Stephen M. Williams

Stephen M. Williams has owned and managed his solo practice in San Francisco since 2003. Before that he was a partner in the Oakland law firm of Fitzgerald, Abbott & Beardsley LLP where he practiced law beginning in 1985. Mr. Williams is a 1985 graduate of the University of San Francisco School of Law and graduated from Montana State University in 1981.

Mr. Williams has been a trial lawyer and advocate for nearly thirty-five years and is engaged in a general civil legal practice with an emphasis on neighborhood planning, zoning and land use matters. He also has a wealth of litigation experience having tired numerous jury and court trials to verdict. Mr. Williams has twice been appointed as the Interim University General Counsel at the University of San Francisco (1989-1990; 1994), and represented the University for many years.

In September 1997, Mr. Williams tried to successful verdict an action in the San Francisco Superior Court which tested the application and enforceability of the Residential Design Guidelines (Prop. M). The Court over-ruled a prior decision by the Planning Department and the Board of (Permit) Appeals approving the demolition of a hundred year-old Victorian house on Sutter Street and its replacement with a four-story condominium in a row of historically significant homes. The court determined, over the strenuous objections of the City, the Developer (represented by Rueben and Alter—now Reuben, Junius and Rose) and The Residential Builders Association, (represented by Alice Barkley) that the Residential Design Guidelines are a mandatory part of the Planning Code and that the City has an obligation to apply them in every case, determine that projects comply with the Guidelines or, permits may not issue. (Court’s Statement of Decision is here)

In May 2000, Mr. Williams represented a group of concerned Cow Hollow neighbors before the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in their defeat of a large, out-of-scale hotel project on Lombard Street. He also represented a group of condominium owners at BayCrest Towers (201 Harrison) in their defeat of a proposed project next door that would block their access to sunlight on a CEQA appeal before the San Francisco Board of Supervisors on October 20, 2009. Recently, Mr. Williams helped neighbors defeat and stop three different proposed Cell Tower locations on Bay Street, and downtown at 430 Main Street.

As thanks for his services to the community, Stephen Williams has represented individuals, neighborhoods and concerned citizen groups City-wide. His representative clients have included San Francisco Tomorrow, Pacific Heights Residents Association, Community Alternative for Bryant Square (CABS), Twin Peaks Improvement Association, Midtown Terrace Homeowners Association, Lower Potrero Hill Neighborhood Association, Potrero Neighborhood Coalition, Potrero Boosters, Buena Vista Neighborhood Association, the Eleventh Street Nighttime Entertainment Preservation Association, the Inner Sunset Action Committee, The Russian Hill Preservation Society, Cow Hollow Neighbors In Action, The Dogpatch Neighborhood Association, The Outer Mission Residents Association, The Friends of St. Thomas More Church, The Merced Triangle Neighborhood Association, The Richmond Community Association, The Pacific Heights Residents Association (PHRA), Golden Gate Commons Residents Association (Butterfly Discovery Park), Save The Historic Row, Save Poppy Lane, Nob Hill Neighborhood Alliance and numerous other groups and individuals throughout San Francisco.

Mr. Williams has received San Francisco Tomorrow’s “Unsung Hero Award,” the “Potrero Hill Good Citizen Award” from the Potrero Boosters Neighborhood Association and a Certificate of Honor from the San Francisco Board of Supervisors for his work for the people and neighborhoods of San Francisco.

Education:

  • University of San Francisco School of Law
    San Francisco, California
    Juris Doctor, 1985
    Class Rank: Top 17 percent (3.11 GPA)
    American Jurisprudence Awards: Administrative Law Criminal Procedure
  • Montana State University
    Bozeman, Montana
    Bachelor of Arts, Political Science, With Honors, 1981

Bar Admissions:

  • California State Courts, 1985; State Bar No. 122103
  • Northern District of California, 1986
  • Ninth Circuit Court, 1986
  • Eastern District of California, 1992
  • Southern District of California, 1993
  • Central District of California, 1993

Professional Employment Experience:

  • 2003-Present: Law Office Stephen M. Williams, San Francisco, California.
    Established successful solo practice to concentrate on land-use/zoning, real estate, landlord tenant and administrative writ practice. Also, handles select civil litigation and appellant matters.
  • 1985 to 2003: Fitzgerald, Abbott & Beardsley LLP, Oakland, California, Partner (1993)
    Practice areas consist principally of general civil and commercial litigation, real estate, land-use/zoning and administrative writ practice, college and university law, securities litigation/arbitration and labor and employment law.
  • Fall 2001: Candidate, City Attorney – City and County of San Francisco
    As a first-time candidate placed third in a field of four garnering 18.3% (22,414 votes). Recognized Municipal and Administrative Law expertise.
  • 1994 – 1995: Interim University General Counsel
  • 1989 – 1990: University of San Francisco, San Francisco, California
    Temporary appointments as interim in-house University General Counsel during sabbaticals by Fr. Robert F. Curran, the University Counsel and Vice President for Legal Affairs
  • 1983 – 1985: Assistant to the University Counsel
    University of San Francisco, San Francisco, California
    Employed throughout law school at in-house position as sole assistant during establishment of a General Counsel’s office for the University.

Professional Memberships and Affiliations

  • State Bar of California, Member #122103
  • National Association of College and University Attorneys (NACUA), Member
  • Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities (AJCU), Member
  • Bay Area College Legal Counsel Group, Member
  • Bar Association of San Francisco
  • Rated “AV” by Martindale – Hubbell, that organization’s highest rating

Volunteer/Community Service

  • Elected member, San Francisco Democratic County
    Central Committee – 12th Assembly District (term expired 2004)
  • Member, Board of Directors – Community Youth Center
  • Member, San Francisco Tomorrow
  • Volunteer Attorney – Lawyers in the Library
  • Tutor – Project READ – Western Addition Literacy Program

Areas of Specializationn/Significant Case Summary:

Civil litigation general practice since 1985. Extensive experience with land-use/zoning cases and related administrative appearances. Also litigated numerous contract cases, business cases, personal injury cases, security arbitrations, appellant cases and grievances under collective bargaining agreements. Vast and varied experience.

Awards

  • Potrero Hill Good Citizen Award for Exceptional Community Service, 2001
  • Certificate of Honor, San Francisco Board of Supervisors, May 1999
  • San Francisco Tomorrow – “Unsung Hero” Award, 1998
  • State Bar of California Board of Governors – Volunteer Legal Services Program – 1990; 1989; 1988; 1987