Stephen Ellison

Stephen Ellison is a freelance writer based in San Jose. Contact him at ssjellison@aol.com.

Articles written by this author:

Trials and tribulations: A profile of Oakland trial lawyer J. Gary Gwilliam

A childhood of hard times leads to a life of alcohol abuse until a spiritual awakening changes this hard-charging plaintiff's lawyer

Stephen Ellison

2008 April


Public Justice: Redefining the idea of teamwork in the courtroom

Standing for Truth, and Justice, and the American Way is more than just a catchphrase

Stephen Ellison

2008 June


Lawyers at leisure: “Back away from the desk!”

Here’s a look at some of the more interesting after-hours activities pursued by legal minds

Stephen Ellison

2009 March


Why AAJ moved its convention

AAJ decides to avoid political clash in San Diego; relocates convention to San Francisco

Stephen Ellison

2009 June


Medical liens: Necessary evil or litigation advantage?

The economy, the Supreme Court and HMOs combine to accelerate the use of medical liens in personal injury cases

Stephen Ellison

2013 April


Reporting for duty

Track down all the incident reports, videos and maybe even a witness to better understand what happened

Stephen Ellison

2016 October


Profile: RJ Waldsmith

From To Kill a Mockingbird to finding success through technology, teamwork and a passion for helping clients

Stephen Ellison

2016 December


Profile: Anne Costin

Profile: Anne Costin

Employment law specialist, she fosters a nontraditional relationship with clients as she continues to fight for them as a solo practitioner

Stephen Ellison

2017 January


Profile: Joseph Brent

The former prosecutor enjoys challenge of tough liability cases

Stephen Ellison

2017 February


Profile: Claude Wyle

35-year veteran thrives on holding bullies accountable while remaining human

Stephen Ellison

2017 March


Profile: Karine Bohbot and Elizabeth Riles

It’s all about symmetry for this pair of employment lawyers at the top of their game

Stephen Ellison

2017 April


Profile: Rene Turner Sample

Influenced by her strong faith and personal family struggles, lifelong Fresno resident keeps her focus on the client’s best interest and keeps her ego out of it

Stephen Ellison

2017 May


Profile: Nina Shapirshteyn

Ukrainian immigrant cherished her chance at success in the U.S. and developed a passion for products-liability cases

Stephen Ellison

2017-June


Profile: Kevin Morrison

Shrewd, passionate trial lawyer embraces challenges in the courtroom and on the bike

Stephen Ellison

2017 July


Profile: Wes Lowe

Insurance bad-faith specialist follows his passion, not the money, to success

Stephen Ellison

2017 August


Profile: Leslie Levy

Thinking outside the confines of law-school teachings helped jump-start a long, successful career for this civil rights advocate

Stephen Ellison

2017 September


Profile: Scott Righthand

Personal injury specialist refuses to back down, even when faced with improbable odds; still takes med-mal “250 cases” when the client “gets to me”

Stephen Ellison

2017 October


Profile: Karen Carrera

Immigrant from Peru draws on personal experience to ensure Latinos are treated fairly in employment and housing

Stephen Ellison

2017 November


Profile: Theo Emison

Fourth-generation lawyer from rural Tennessee makes his own way in the big city

Stephen Ellison

2017 December


Profile: Bill McDevitt

A blue-collar upbringing provides personal-injury attorney with motivation to level the playing field

Stephen Ellison

2018 January


Profile: Brian Gearinger

Third-generation attorney comes full circle with his solo plaintiff law practice

Stephen Ellison

2018 February


Profile: Chantel Fitting

She hates to lose, but it happens when you take cases that other PI attorneys won’t touch

Stephen Ellison

2018 March


Profile: Boone Callaway

He never set out to be a med-mal lawyer – and then that Kaiser case landed on his desk and he was hooked

Stephen Ellison

2018 April


Profile: Chris Viadro

Practicing law wasn’t what he had hoped for, until losing a job led to his “light-bulb moment”

Stephen Ellison

2018 May


Profile: P. Bobby Shukla

Profile: P. Bobby Shukla

Indian-Brazilian immigrant overcomes barriers to establish herself as a top advocate in employment law

Stephen Ellison

2018 June


Profile: Andje Medina

“You have to have faith and follow your heart” — and become fully invested in your clients

Stephen Ellison

2018 July


Profile: Jayme Walker

Young partner at old firm makes her mark in employment law

Stephen Ellison

2018 August


Profile: Khaldoun Baghdadi

“Make sure the focus is on the client and not on you, because it’s not about you.”

