Matthew Kumin			John Burris			Stephen Collier
	Amanda L. Bruss

The Law Offices of Matthew Kumin, about to enter its 10th year, provides personalized litigation and transactional services for individuals and businesses. The Company is experienced in representing plaintiffs and defendants in state and federal courts and has tried numerous cases before judges and juries. Our affiliated attorneys and co-counsel, trusted and experienced practitioners hand-picked for their integrity, provide additional support in a team approach.

Matthew Kumin		Download full Bio

A graduate of Northeastern University School of Law (1986) Matt has practiced as a solo practitioner since 1995, focusing on civil rights and business issues. He has also taught law full- and part-time since 1986 at Santa Clara Law School, Golden Gate Law School, Hastings College of the Law and New College of California Law School. He has been a steadfast presence in the civil rights community while also supporting small businesses in the Bay Area.

His litigation experiences have taken him to many forums, from state and federal courts throughout the country, to bankruptcy courts in California and South Carolina. He has also litigated in other forums including the National Labor Relations Board, the California Labor Commission and the California Unemployment Appeals Board.

Amanda L. Bruss		Full Bio Coming Soon

Amanda is the newest member of the firm, having become a full-time associate in March of 2007. Amanda was a student of Matt's at U.C. Hastings College of the Law, and initially joined us as a summer associate in 2004. At Hastings, Amanda balanced her schedule between rigorous studies and community involvement, serving as student government vice president, class president, and executive editor of the Hastings International and Comparative Law Review. After graduating in the top third of her class, Amanda returned to our firm to work on a complex elder abuse trial in state court, which lasted two months. Since then, her practice has focused on transactional and litigation work.

John Burris		Download full Bio

People know John for his prominent work in California upholding civil rights and forcing municipalities, counties and the State of California to rein in the excesses of their law enforcement departments. We know John, most importantly, as a mentor.

In 1995, when we opened the practice, John offered guidance, experience and opportunities to practice with Matt in federal court. In 1997 John, Steve Collier (the firm's other "of counsel") and Matt Kumin tried the federal case, Patterson et al. v. City of Oakland et al. That case, stemming from the 1994 riots at Oakland's Festival at the Lake, set the stage for nearly a decade of mutual cooperation. Since then, John has worked on numerous cases with our offices and the relationship continues to grow.

John's background is extremely diverse. He has an MBA. He worked as a prosecutor in Chicago. He handles criminal defense matters and also a range of civil matters. He was Rodney King's attorney during the civil suit against the Los Angeles Police Department. He is a television commentator and provides a cogent and accessible analysis for viewers, whether discussing the strategy of O.J. Simpson's defense team or the process of jury selection in the Scott Peterson trial.

Stephen Collier		Download full Bio

Steve Collier and Matt Kumin met when both were young law students in 1984 working for Marc Van Der Hout. Steve was a student at Golden Gate Law School in San Francisco and Matt attended Northeastern University in Boston (interning for the summer in San Francisco.) Steve displayed a brilliance and clear thinking that marks his practice. Both Steve and Matt were also kindred spirits in the fight for civil rights.

After law school Steve worked first as an immigration attorney. Eventually, he began working as an attorney at the Tenderloin Housing Clinic in the City.

When the practice first opened Steve become "of counsel" to the firm. His presence in the practice has proven invaluable, helping it to grow and earn its reputation. Steve has co-counseled on numerous cases, scoring impressive victories in one case, on behalf of a young woman sexually assaulted by her employer and in another case, on behalf of the residents of an artists' live-work building. As a team, Steve and Matt always manage to "out-lawyer" the other lawyers, whether they are with large firms or small ones.

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