Bio
Professor Richard Zitrin is a graduate of Oberlin College, A.B. (1968), and New York 精东影业 School of Law, J.D. (1974). He has taught Legal Ethics since 1977鈥攕ince 1994 at UC Law SF鈥攁nd has authored three books and dozens of articles in the field, including a current bimonthly column, The Moral Compass, for American Law Media. He founded and was the first Director of USF鈥檚 Center for Applied Legal Ethics. He was coordinator of USF鈥檚 ethics curriculum and also taught Trial Practice. He has taught ethics orientations around the country, including for several years at Fordham.
In 2019, Professor Zitrin was awarded California Bar’s statewide Harry Sondheim Award for outstanding long-term contribution to the advancement of attorney professional standards in California. He has also chaired the California State Bar鈥檚 ethics committee; been awarded the ABA鈥檚 Pro Bono Publico Award in 2006; continually remained in private practice, trying 50 cases to verdict; become a CA certified specialist in legal malpractice law in 2010; and been technical advisor to the film Class Action (snagging a SAG card and a 13-word role opposite Gene Hackman).
Richard Zitrin was born in Brooklyn and raised in New York. He taught school and spent two years as a political operative before going on to law school and a part-time NYC cab-driving gig. He has lived in San Francisco since 1973, where he completed his last year of law school while working on a multiple-count murder case and practicing criminal law under the then-liberal student practice rules.
In his free time, Professor Zitrin can be found playing saxophone or full-court basketball, at the ballpark or in his Italian restaurant, or watching movies with his wife or three adult children, all of whom live in the Bay Area.
Selected Scholarship
Books
- 聽(LexisNexis 5th ed. 2019) (with Liz Ryan Cole & Tim Casey).
- Legal Ethics: Rules, Statutes, and Comparisons聽(LexisNexis 2014) (with Kevin E. Mohr) (annually updated).
- 聽(LexisNexis 4th ed. 2013) (with Carol M. Langford & Liz Ryan Cole).
- 聽(LexisNexis 3d ed. 2007) (with Carol M. Langford & Nina W. Tarr).
- 聽(LexisNexis 2d ed. 2002) (with Carol M. Langford).
- 聽(Ballantine Books 1999) (with Carol M. Langford).
- 聽(Michie Co. 1995) (with Carol M. Langford).
Journal Articles
- Regulating the Behavior of Lawyers in Mass Individual Representations: A Call for Reform, 3聽St. Mary’s J. Legal Malpractice & Ethics聽86 (2013).聽
- The Judicial Function: Justice Between the Parties, or a Broader Public Interest?, 32聽Hofstra L. Rev.聽1565 (2004).聽
- The Laudable South Carolina Court Rules Must be Broadened, 55聽S.C. L. Rev.聽883 (2004).聽
- Five Who Got It Right, 13聽Widener L.J.聽209 (2003).聽
- Preface (Symposium: Teaching Values in Law School), 36聽U.S.F. L. Rev.聽591 (2002).聽
- The Case Against Secret Settlements (Or, What You Don’t Know聽Can聽Hurt You), 2聽J. Inst. Stud. Legal Ethics聽115 (1999).聽
Newspaper & Magazine Articles
- Competence and (Introducing) Diligence,听[L.A. and S.F] Daily Journal, Sept. 11, 2017.聽
- The Moral Compass: Persky鈥檚 Move: A Reaction to the Reactionary,听The Recorder, Sept. 1, 2016.聽
- The Moral Compass: The State Bar鈥檚 Disciplinary System is Broken,听The Recorder, May 12, 2016.聽
- Monroe Freedman Was Right about Atticus Finch,听The Recorder, Jul. 22, 2015.聽
- The Moral Compass: State Bar Initiates Ethics Rewrite 2.0,听The Recorder, Feb 16, 2015.聽
- Letter: A Lethal Culture of Secrecy at G.M.,听N.Y. Times, Jun. 11, 2014.聽
- The Moral Compass: ‘Playbook’ Theory of Disqualification Isn’t New,听The Recorder, Mar. 28, 2014.聽
- The Moral Compass: Avvo Has Your Number. But What Does It Mean?,听The Recorder, Jan. 3, 2014.聽
- The Moral Compass: Lack of Transparency Marks Recent State Bar Controversies,听The Recorder, Dec. 8, 2014.聽
- The Moral Compass: Secret Settlements Fueled GM’s Latest Ethical Inferno,听The Recorder, June 13, 2014.聽
- The Moral Compass: State Supreme Court Resets Ethics Rewrite,听The Recorder, Oct. 10, 2014.