Stephen Ellison

2018 September


Profile: Mark Burton

Whether it’s suing Uber over employment status or proving that the weed killer Roundup causes cancer, he thrives in complex litigation

Stephen Ellison

2018 October


Profile: Jonathan Davis

Former labor union rep goes all in as a ‘proactive’ lawyer for the underdog

Stephen Ellison

2018 November


Profile: Rachel Abrams

Would-be marine biologist uses her scientific expertise to litigate against Big Pharma, medical-device firms

Stephen Ellison

2018 December


Profile: Rick Baskin

Profile: Rick Baskin

Trial lawyer helps people shake the blues before he hits the stage to play them

Stephen Ellison

2019 January


Profile: Lexi Hazam

Multidistrict litigator stares down Big Pharma, others with help from her anthropological background

Stephen Ellison

2019 February


Profile: Bryan Schwartz

Employment law specialist has a keen ability to put himself in his clients’ shoes

Stephen Ellison

2019 March


Profile: Seth Rosenberg

A knack for engaging, listening to and helping people. And winning big verdicts by focusing on key issues

Stephen Ellison

2019 April


Profile: Jesse Chrisp

Profile: Jesse Chrisp

Small-town lawyer succeeds through diligent studies and a passion for taking down Goliaths

Stephen Ellison

2019 May


Profile: Carter Zinn

A second stint in law school helps academic find his path into personal-injury law

Stephen Ellison

2019 June


Profile: Sarah London

Profile: Sarah London

From organizing a fifth-grade walkout to hammering away at Big Tobacco, no fight is too big or small

Stephen Ellison

2019 July


Profile: Lyle Cavin

Profile: Lyle Cavin

Bay Area native doesn’t travel far to come a long way in 47-year career

Stephen Ellison

2019 August


Profile: Katie Spielman

Profile: Katie Spielman

Stanford grad forsakes corporate practice to advocate for consumers and take down scheming insurance companies

Stephen Ellison

2019 September


Profile: John Roach

Profile: John Roach

Working at prominent plaintiffs’ firms and finding a mentor leads to successful solo practice

Stephen Ellison

2019 October


Profile: Greg O’Connell

Profile: Greg O’Connell

Longtime prosecutor makes a smooth transition into personal-injury law

Stephen Ellison

2019 November


Profile: Peter Koenig

Profile: Peter Koenig

As a defense lawyer, decisions on resolving a case were “out of my hands.” Not anymore

Stephen Ellison

2019 December


Profile: Issa Michael

Profile: Issa Michael

Palestinian native makes good on the immigrant dream, keeping it small, simple and successful

Stephen Ellison

2020 January


Profile: Brian Graziani

Profile: Brian Graziani

PI lawyer defies the odds – and the MICRA cap – in a big medical-malpractice case

Stephen Ellison

2020 February


Profile: Anne Kepner

Profile: Anne Kepner

Early career includes both insurance-defense work and mass-tort litigation for breast-implant plaintiffs

Stephen Ellison

2020 March


Profile: Kimberly Wong

Profile: Kimberly Wong

Quiet by nature, her meticulous preparation moves defendants towards substantial settlements, often in catastrophic cases

Stephen Ellison

2020 April


Profile: Menaka Fernando

Profile: Menaka Fernando

Taking sexual-harassment cases to a new level for lower-wage earners

Stephen Ellison

2020 May


Profile: Mary Catherine Wiederhold

Profile: Mary Catherine Wiederhold

Tenant lawyer keeps landlords in check across the rent-happy Bay Area

Stephen Ellison

2020 June


Profile: Sara Peters

Profile: Sara Peters

Long hours feel a lot different when you’re working on something you care about

Stephen Ellison

2020 July


Profile: Tiseme Zegeye

Profile: Tiseme Zegeye

Employment law and discrimination specialist continues the fight for basic human liberties

Stephen Ellison

2020 August


Profile: Philip Pillsbury

Profile: Philip Pillsbury

Out of order is how this insurance-bad-faith lawyer approaches trials

Stephen Ellison

2020 September


Profile: Jennifer Fiore

Profile: Jennifer Fiore

Collaboration is key for PI lawyer handling cases from maritime to wildfires

Stephen Ellison

2020 October


Profile: Susan Kang Gordon

Profile: Susan Kang Gordon

Running her own firm at a young age – and her own life

Stephen Ellison

2020 November


Profile: Dan Wilcoxen

Profile: Dan Wilcoxen

Hard work, honesty and a little luck have been the pillars of success for 48-year veteran of the bar

Stephen Ellison

2020 December


Profile: Karman Guadagni

Profile: Karman Guadagni

Change of course leads a once aspiring journalist on the road to elder law

Stephen Ellison

2021 January


Profile: Jamie Goldstein

Profile: Jamie Goldstein

Five-day trial by Zoom results in $1.37 million verdict

Stephen Ellison

2021 February


Profile: Casey Kaufman

Profile: Casey Kaufman

Science and math education are the drivers for East Bay solo PI practitioner

Stephen Ellison

2021 March


Profile: Vincent Tong

Profile: Vincent Tong

Workers’ rights advocate learned fast how to utilize the plaintiff’s law community

