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Doris Cheng

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Doris Cheng has been ranked as one of the top 10 lawyers in Northern California. She is listed among the Best Lawyers of America®, LawDragon 500 Leading Lawyers, Super Lawyers® and San Francisco Best Lawyers. She was chosen as Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers of America for 2017.

Specializing in complex injuries caused by third-party negligence, Ms. Cheng has obtained multi-million dollar settlements and verdicts on behalf of disabled plaintiffs. She obtained a $15,000,000 verdict on behalf of a young man who suffered brain injuries due to the delayed diagnosis of a stroke. She completed a $19,000,000 settlement for parents whose son was crushed by a defective gate. She secured a $19,000,000 settlement for wrongful death heirs against an auto manufacturer for a defective fuel line. She obtained a $9,000,000 award to care for a severely disabled boy in a wrongful life action.

A frequent guest lecturer and adjunct professor, Ms. Cheng has trained lawyers and judges nationally and internationally. As part of the Rule of Law Initiative, she has had the privilege of training trial lawyers and judges in Mexico, Kosovo, and Macedonia. She has also collaborated and trained with civil practitioners in Singapore and Belfast. She regularly directs trial skills training programs for criminal prosecution offices in Scotland and throughout the Caribbean Basin.

Ms. Cheng is the Program Director of the National Institute for Trial Advocacy’s Western Region Advocacy Teacher Training Program. She is a past recipient of the Robert E. Keeton Award for outstanding service by the National Institute for Trial Advocacy and a past recipient of the University of San Francisco Professional Achievement Award. She is the inaugural recipient of the American Board of Trial Advocates’ Champion of Justice Award (2022).

Ms. Cheng is involved in local bar associations and community organizations. She was the 106th President of the Bar Association of San Francisco. She is a past President of the San Francisco Chapter of the American Board of Trial Advocates, San Francisco Trial Lawyer Association, and Justice and Diversity Center. She is a member of the American College of Trial Lawyers, American Board of Trial Advocacy, and International Academy of Trial Lawyers. She serves on the Kaiser Arbitration Oversight Board and is a Board Trustee of the University of San Francisco.

She is a co-author of the eminent Rutter Group California Practice Guide on Personal Injury, and the trial practice guide, Mastering the Mechanics of Civil Jury Trials.

Following the induction of new Fellows of The American College of Trial Lawyers, Doris Cheng gave a speech to all the new inductees about being awarded such an elite honor.

 

Client Testimonials

Client Testimonials

Trial Lawyer Associations Memberships & Affiliations

American Board of Trial Advocates

  • ABOTA National, Executive Committee Member, 2020, 2022
  • ABOTA National, Presidential Task Force, 2020, 2022
  • ABOTA National, Rapid Response Team, 2022, 2024
  • ABOTA National, Trial College Faculty, 2021, 2022
  • ABOTA National, International Issues Committee, 2021 – present
  • ABOTA National, COVID19 Task Force, 2020
  • Cal-ABOTA Board of Directors, Member 2019 – 2021
  • President (San Francisco Chapter), 2020
  • Vice President (San Francisco Chapter), 2019
  • Treasurer (San Francisco Chapter), 2018
  • Secretary (San Francisco Chapter), 2017
  • National Representative (San Francisco Chapter), 2015 – present
  • Executive Committee (San Francisco Chapter), 2015 – present
  • Foundation Board Member, 2017 – present
  • Chair, Civility Matters! Programs (Law School Division), 2012 – 2014
  • Member, 2011 – present

American College of Trial Lawyers

  • Member, 2015 – present
  • Admission to Fellowship Committee, 2015 – 2022
  • National Trial Competition Committee, 2015 – 2016
  • State Committee, 2015 – 2018

International Academy of Trial Lawyers

  • Rule of Law Education and Advocacy Program, 2022
  • Board of Directors, 2018 – present
  • Member, 2017 – present

San Francisco Bar Association and Justice & Diversity Center

  • President, 2019
  • Vice President, 2018
  • Treasurer, 2017
  • Secretary, 2016
  • Early Settlement Panelist, 2010 – 2012
  • Member, Board of Directors, 2009-2011
  • Conference of Delegates, 2009, 2012
  • Chair, Judiciary Committee, 2008
  • Judiciary Committee, Member, 2006-2008
  • Chair, Barrister Club Newsletter, 2003
  • Vice Chair, Barrister Club Newsletter, 2002

San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association

  • President, 2015
  • President-Elect, 2014
  • Vice President, 2013
  • Secretary, 2012
  • Treasurer, 2011
  • Parliamentarian, 2010
  • Finance Committee, 2009 – present
  • Committee on Directors, 2009 – present
  • Educational Programs, Chair 2006, 2009
  • Women’s Caucus, Chair 2004
  • Mock Trial Committee, 2003-2011
  • Board of Directors, 2003- present

California Lawyers Association

  • Chair, Task Force for the Future of the Profession, 2020-2021

National Judicial College Board of Visitors

  • Member, 2021 – present

Kaiser Arbitration Oversight Board

  • Board Member, 2010 – present

Litigation Counsel of America

  • Fellow, 2012 – present

National Trial Lawyers

  • Member, 2012 – present

National Association of Women Judges

  • Resource Board, 2007- 2016

American Inns of Court, USF Chapter

  • Executive Committee, 1999-2011
  • Counselor, 2009-2011
  • Secretary-Treasurer, 2002-2003
  • Program Chair, 2001-2002
  • Membership Chair, 2000-2001

