Jack Friedman has a diverse background in criminal and police-related law. While in law school, he interned with the Illinois Appellate Defenders Office, which represented convicts in death penalty appeals. He later served as law clerk for the Honorable William B. Shubb of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California during the term in which Judge Shubb authored the 9th Circuit’s opinion in Forrett v. Richardson, 112 F. 3d 416 (9th Cir. 1997), a police shooting liability case.
After working as an associate for Morrison & Foerster in San Francisco, Jack changed careers and served as a police officer and sergeant for the Berkeley Police Department for almost 17 years. He was assigned to the Drug Task Force, Special Investigations Bureau, Patrol Division, Internal Affairs and S.W.A.T. team. His duties included complex investigations, investigations of officer conduct, writing and serving search warrants, and high-risk entry operations. He also supervised the Department’s Field Training Program, Situational Awareness Group, and Homeless Response Team.
Jack is currently an inspector with the San Francisco District Attorney Office’s Independent Investigations Bureau, which investigates officer-involved shootings and use of force incidents, and reviews felony convictions for factual innocence. He has maintained a separate law practice during his law enforcement career in which he has represented crime victims in civil actions against their perpetrators.
Jack has been a guest lecturer on a variety of topics, including real time application of the 4th and 5th Amendments, street drugs and police training, at UC Berkeley, Mills College, Cal State East Bay and UC Hastings College of the Law.
Education
B.A., Pomona College (1989)
J.D., University of Chicago Law School (1993)
P.O.S.T., Sacramento Police Academy (2000)
Jack A Friedman is not teaching any Law courses in Spring 2025.