San Francisco Chapter of ABOTA
In 1958, a group of Los Angeles trial lawyers had banded together to form a new organization for trial attorneys. After the initial formation of the organization, the group decided to include plaintiff's attorneys.
This new group named itself the American Board of Trial Advocates (ABOTA). The San Francisco Chapter can be traced back to 1963.
The geographical boundaries of the San Francisco Chapter include San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Alameda, and Contra Costa counties. It remains the leading organization of personal injury attorneys in San Francisco and trial lawyers throughout Northern California.
History of the San Francisco Chapter of ABOTA
The origins of the San Francisco Chapter can be traced back to 1963 when members in ABOTA discussed starting an ABOTA chapter in San Francisco. The first meetings were held at Paoli's which was located at the corner of California and Montgomery streets. The first three presidents of the organization were Ed Moran, Richard Gerry and Robert Cartwright.
In 1971, a San Francisco member ABOTA named Ed Heafey, Jr., of Oakland, CA, was elected national president for the first time. Other local chapter members elected to be the president of ABOTA include James Downing of San Francisco in 1974 and Alexis Perillat of San Francisco in 1976.
Past Presidents of the San Francisco Chapter of ABOTA
The past presidents of the San Francisco Chapter of ABOTA include:
- 2016 Frank M. Pitre
- 2015 Donald W. Carlson
- 2014 Richard H. Schoenberger
- 2013 Paul N. Cesari
- 2012 William B. Smith
- 2011 Michael P. Bradley
- 2010 Michael A. Kelly
- 2009 Michael J. Ney
- 2008 Cynthia McGuinn
- 2007 Eugene Brown, Jr.
- 2006 Peter Hinton
- 2005 Frederick H. Ebey
- 2004 John F. DeMeo
- 2003 Ralph A. Lombardi
- 2002 Richard H. Carlson
- 2001 Dennis F. Moriarty
- 2000 Don E. Bailey
- 1999 Weldon S. Wood
- 1998 John A. McGuinn
- 1997 Robert E. Dryden
- 1996 Edward J. Nevin
- 1995 David B. Lynch
- 1994 Daniel J. Kelly
- 1993 David P. Freitas
- 1992 Albert R. Abramson
- 1991 Joseph W. Rogers
- 1990 George J. Shelby
- 1989 Burton K. Wines
- 1988 Ronald Rouda
- 1987 Eugene J. Majeski
- 1986 Leroy W. Rice
- 1985 Edward J. McFetridge
- 1984 Nathan Cohn
- 1983 William D. McDowall
- 1982 Jeremiah F. O'Neill, Jr.
- 1981 Richard M. Sangster
- 1980 Phillip E. Brown
- 1979 John F. Van De Poel
- 1978 Malcolm N. McCarthy
- 1977 John J. Corrigan
- 1976 J. Fred Haley
- 1975 Nelson C. Barry
- 1974 James C. Downing
- 1973 Richard Bettini
- 1972 Alexis J. Perillat
- 1971 George W. Ball
- 1970 Robert D. Barbagelata
- 1969 E.D. Bronson, Jr.
- 1968 Bergen Van Brunt
- 1967 Edwin A. Heafey, Jr.
- 1966 Robert E. Cartwright
- 1965 Richard F. Gerry
- 1964 Edward T. Moran
This article was last updated on Friday, September 6, 2019.
