NOAH G. BLECHMAN
NOAH G. BLECHMAN
Partner
Pleasant Hill
Mr. Blechman received his J.D. (1998) from the University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law in Sacramento, where he was awarded honors in Trial Advocacy. He was admitted to the California Bar in 1998. Prior to law school, he received his B.S. in Criminal Justice Administration from the California State University at San Diego (1995). He formerly clerked at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in both the criminal and civil divisions while in law school, including working to prosecute the Unabomber (Ted Kaczynski).
Since 2004, Noah Blechman has specialized in civil rights defense litigation on behalf of public entities, police officers and departments while practicing in most jurisdictions in the Bay Area, including his home court of federal court in the Northern District of California. He has been an active member of the Defense Research Institute’s (“DRI”) Civil Rights and Governmental Tort Liability Committee since 2004 and is their Ninth Circuit Case Law Liaison. Noah has argued in front of the Ninth Circuit on numerous occasions and has handled various federal civil rights appeals. He has given presentations to numerous groups since 2007 on civil rights defense topics in police cases, including a speech at the DRI Civil Rights Seminar in 2013 with Taser International, as well as provides annual presentations to police chiefs, risk management and pooling authority groups on civil rights topics and is a sought after speaker on these topics. He has published various materials on civil rights defense issues, including “How Best to Aim Your Rule 68 Arrow,” March 2017, Defense Research Institute, Civil Rights and Government Tort Liability Newsletter. He has led and/or assisted in over fifteen jury trials, the majority of which ended with positive defense outcomes. He was selected as a Federal mediator for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California starting in 2010 which is still active. He is a principal partner at the McNamara Law Firm in Pleasant Hill, California, where he has worked since January of 2002.
EDUCATION
University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, Sacramento, CA
Juris Doctorate, 1998 awarded honors in Trial Advocacy
California State University San Diego , San Diego, CA
Bachelors of Science in Criminal Justice Administration, 1995
ADMISSIONS
State Bar of California
Northern and Eastern Districts of California of the United States District Court
Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals
McNamara, Ambacher, Wheeler, Hirsig & Gray LLP, Pleasant Hill, CA
Partner, 2002 to the present
From September of 2004 to the present, I have specialized in defending public entities, police departments and officers, in civil rights cases in both State and Federal courts, including police misconduct, excessive and use of force, wrongful death, employment discrimination/harassment and other entity liability in all aspects of litigation. I have assisted in the trial of five Federal cases and have two solo jury trials, all of which resulted in defense verdicts. From 2002 to 2004, I managed defensive litigation of general liability claims, automobile and other accident claims, property disputes, and subrogation claims, in all aspects of the cases. I have taken and defended hundreds of depositions and have attended countless mediations and settlement conferences. Head of law firm’s in-house MCLE program, addressing topics ranging from all aspects of trial litigation, damages evaluation, expert witnesses, jury consultants and other germane litigation topics.
Walsworth, Franklin, Bevins & McCall, San Francisco, CA
Associate Attorney, May 2000 to December 2001
Managed defense of over 100 asbestos cases from origination to trial or settlement, including discovery and dispositive motion practice, attending daily depositions, drafting status and pre-trial update correspondence, discovery practice, court appearances and advising clients.
The Dolan Law Firm, San Francisco, CA
Associate Attorney, April 1999 to May 2000
Independently managed up to 40 civil cases on behalf of Plaintiffs, took and defended depositions, performed arbitrations and mediations, second chaired two trials in medical malpractice and personal injury, court appearances in all Bay Area jurisdictions, drafted motions and discovery, client intakes, settled cases and hired and managed attorneys and staff.
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
Contra Costa County Bar Association
Defense Research Institute’s (“DRI”) Civil Rights and Governmental Tort Liability Committee since 2004 and is their Ninth Circuit Case Law Liaison
Association of Defense Counsel of Northern California (“ADC”)
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Noah regularly donates his time to various public service entities and groups for pro bono speaking engagements and/or general counseling.
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS/PUBLICATIONS
Police Civil Liability Update, Newman, California
Police Civil Liability Update, Kerman, California
Police Civil Liability Update, Pleasanton, California
Civil Liability and Current Trends for Police Managers, Contra Costa County Chiefs of Police Conference
TRIALS/CASE AND SETTLEMENTS
Since 2010, Noah Blechman has led twelve jury trials in civil rights matters, the majority of which were in federal court, most of which ended with defense verdicts. From 2005 to 2010, Noah second-chaired and assisted with five federal jury trials, all with positive defense outcomes.
Experience
McNamara, Ambacher, Wheeler, Hirsig & Gray LLP, Pleasant Hill, CA
Partner, 2002 to the present
From September of 2004 to the present, I have specialized in defending public entities, police departments and officers, in civil rights cases in both State and Federal courts, including police misconduct, excessive and use of force, wrongful death, employment discrimination/harassment and other entity liability in all aspects of litigation. I have assisted in the trial of five Federal cases and have two solo jury trials, all of which resulted in defense verdicts. From 2002 to 2004, I managed defensive litigation of general liability claims, automobile and other accident claims, property disputes, and subrogation claims, in all aspects of the cases. I have taken and defended hundreds of depositions and have attended countless mediations and settlement conferences. Head of law firm’s in-house MCLE program, addressing topics ranging from all aspects of trial litigation, damages evaluation, expert witnesses, jury consultants and other germane litigation topics.
Walsworth, Franklin, Bevins & McCall, San Francisco, CA
Associate Attorney, May 2000 to December 2001
Managed defense of over 100 asbestos cases from origination to trial or settlement, including discovery and dispositive motion practice, attending daily depositions, drafting status and pre-trial update correspondence, discovery practice, court appearances and advising clients.
The Dolan Law Firm, San Francisco, CA
Associate Attorney, April 1999 to May 2000
Independently managed up to 40 civil cases on behalf of Plaintiffs, took and defended depositions, performed arbitrations and mediations, second chaired two trials in medical malpractice and personal injury, court appearances in all Bay Area jurisdictions, drafted motions and discovery, client intakes, settled cases and hired and managed attorneys and staff.
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
Contra Costa County Bar Association
Defense Research Institute’s (“DRI”) Civil Rights and Governmental Tort Liability Committee since 2004 and is their Ninth Circuit Case Law Liaison
Association of Defense Counsel of Northern California (“ADC”)
COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT
Noah regularly donates his time to various public service entities and groups for pro bono speaking engagements and/or general counseling.
SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS/PUBLICATIONS
Police Civil Liability Update, Newman, California
Police Civil Liability Update, Kerman, California
Police Civil Liability Update, Pleasanton, California
Civil Liability and Current Trends for Police Managers, Contra Costa County Chiefs of Police Conference
TRIALS/CASE AND SETTLEMENTS
Since 2010, Noah Blechman has led twelve jury trials in civil rights matters, the majority of which were in federal court, most of which ended with defense verdicts. From 2005 to 2010, Noah second-chaired and assisted with five federal jury trials, all with positive defense outcomes.