- The Moral Compass: The Ethical Obligations Your Avvo Profile Presents,听The Recorder, Jan. 17, 2014.聽
- The Moral Compass: Court Struggles to Regulate Attorney Blogging,听Law.com and The Recorder, May 17, 2013.聽
- The Moral Compass: Guard Your Clients’ Public Secrets,听Law.com and The Recorder, June 7, 2013.聽
- The Moral Compass: Law Firm Secrecy at Client’s Expense,听Law.com and The Recorder, July 21, 2013.聽
- The Moral Compass: Narrative Form Is an Untenable Solution in Criminal Cases,听Law.com and The Recorder, Mar. 29, 2013.聽
- The Moral Compass: When Can a Lawyer Break Privilege?,听Law.com and The Recorder, Mar. 1, 2013.聽
- Chevron Fire: Legal Industry Fares Poorly,听S.F. Chron., Aug. 20, 2012.聽
- Full Disclosure Is Key in Mass-Plaintiff Cases,听The Recorder, Dec. 14, 2012.聽
- The Moral Compass: Don’t Just Talk About Trust鈥擡arn It,听The Recorder, Mar. 12, 2012, at 6.聽
- The Moral Compass: How to Handle Mass Tort Conflicts,听The Recorder, Dec. 7, 2012.聽
- The Moral Compass: Lack of Court Funding Further Hampers Access,听The Recorder, Apr. 16, 2012, at 7.聽
- The Moral Compass: Reducing Class Size Is the Right Thing to Do,听The Recorder, June 11, 2012, at 6.聽
- The Moral Compass: State Bar Disaster Team Overreaches,听The Recorder, Aug. 20, 2012, at 6.聽
- The Moral Compass: When a Lawyer Needs a Lawyer,听The Recorder, May 14, 2012, at 6.聽
- At Issue: Should Lawyers Be Required to Perform Free Work for the Poor?,听CQ Researcher, Oct. 7, 2011, at 845.聽
- The Moral Compass: Too Many Lawyers? Too Many Law Schools,听Law.com听补苍诲听The Recorder, Aug. 8, 2011, at 6.
- The Moral Compass: Bar Discipline, Part 1: How Bad? Really Bad,听The recorder, Sept. 19, 2011, at 10.聽
- The Moral Compass: Bar Discipline, Part 2: Sometimes Too Aggressive,听The Recorder, Oct. 3, 2011, at 6.聽
- The Moral Compass: Bar Discipline, Part 3: Solutions Difficult in Bar Discipline Problems,听The Recorder, Nov. 21, 2011, at 6.聽
- The State Bar Falls Short in Protecting the Public,听The Recorder, Nov. 29, 2010, at 7.聽
- Secrecy’s Dangerous Side Effects,听L.A. Times, Feb. 8, 2007.聽
- A Challenge to San Francisco Law Firms,听The Recorder, Sept. 13, 2002.
- The Fault Lies in the Ethics Rules,听Nat’l L.J., July 6, 2001.
- Time to End the Secrecy,听S.F. Chron., Aug. 21, 2001.聽
- Why Lawyers Keep Secrets About Public Harm,听Prof. Law., Summer, 2001, at 1.聽
- After the Whistle Blows,听The Recorder, Dec. 23, 2000.
- It Is Time to Question How Our Legal System Can Afford to Allow Secret Settlements,听Voir Dire, Spring, 2000, at 12 (with Carol M. Langford).
- Overcoming Secrecy with Judicial Power,听Trial, Nov., 2000, at 74.
- The Moral Compass: A Fistful of Fees,听ALM dailies, Jan. 10, 2000 (with Carol M. Langford).聽
- The Moral Compass: A Tale of Two Faxes,听ALM dailies, Apr. 25, 2000 (with Carol M. Langford).聽
- The Moral Compass: Law Firms Seem to Be Stealing Signs From Baseball on Salaries,听ALM dailies, Feb. 14, 2000 (with Carol M. Langford).聽
- The Moral Compass: South Carolina Flag Flap Continues to Grow,听ALM dailies, Mar. 13, 2000 (with Carol M. Langford).聽
- Dangerous Liaisons,听House Couns., Spring, 1999, at 34 (with William M. Balin).
- Ethics Rules for Neutrals,听Prof. Law., Summer, 1999, at 27.聽
- False Profits,听House Couns., Fall, 1999, at 16 (with William M. Balin).
- Getting in the Middle,听The Recorder, Feb. 17, 1999, at 5.
- Out of Jail, Through a Garden,听S.F. Examiner, Apr. 7, 1999.
