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Doris Cheng
Doris Cheng 
San Francisco, California,
phone 415-992-5819
888-799-3968
fax 415-391-6965
email Email Me

Voted by her peers in 2009 as one of the "Best Lawyers in America," Ms. Cheng's practice focuses on helping individuals and families who have suffered catastrophic injuries caused by vehicular negligence, defective products, governmental negligence, medical negligence, sexual abuse, and hazardous property conditions. She has obtained favorable jury verdicts and settlements throughout California in State and Federal courts throughout California. In 2008, she was nominated as a finalist for "Trial Lawyer of the Year" award given by the San Francisco Trial Lawyer Association.

A graduate of the University of California at Davis, Ms. Cheng attended the University of San Francisco School of Law, from which she graduated with distinction as a Public Interest Law Scholar. In 1997, she served as an extern law clerk to the Honorable Saundra Brown Armstrong, United States District Judge for the Northern District of California.

She has experience in jury trials, mediations and arbitrations. This past year, she obtained a million dollar settlement for a mother and son who suffered chronic carbon monoxide exposure resulting from a defective heater, and over a million dollars against the owner of a defective stairwell on real property. In 2006, a San Francisco jury awarded Ms. Cheng's clients $3,000,000 for the death of their 29-year-old son in a medical negligence action. In a wrongful death case against a rental car company, she successfully negotiated a $6,500,000 settlement on behalf of the decedent's family.

A respected and independent advocate for patient rights, in 2009 she was been appointed to the Oversight Committee of the Office of Independent Administrator, responsible for evaluating the Kaiser arbitration system. After completing a term as Chair of the San Francisco Bar Association's Judicial Screening Committee in 2008, Ms. Cheng was elected to serve the Bar Association of San Francisco Board of Directors in 2009. She also serves as a Board member, and Education Committee Chair, of the San Francisco Trial Lawyer's Association.

Ms. Cheng has been invited to speak on legal issues nationally and internationally. In 2009, she taught trial advocacy to prosecutors and defense attorneys in association with the United States Department of Justice in Pristina, Kosovo. She has also taught advocacy skills to Solicitor Advocates in Northern Ireland. She currently serves as the Co-Program Director of the National Institute for Trial Advocacy's Western Region Teacher Training Program. She is the Co-Program Director for the University of San Francisco Law School's Intensive Advocacy Program. In 2007, she was awarded the John Meehan Fellow award as a distinguished alumnus of the law school. She is also a faculty member of the Emory University's Kessler-Eidson Trial Techniques Program in Atlanta, Georgia.

Judicial Experience:

 

Judicial Extern to Honorable Saundra Brown Armstrong, 1997

 

Academic Positions:

 

University of San Francisco School of Law

Intensive Advocacy Program

Co-Program Director, 2005 - present

Executive Committee, 2000 - present

Faculty Member, 1999 - present

Mock Trial Team Coach, 2003, 2004

 

Emory University, School of Law

Kessler-Eidson Trial Techniques Program Atlanta, Georgia

Faculty, 2004 - present

Team Leader, 2006, 2008

National Institute for Trial Advocacy

Teaching Faculty

Trial Skills Public Programs:

 

Western Regional Trial Skills Program (San Francisco)

 

Pacific Regional Trial Skills Program (San Diego)

 

Southwest Regional Trial Skills Program (Alburquerque, NM)

 

Southern California Trial Skills Program (Los Angeles)

 

National Session (Louisville, CO)

 

Deposition Programs:

 

Western Regional Deposition Program (San Francisco)

 

Pacific Regional Deposition Program (San Diego)

 

Northwest Regional Deposition Program (Seattle, WA)

 

Teacher Training Programs:

 

Advocacy Teacher Training (San Francisco, Boston, Louisville, CO)

 

In-House Trial Skills Programs:

 

U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement / Department of Homeland Security, 2008

 

Littler Mendelsohn, 2007

Fish & Richardson, 2006

Year Joined Organization:
1998
Areas of Practice:
Wrongful Death
Catastrophic Injury
Government Liability
Medical Negligence
Premises Liability
Sexual Molestation
Vehicular Negligence
Education:
University of San Francisco School of Law, San Francisco, California, 1998
J.D.
Honors: With Distinction
Honors: Public Interest Law Scholar
Honors: Extern Law Clerk, Hon. Saundra Brown Armstrong, U.S.D. Court Judge


University of California, Davis


Published Works:
"Cross Examination,", CAOC 46th Annual Conference, November, 2007


"Working with Economists on Personal Injury Damages", National Business Institute, November, 2007


"Persuasive Speaking in the Courtroom", April, 2007


Editor, California Uninsured Motorist Practice, Continuing Education of the Bar, 2005


Classes/Seminars Taught:
Evidence and Theory Testing Lectures, NITA Northwest Regional Trial Skills Program, August 12, 2009


Voir Dire Lecture, NITA Western Regional Trial Skills Program, June 18, 2009


Regional Trial Lawyer Conference, Strategic Deposition Techniques, Squaw Creek, Olympia, CA, June 13, 2009


Lecturer, "Closing Arguments", USF Intensive Advocacy Program, June 4, 2009


Chair & Panelist, "Evidence Advocacy", San Francisco Trial Lawyer Association, June 2, 2006 - June 2, 2009


