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San Francisco Law School Faculty

San Francisco Law School is proud of its adjunct faculty which is comprised primarily of practicing attorneys and judges. Our professors are dedicated to teaching and scholarship and bring the law alive in the classroom with its application to real-world situations. They are readily available to students outside of the classroom to provide academic support and guidance and serve the legal profession and their communities.

Duke Amaniampong
Course: Bar Strategies, Torts, International Law, and Academic Support
J.D., Santa Clara University School of Law, 1995; MBA in Computer Information Systems, Bentley College; B.S., Bentley College. Founder of Duke & Associates; Mr. Amaniampong specializes in intellectual property and technology licensing matters.

Marvin Appelbaum
Course: Real Property, Remedies
J.D., University of San Francisco, School of Law, 1988, Magna Cum Laude; A.B., University of California, Berkeley, with Honors. Appellate Attorney and independent researcher and writer serving Bay Area attorneys.

Jack F. Bonanno
Course: Wills & Trusts
LL.M. Georgetown University, 1964; J.D., University of San Francisco, 1963, Honor Society, Moot Court Judges' Board; B.S., University of San Francisco, top graduate. Mr. Bonanno is in private practice, specializing in wills, trusts, and estate planning. Adjunct Professor University of San Francisco Law School, 1967-1973; Hastings College of Law, 1973-present; Golden Gate University School of Law, 1989-present. Mr. Bonanno holds the John Jay Ferdon Chair of Wills & Trusts.

Hon. Carol Brown
Course: Remedies
J.D., University of Southern California, 1984; B.A., University of Southern California. Administrative law judge with the California Public Utilities Commission; currently serving as executive assistant to Commissioner Peevey of the Public Utilities Commission.

Geoffrey Brown
Course: Evidence & Criminal Procedure
J.D., San Francisco Law School, 1970; B.A., University of California, Berkeley. Five-term San Francisco Public Defender; former Commissioner of the California Public Utilities Commission; and former Dean of the John F. Kennedy University, School of Law. Adjunct Professor.

 Malea Chavez
Course: Introduction to Superior Court; MBE; Access Clinical Fieldwork
J.D., Hastings College of the Law, 2003; B.A., Arizona State University. Legal consultant and former Staff Attorney II, San Francisco Superior Court.

Wendy Coats
Course: Civil Procedure
J.D., Pepperdine University School of Law, 2005; B.S., University of Missouri. Founding partner of McGuire Coats LLP; Ms. Coats specializes in appellate advocacy and business management and publishes a legal blog, known as "The Ninth."

Jerry P. Coleman
Course: Identity Theft
J.D., University of California, Davis School of Law, 1977; A.B., Stanford University. Assistant District Attorney and Director of Training, San Francisco District Attorney's Office.

Allen F. Corotto
Course: Corporations
J.D., University of San Francisco School of Law, 1960; Law Honor Society; Chairman, Moot Court Board; National Moot Court Competition; B.A., Stanford University. Former Regional Trial Attorney and Chief, Branch of Corporate Reorganization, U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission, Western Region. 1982 recipient SEC Distinguished Service Award.

Andrew Davies
Course: Advanced Legal Reasoning, Moot Court
2007, J.D., Loyola University College of Law, 2002; B.S., Santa Clara University.

Harry M. Dorfman
Course: Criminal Law, Advanced Criminal Law
J.D. Hastings College of the Law, 1984; B.A.; Harvard University, cum laude. San Francisco Assistant District Attorney, San Francisco District Attorney's Office, Sexual Assault Trial Unit; California State Assembly, Chief Counsel, Committee on Public Safety. Adjunct Professor Hasting College of the Law School, 1989-1997. San Francisco Law School Professor of the Year and 2008 a Most Inspirational Teacher.

Steve Feller
Course: Legal Research
J.D., John F. Kennedy University, School of Law, 1996; MLIS, San Jose State University; B.A., University of California, Berkeley. Currently, Branch Librarian, Contra Costa County Law Library and Alameda County Law Library. Formerly, Law Library Director & Adjunct Professor at John F. Kennedy University, School of Law 2005-2010; Reference Librarian, Golden Gate University, School of Law 2002-2005.