Stephen Ellison

2021 April


Profile: Dan C. Schaar

Profile: Dan C. Schaar

After a decade in the Caribbean, he advocates for PI victims by telling human stories

Stephen Ellison

2021 May


Profile: Debra Bogaards

Profile: Debra Bogaards

It’s not enough to do well, but you have to do good, for others

Stephen Ellison

2021 June


Profile: Annie Wu

Profile: Annie Wu

After years in defense, child of Taiwanese immigrants makes her mark in the plaintiff’s bar

Stephen Ellison

2021 July


Profile: Laurel Halbany

Profile: Laurel Halbany

Asbestos lawyer battles a silent, invisible killer and its enablers

Stephen Ellison

2021 August


Profile: Nathaniel Leeds

Profile: Nathaniel Leeds

Veteran trial lawyer bucks the plaintiff’s bar trend and successfully focuses on medical malpractice cases

Stephen Ellison

2021 September


Profile: David L. Winnett

Profile: David L. Winnett

Former prosecutor and defense attorney finds career fulfillment in plaintiffs’ firm with his name added to the door

Stephen Ellison

2021 October


Profile: Jennifer Reisch

Profile: Jennifer Reisch

Activist turned advocate goes all in for low-wage and immigrant workers

Stephen Ellison

2021 November


Profile: David A. Lowe

Profile: David A. Lowe

Seasoned employment law specialist says it never stops being interesting and enjoyable work

Stephen Ellison

2021 December


Profile: Pavel Krepkiy

Profile: Pavel Krepkiy

Moscow native maintains focus on a singular mission: Helping those harmed by the actions of others

Stephen Ellison

2022 January


Profile: Jacqueline Ravenscroft

Profile: Jacqueline Ravenscroft

Tenants’ rights lawyer loves advocating for the basic human right to safe, stable housing

Stephen Ellison

2022 February


Profile: Loren Schwartz

Profile: Loren Schwartz

“People have biases against PI attorneys and our clients. We have to be a beacon of integrity.”

Stephen Ellison

2022 March


Profile: Erik Peterson

Profile: Erik Peterson

Medical-malpractice specialist says it’s a collegial legal community, very different from PI

Stephen Ellison

2022 April


Profile: Kirsten Fish

Profile: Kirsten Fish

Elder abuse specialist of 20 years remains a steadfast advocate for a marginalized population

Stephen Ellison

2022 May


Profile: Conor Kelly

Profile: Conor Kelly

Stepping out of his father’s shadow to make a name for himself serving clients

Stephen Ellison

2022 June


Profile: Darci Burrell

Profile: Darci Burrell

Women’s rights, employment law advocate and her partners show there’s strength in numbers

Stephen Ellison

2022 July


Profile: Michael Levin-Gesundheit

Profile: Michael Levin-Gesundheit

Class-action employment attorney takes on Walgreens for its role in opioid epidemic

Stephen Ellison

2022 August


Profile: Shawn Miller

Profile: Shawn Miller

From working on the landmark FedEx case to the San Bruno explosion, he’s compiled big results in employment and mass torts

Stephen Ellison

2022 September


Profile: Tanya Gomerman

Profile: Tanya Gomerman

She always loved arguing for other people, and now she’s built an eight-attorney employment and PI practice

Stephen Ellison

2022 October


Profile: Adante Pointer

Profile: Adante Pointer

Being his authentic self, he carves a path as a civil rights advocate in his hometown

Stephen Ellison

2022 November


Profile: Mikayla Kellogg

Profile: Mikayla Kellogg

An advocate by nature, she leaves defense law to go it on her own for sexual abuse and tenants’ rights victims

Stephen Ellison

2022 December


Profile: Taylor Ernst

Profile: Taylor Ernst

Advocacy is job one for Central Coast traumatic brain-injury specialist

Stephen Ellison

2023 February


Profile: Monica Burneikis

Profile: Monica Burneikis

She found personal-injury law at just the right moment, and it led to a stunning career

Stephen Ellison

2023 March


Profile: Brittany Rogers

Profile: Brittany Rogers

Products-liability case taught her to be a discovery hound, leaving no stone unturned

Stephen Ellison

2023 April


Profile: Lauren Cerri

Profile: Lauren Cerri

Sexual-abuse specialist practiced personal-injury law until she found her passion in speaking for abused children

Stephen Ellison

2023 May


Profile: Martin Murphy

Profile: Martin Murphy

Third-generation San Franciscan launched firm with law school buddies after years of experience on both sides of the aisle

Stephen Ellison

2023 July


Profile: Brian Malloy

Profile: Brian Malloy

Trial lawyer and appellate specialist genuinely enjoys fighting for the little guy

Stephen Ellison

2023 August