Bar Admissions

  • California
  • U.S. District Court Northern District of California
  • U.S. District Court Eastern District of California
  • U.S. Court of Appeals 9th Circuit

Law School and Teaching Affiliations

  • University of San Francisco
    • Board of Trustees, 2022 – present
  • University of San Francisco School of Law
    • Intensive Advocacy Program, Program Director (Adjunct Professor), 2014 – present
    • Intensive Advocacy Program, Faculty, 1999 to present
    • Board of Counselors, 2011 – 2018
    • Board of Governors, 2003 – 2006
    • Coach, Thomas Tang Moot Court Competition (4 teams for USF), 2004
  • UC Berkeley School of Law
    • Adjunct Professor of Trial Advocacy Course, 2010-2011
    • Guest Speaker, Oral Advocacy for International LLM Students, 2013-2018, 2021-2024
    • Guest Speaker, Negotiations, 2019
  • UC Hastings College of Law
    • Guest Lecturer of Trial Advocacy Course, 2017, 2019, 2022
  • University of Notre Dame
    • Intensive Trial Advocacy Program (Adjunct Faculty), 2019, 2021, 2022
  • Emory University School of Law
    • Kessler-Eidson Trial Techniques Program, Faculty 2003-2008, 2011
  • University of San Diego School of Law
    • Advocacy Training, Mexicali, Mexico (in connection with USAID grant), 2010
  • National Institute for Trial Advocacy
    • Board of Trustees & Executive Committee, 2019 – present
    • Program Director, Teacher Training, 2011 – present
    • Program Director, Drills Bootcamp, 2016 – present
    • Program Director, Western Regional Advocacy Teacher Training
    • Program Director, International Advocacy Training (Kosovo, Macedonia, Northern Ireland, Singapore, Scotland and the Caribbean Islands)
    • Faculty, Public and Private Advocacy Programs

Publications

Books/Book Chapter:

  1. Haning, Z., Flahavan, W., Wright, K., Cheng, D., California Practice Guide: Personal Injury, The Rutter Group (2015 – present))
  2. Draa, T., Cheng D., Bondonno, F., Harrington, M., Mastering the Mechanics of Civil Jury Trials, A Strategic Guide Outlining the Anatomy of a Trial, Balcony 7 Publishing © 2015.
  3. Continuing Education of the Bar, California Uninsured Motorist Practice, August 2005 (contributing editor)

Awards and Recognition

  • American Board of Trial Advocates Inaugural Champion of Justice Award, 2022
  • San Francisco Trial Lawyer Association Outstanding Female Trial Lawyer Award, 2021
  • Consumer Attorneys of California Robert E. Cartwright, Sr. Award, 2019
  • LawDragon 500 Leading Lawyers, 2019 – present
  • Top 10 Lawyers in Northern California, 2024
  • Top 50 Women Lawyers in Northern California, 2011 – 2014, 2016 – present
  • Top 100 Lawyers, Super Lawyers, 2017- present
  • California Super Lawyers, 2010 – present
  • Best Lawyers in America, 2010 – present
  • Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement, Inductee, 2018
  • Lawyer of the Year Award by Best Lawyers in America, 2017
  • University of San Francisco Professional Achievement Award, 2015
  • American College of Trial Lawyers, Inductee Responder, 2015
  • NITA Robert E. Keeton Faculty Award, 2012
  • San Francisco’s Top Attorneys, 2010 – present
  • National Law Journal, Minority 40 Under 40 Award, 2011
  • America’s Top 100 Attorneys, National Trial Lawyers, 2010 – present
  • Bar Association of San Francisco Merit Award, 2008, 2012
  • Bar Association of San Francisco, Justice & Diversity Center Outstanding Volunteer Award, 2013,2015
  • Trial Lawyer of the Year Finalist, San Francisco Trial Lawyer Association, 2008
  • John Meehan Fellow (USF School of Law, Distinguished Alumnus), 2007

Community Activities

  • Juvenile Justice Center Debate Program, 2017
  • Lowell High School Mock Trial Team, Head Coach, 2010 – 2014
  • Girls Basketball Coach
    • Patrick (CYO) (5th through 7th grade), 2007 – 2009
    • BCSFYAO (Japanese League) (5th and 6th grade), 2004 – 2006
    • Lowell High School, Summer Clinic (JV and Varsity), 2003
    • Notre Dames des Victoires (CYO) (5th through 8th grade), 1999 – 2002
    • Cornerstone Academy (CYO) (8th grade), 1995
  • Log Cabin Ranch Gardening Project (SF Youth Guidance Center), Volunteer, 2014
  • Hip Wah Summer Program
  • Cooperative Restraining Order Clinic Volunteer, 1997 – 2000

Lawyers Who Know How to Win Your Case

Walkup team members have consistently contributed to the welfare and improvement of the people and communities of the Bay Area and Northern California.

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