Effective Physical Communication Strategies During Trial (Webinar Lecture - Seminar Web Live!), May 27, 2009


"Impact Direct Examination", CAOC Tahoe Ski Seminar, March 21, 2009


National Ethics Competition, Judge, Sacramento, CA, March 20, 2009


Stanford Law School Mock Trial Invitational, Judge, January 24, 2009


Evaluating and Advocating Your Settlement, CAOC 47th Annual Conference, November 8, 2008


Chair & Panelist, SFTLA, Medicine for Jurors, October 14, 2008


"Direct & Cross of Expert Witnesses", Department of Homeland Security In-house Advocacy Training Program, Louisville, CO, 2008


Lectures: "Closing Argument" and "Direct & Cross of Experts", USF Intensive Advocacy Program, 2008


Panelist, "Women in the Law", USF Intensive Advocacy Program, May 21, 2008


Presenter, "Jury Selection", NITA Southern California Trial Skills Program, 2008


Chair, SFTLA Roundtable on Arbitrations Issues, December 18, 2007


Chair & Panelist, "Tactical Containment of Experts", SFTLA, December 11, 2007


Faculty & Presenter, Juvenile Court Trial Skills Program, Bar Association of San Francisco, December 1, 2007 - December 3, 2007


Presenter, "Handling the Auto Case From Bumper to Bumper, Part I: Cross Examination", CAOC 46th Annual Conference, 2007


Presenter, "Direct & Cross of Expert Economist" (NITA National Session), Louisville, CO, 2007


"Practical Tips For Communicating With The Jury", SFTLA, April 10, 2007


"Settle or Serve", CAOC Tahoe Ski Seminar, March 24, 2007


Panelist, 32nd Annual National Trial Competition (American College of Trial Lawyers & Texas Young Lawyers Association), February 18, 2007 - Present


Co-Presenter: "Closing Argument: The Last Word", University of San Francisco School of Law, Intensive Advocacy Program, June 1, 2006


"Direct & Cross of Experts" University of San Francisco School of Law, Intensive Advocacy Program", May 29, 2006


Presenter, Gaining the Competitive Edge: Litigating to Win Through Advanced Trial Advocacy in California (San Francisco), April 27, 2006


Panelist, 6th Annual Bay Area Conference, Asian Pacific American Law Students Association, February 4, 2006


Lecture, Handling Obstreperous Opposing Counsel (San Diego)


Lecturer, Powerpoint for Trial Lawyers (San Francisco), 2006


"Preparing Expert Witnesses", NITA National Session, 2005


"Direct & Cross of Experts", University of San Francisco School of Law, Intensive Advocacy Program, 2005


Guest Speaker, USF School of Law Asian Pacific American Law Students Association, April 17, 2005


Lecturer, "Right to a Fair Jury Trial Despite the Media", USF Inn of Court, April 13, 2005


Presenter, Demonstration Automobile Accident Trial, San Francisco Trial Lawyer Association, April 12, 2005


Lecturer, Powerpoint for Trial Lawyers (San Francisco), April 5, 2005


Public Interest Lawyer Advocacy Training, Trainer (San Francisco), 2005


"Suing and Defending the Professional," (San Francisco), California Continuing Education of the Bar, Practising Law Institute, 2004


Lecture "Effective Cross Examination", University of San Francisco School of Law, Intensive Advocacy Program, 2004


"Maximizing Damages with Medical Experts", San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association, 2004


Lecturer, "Legal Ethics", NITA Advocacy Teacher Training, 2003


Lecturer, "Direct & Cross Examinations", University of San Francisco School of Law, Intensive Advocacy Program, 2003


"Civil Litigation", National Business Institute, 2002


Lecturer, "Direct & Cross Examinations", University of San Francisco School of Law, Intensive Advocacy Program, 2002


Trial Skills Training Program, Pristina, Kosovo (U.S. Dept of Justice), 2009


Solicitors Advocates Training Program, Belfast, United Kingdom, 2008


Honors and Awards:
Recipient, John J. Meehan Alumni Fellow Award, USF School of Law, 2007


Best Lawyers in America, 2010


Bar Association of San Francisco Merit Award, 2008


Finalist, "Trial Lawyer of the Year", San Francisco Trial Lawyer Association, 2008


John Meehan Fellow (University of San Francisco School of Law Distinguished Alumnus), 2007


Professional Associations and Memberships:
Bar Association of San Francisco, 2009 - 2011
Board of Directors


Bar Association of San Francisco, 2008
Chair, Judiciary Committee


Bar Association of San Francisco, 2006
Member, Judiciary Committee


San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association, 2003 - Present
Board of Directors


San Francisco Trial Lawyer Association
Education Programs Chair, 2006, 2009


San Francisco Trial Lawyer Association, 2004
Women's Caucus Chair


San Francisco Trial Lawyer Association, 2003 - Present
Mock Trial Committee


Office of Independent Administrator (Kaiser Foundation Health Plan Arbitration System), 2009
Oversight Committee Member


National Association of Women Judges, 2007 - Present
Resource Committee


American Inns of Court, USF Chapter, 1999 - Present
Executive Committee


University of San Francisco, School of Law, 2003 - 2006
Board of Governors


Consumer Attorneys of California


American Association of Justice


California State Bar Association


American Bar Association


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