Hon. William M. Kolin
Hon. William M. Kolin
Contra Costa County Superior Court, Retired
Judge William Kolin retired from the Contra Costa bench after 20 years of service. He served on the Superior Court from 1997-2013, where he was Supervising Judge of the Civil Fast Track division for three years. Before becoming a judge, he was in private practice with three different firms where he handled primarily insurance cases, including product liability, as well as legal malpractice and police liability cases. Judge Kolin has a reputation for being extremely professional, well-prepared, knowledgeable and fair. He is also known for his willingness to negotiate with all sides in order to bring about settlement.
ORGANIZATIONS & ACHIEVEMENTS
- Member or former member: Contra Costa County Bar Association, Alameda County Bar Association, California Judges Association; Chair, Contra Costa County Drug Abuse Advisory Board
- Adjunct professor, John F. Kennedy School of Law; 2003-present (Evidence)
PRACTICE AREAS
Appellate Disputes, Bad Faith/Insurance Coverage, Business/Contractual, Class Actions, Complex Litigation, Construction Claims, Construction Defect, Discovery, Employment, Fee Disputes, Governmental Entities, Homeowners Associations, Medical Malpractice, Personal Injury, Police Brutality, Premises Liability, Products Liability, Real Estate.CONFLICT RESOLUTION EXPERIENCE
Judge Kolin was elevated to the newly-created position of Contra Costa County Superior Court Judge in 1997. In addition to his Fast Track assignment from 2000-2002, he also handled felony arraignments, juvenile matters and criminal trials. He served on the Mt. Diablo Municipal Court from 1994-1997.For 20 years prior to his appointment to the bench, Judge Kolin practiced law in Walnut Creek as a partner with King, Shapiro & Mittelman; as a partner with Sellar, Hazard, Kelly & Snyder; and as an associate with Smith, Paduck, Clancy & Wright. He was also a police officer with the City of Oakland from 1979-1984.
As a civil judge hearing cases in Fast Track, Judge Kolin was praised for his excellent settlement skills. His combined civil and criminal justice expertise as well as his experience as a former police officer make him well suited to resolve all types of police misconduct litigation.
EDUCATION & TRAINING
J.D., Chicago Kent College of Law, Chicago, IL (1974)B.A., Political Science, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL (1970)
Judge Kolin is available throughout California.