Michael J. Fox
Course: Professional Responsibility
J.D., Northeastern University School of Law, 1977; A.B., University of California, Santa Cruz, with Honors. Disciplinary prosecutor, Office of Trial Counsel, State Bar of California, 1981-1983; attorney, Long & Levit, 1983-1988, Morrison & Foerster, 1988-1992 and Lieff, Cabraser, Heimann & Bernstein, 1992-1993; Judge Pro Tem, Marin County Superior Court, 1987; Probation Monitor Referee, State Bar of California, 1993-1994; lecturer. Adjunct Professor, Golden Gate University School of Law, 1993-1994.

Janet Frankel
Course: Community Property
J.D., Hastings College of Law, 1992; B.A., University of California, Los Angeles. Founder of the Law Offices of Janet L. Frankel, she is a certified as a Family Law Specialist, and serves as a Judge pro tem for the law and motion departments of the San Francisco Superior Court Unified Family Court, and the Small Claims department. 1997, 1998 recipient State Bar Wiley W. Manual Award for Pro Bono Legal Services; 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 recipient State Bar Board of Legal Specialization Certificate of Appreciation for participation as guest on "Call a Lawyer" segment of Chuck Finney's "Your Legal Rights" radio program.

Abe Gupta
Course: Legal Writing, Orientation
J.D., University of San Francisco, 2006; B.S., Stanford University.

Richard B. Hechler
Course: Elder Law
J.D., Golden Gate University School of Law, 1981; B.A., Boston University. Assistant District Attorney, San Francisco District Attorney's Office, Head Elder Abuse Unit; Financial Abuse Specialist Team, the Elder Abuse Investigative Team. Adjunct Professor Golden Gate University School of Law, 2002-2003; University of San Francisco School of Law, 2003; member Consortium for Elder Abuse Prevention.

Paul Lufkin
Course: Constitutional Law
J.D., Boalt Hall School of Law, 1989; B.A., University of California, Santa Barbara. Staff Attorney for the Supreme Court of California.

Geraldine McGrath
Course: Advanced Legal Writing, Orientation
J.D., San Francisco Law School, 1982; B.A., San Francisco State University. Ms. McGrath specializes in advising technology companies; and server on the American Arbitration Association Mediator and Arbitrator Panels.

Christopher Martz
Course:  California & Federal Civil Procedure, Juvenile Law
J.D., New College of California School of Law, 2007; B.A., Bard College. Mr. Martz is in private practice; specializing in juvenile dependency, education and landlord tenant law. Adjunct professor John F. Kennedy School of Law.

Don Mendel
Course: UCC
J.D., San Francisco Law School, with honors, 1998; MBA, Santa Clara University; B.A., San Francisco State University. General Counsel Nurserymen's Exchange 1998-2011.

Conor Moore
Course: Contracts
J.D., UCLA School of Law, 2003; MS in Criminology and Criminal Justice, Oxford, UK; B.A., University of California, Berkeley. Deputy Attorney California Department of Justice General.

Leslie S. Patrick
Course: Academic Support, Contracts
LL.B., Harvard, 1958; B.A., Cornell. Mr. Patrick, a former Deputy Corporations Counsel, Division of Corporations, State of California is in private practice in Marin County, specializing in business law and is special counsel to the law firm of Lanahan & Reilley, LLP. Associate Dean, San Francisco Law School 1983-2011 and San Francisco Law School Distinguished Professor.

Roy Scheingart
Course: Trial Practice
J.D., San Francisco Law School, 1979; B.S., California State University, Hayward. Deputy District Attorney, Alameda County District Attorney's Office. Two-time recipient of San Francisco Law School Professor of the Year Award.

Sondra Solovay
Course: Torts
J.D., Boalt Hall School of Law, 1996; B.A., Brown University, with Honors. Ms. Solovay is in private practice; legal consultant and diversity trainer. Adjunct Professor John F. Kennedy, School of Law; New College of California School of law, 2005-2008. 2001 recipient Certificate of Appreciation, WomanCare Plus Research Project; 2001 recipient Certificate of Appreciation, Emergency Care Research Project; World Institute on Disabilities.

Rand Stephens
Course: Employment Law
J.D., San Francisco Law School. Mr. Stephens is in private practice, specializing in civil litigation, mediation, arbitration, and employment law.

Sarah Wolking
Course: Education Law, Evidence Advocacy
J.D., Boston University School of Law, 1992; B.A., Princeton University, 1988, High Honors.
Former, Assistant District attorney, Alameda County District Attorney's office.