Headshot of John Steele

John Steele

Adjunct Professor of Law

Bio

John Steele is a solo practitioner, representing clients on matters of legal ethics, professional liability, risk management, and the law of lawyering. For over fifteen years, he served as the top internal ethics lawyer at an AmLaw 100 firm, where he was Special Counsel for Ethics, and at an AmLaw 200 firm, where he was a trial lawyer and litigation partner. He has taught professional responsibility for over fourty semesters at UC-Berkeley School of Law, Stanford Law School, Santa Clara University, Golden Gate University, and Indiana University – Maurer School of Law. He has served on a variety of professional committees, including the State Bar of California’s standing Committee on Professional Responsibility and Conduct (COPRAC), and serves an arbitrator in fee disputes. He speaks widely to professional audiences, including providing CLE credits, on issues of legal ethics and risk management, elimination of bias in the legal profession, substance abuse, and law practice management.

Education

  • Georgetown University Law Center
    J.D.
    1985

  • Bucknell University
    B.A.
    1982

Accomplishments

  • Lawyer of the Year
    Ethics and Professional Responsibility category
    2013

  • Northern California’s Best Lawyers

Courses

  • Professional Responsibility