illinois, August 2005 and at the ABA National Legal Malpractice Conference, Chicago, Illinois, September 2006

“Bias In the Courtroom” presented at the ABA Section of Litigation Annual Conference, Los Angeles, California, April 2006

“The Blame Game: Attorneys and Accountants In the Crosshairs” presented at the ABA Section of Litigation Annual Conference, Phoenix, Arizona, April 2004 and at the ABA National Legal Malpractice Conference, San Francisco, California, September 2004

“Trying the Case Within A Case” presented at the ABA National Legal Malpractice Conference, Miami Florida, April 2004

“Diversity in the Courtroom” presented at the ABA Annual Meeting, San Francisco, California, August 2003

“Negotiating for Litigators” presented at the ABA Annual Meeting, San Francisco, California, August 2003.

“Trial By Hurry: Making Every Minute Count” presented at the ABA Section of Litigation Annual Conference, Houston, Texas, April 2003

Honors & Awards

• Northern California Super Lawyer” in Professional Liability Defense, Law & Politics Magazine, 2006-2011
• “Best Lawyers in America” (2010 and 2011 editions) practicing in the Legal Malpractice Specialty

Recent Experience

• Recently tried numerous legal malpractice jury trials to conclusion

Related Content

News

• New York Lawyer Wins 2012 Bert W. Levit Essay Contest
• Long & Levit exceeds objectives of the "No Glass Ceiling Initiative" of the Bar Association of San Francisco.