- The Moral Compass: Action Needed on Class Action,听ALM dailies, July 1, 1999 (with Carol M. Langford).聽
- The Moral Compass: Associated Stress Disorder,听The Recorder, Sept. 22, 1999, at 5 (with Carol M. Langford).聽
- The Moral Compass: Calculated Malfeasance,听ALM dailies, May 7, 1999 (with Carol M. Langford).聽
- The Moral Compass: Has the MDP Train Left the Station? The Accountants Are Coming,听The Recorder, Nov. 24, 1999, at 4 (with Carol M. Langford).
- The Moral Compass: Hide and Secrets,听ALM dailies, Apr. 14, 1999, at 5 (with Carol M. Langford).聽
- The Moral Compass: Hide and Secrets II: Throwing a Head Case,听ALM dailies, Apr. 21, 1999, at 5 (with Carol M. Langford).聽
- The Moral Compass: How High the Bar?,听ALM dailies, July 30, 1999 (with Carol M. Langford).聽
- The Moral Compass: No Badge of Courage,听ALM dailies, June 9, 1999, at 5 (with Carol M. Langford).聽
- The Moral Compass: Overprivileged,听ALM dailies, Mar. 17, 1999, at 5 (with Carol M. Langford).聽
- The Moral Compass: Striking Back at SLAPPs,听ALM dailies, Apr. 28, 1999, at 5 (with Carol M. Langford).聽
- The Moral Compass: Who’s Afraid of Pro Bono?,听ALM dailies, Nov. 8, 1999 (with Carol M. Langford).聽
- The Rules of the Profession,听Cal. Law., June, 1999, at 70 (with Carol M. Langford).
- Attorney-Client Sieve,听The Recorder, Apr. 8, 1998, at 6 (with Carol M. Langford).
- Ethics in Ashes,听Cal. Law., Nov., 1998, at 46 (with Carol M. Langford).
- The Kaczynski Dilemma,听Legal Times, Feb. 2, 1998, at 29.
- Truth, Justice, and the Criminal Defense Lawyer,听Prof. Law., Summer, 1998, at 10.聽
- Unauthorized Practice,听House Couns., Fall, 1998.
- Class Action Conflict,听Cal. Law., Mar., 1996, at 37 (with Michele Corash, Joe Cotchett, et al.).
- Ethical Dilemmas for the Partnership Lawyer,听Cal. Law., Feb., 1996, at 62 (with Carol M. Langford).
- The High Road,听L.A. Daily J., Dec. 30, 1996, at 6.
- How to Comply With New ABA Standards,听Law. Referral Network, Summer, 1995, at 1.
- An Ethics Rx for Your Practice,听Cal. Bar J., May, 1994, at 11 (with Carol M. Langford).
- Knowing When to Disqualify Yourself From a Case,听Cal. Bar J., Feb., 1994, at 26.
- Ethical Issues Face LRIS’s Too,听Law. Referral Network, Spring, 1993, at 3.
- Risky Business . . . Representing Multiple Interests,听Ethics Hotliner, Winter, 1993, at 1.聽
- Drafting Airtight Fee Agreements,听Cal. Law., Oct., 1992, at 67.
- Emerging Ethical Issues in Mediation,听Cal. Law., Apr., 1992, at 66.
- Attorney, Heal Thyself,听Cal. Law., July, 1991, at 38.
- Hollywood Law: A San Francisco Lawyer Finds His Advice Goes Only So Far in a Movieland Courtroom,听Cal. Law., Mar., 1991, at 41.
- In-House Outlaws?,听Cal. Law., Dec., 1990, at 60.
- Gambling with Multiple Interests,听Cal. Law., Apr., 1989, at 73.
- When Fees Are Unethical,听Cal. Law., Nov., 1989, at 74.
Education
-
New York 精东影业 School of Law
J.D., Law 1974 -
Oberlin College
A.B., Government 1968
Accomplishments
-
Harry Sondheim Award
Awarded for outstanding long-term contribution to the advancement of attorney professional standards in California 2019 -
Award of Merit
Awarded by the Bar Association of San Francisco, for efforts to ensure the success of the Bar鈥檚 legal services programs. 2011 -
Pro Bono Publico Award
Awarded by the American Bar Association. 2006 -
State Bar of California annual diversity award
Awarded by the Bar Association of San Francisco Foundation. 2004 -
Honoree
Conferred at the Bar Association of San Francisco Foundation鈥檚 First Annual Gala, for volunteer work. 2004 -
Certificate of Merit
Awarded by the Bar Association of San Francisco, for promoting 鈥渆quality and justice for all.鈥 2002