Merri A. Baldwin
Partner
PRACTICE AREAS
Professional Liability,
Business Litigation
Merri A. Baldwin is a partner of the firm whose practice focuses on litigating business disputes and attorney liability matters, including trials, arbitration and mediation, and appeals.
Ms. Baldwin represents both plaintiffs and defendants in complex litigation matters, including claims of breach of contract, fraud, misrepresentation and unfair competition. A significant part of her practice involves attorney conduct issues, particularly claims of legal malpractice, breach of fiduciary duty, and malicious prosecution. Ms. Baldwin has obtained numerous summary judgments and favorable settlements, and has tried cases to jury verdict. She has both brought and defended against motions to disqualify attorneys, and she counsels lawyers and law firms on legal ethics issues and malpractice. She also represents attorneys before the State Bar of California, and has significant experience handling attorney-client fee disputes. Ms. Baldwin has testified as an expert in the areas of legal ethics and attorney standard of care.
Ms. Baldwin is a member of the State Bar of California Committee on Professional Responsibility and Conduct. She is on the Board of Directors of the Bar Association of San Francisco. She has been named by Super Lawyers magazine as one of the top attorneys in Northern California every year since 2004. She is a member and past chair of the Executive Committee of the Litigation Section of the Bar Association of San Francisco. Ms. Baldwin is currently serving as co-chair of the Legal Malpractice Section of the Bar Association of San Francisco. She is a committee co-chair for the American Bar Association Litigation Section Committee on Professional Liability Litigation and serves as a panelist for the San Francisco Superior Court Early Settlement Program. She is a former vice-chair of the Bar Association of San Francisco’s Attorney-Client Fee Dispute Program. In 2008, Ms. Baldwin received an Award of Merit from the Bar Association of San Francisco for her role on the marriage fairness task force. Ms. Baldwin frequently lectures to attorneys and professional organizations on issues related to litigation, legal malpractice and ethics issues, and she has taught at the University of California at Berkeley, School of Law (Boalt Hall). Ms. Baldwin is an adjunct professor at Golden Gate University School of Law.
Ms. Baldwin graduated magna cum laude from Smith College and was a Fulbright scholar at the London School of Economics. She received a Juris Doctor degree from UC Berkeley School of Law, Boalt Hall, where she was co-editor in chief of the Berkeley Women's Law Journal.
Representative Cases
- First-chaired jury trial of bifurcated legal malpractice case concerning "continuous representation" tolling provision of CCP section 340.6.
- Successfully defended international investment bank against $50 million claim brought by former CEO in arbitration.
- Defended attorney against threatened sanctions arising from alleged e-discovery violations in highly publicized case.
- Defended Silicon Valley law firm against claims of conflict of interest, malpractice and breach of fiduciary duty arising from failed start-up venture; settled prior to trial.
- Represented international corporation in action against major law firm alleging conflict of interest, breach of contract and breach of fiduciary duty; case settled on eve of trial.
- Arbitrated significant fee dispute between Silicon Valley law firm and its former client; obtained favorable ruling including attorney fees.
- Defended international law firm against class action alleging breach of fiduciary duty arising from firm's representation of investment partnership.
- Defended former baseball player Barry Bonds against defamation claim; prevailed on an anti-SLAPP motion; ruling affirmed on appeal.
CONTACT
phone: (415) 352-3000
direct: (415) 277-9012
fax: (415) 352-3030
mbaldwin@chapop.com
Publications
Author, "Ethical and Liability Risks Posed by Lawyers' Use of Social Media," ABA Litigation Section Committee on Professional Liability Litigation, Spring/Summer 2011 Newsletter, Vol. 7, No. 1
Co-author, "How to Anticipate (and Avoid) Mediation Impasse," American Bar Association, Commercial & Business Litigation Newsletter, Spring 2009
Consulting Editor, Fee Agreement Forms Manual (2d ed.) Continuing Education of the Bar 2007 - 2010
Presentations
Panelist, "How Lawyers Get in Trouble and How You Can Avoid the Same Fate," California State Bar Annual Meeting (September 17, 2011)
Speaker, "Should I Friend the Judge? Current Ethical Challenges for Lawyers," Privacy and Data Security Law Institute, Practicing Law Institute
(San Francisco, May 23-24, 2011; Chicago, July 18-19, 2011)
Panelist, "Legal Ethics Issues for IP Practitioners: Recent Developments," Bar Association of San Francisco (San Francisco, June 21, 2011)
Panelist, "So You Think You're Up to Date on Attorney-Client Privilege and Confidentiality," American Bar Association Professional Responsibility Conference
(Memphis, June 1-4, 2011)
Panelist, "Current Issues in Legal Ethics," California MCLE Marathon, Practicing Law Institute
(December 6, 2010)
Panelist, "How Far Can You Go? Guidelines for Effective Witness Preparation," Bar Association of San Francisco
(September 16, 2010)
Panelist, "How to Ethically - and Effectively - Prepare Witnesses to Testify," American Bar Association Professional Responsibility Conference
(Seattle, June 3-5, 2010)
Panelist, Privacy and Data Security Law Institute (Eleventh Annual), Practicing Law Institute (May 24-25, 2010)
Panelist, "Latest Issues in Legal Ethics," California MCLE Marathon 2009, Practicing Law Institute
(December 7, 2009)
Panelist and author, "Ethical Aspects of Privacy and Information Security for Lawyers," Tenth Annual Institute on Privacy and Data Security Law, Practicing Law Institute (June 2, 2009)
Panelist, "Ethical Issues and Web 2.0," Information Technology, Practicing Law Institute (2009)
Panelist and author, "Practicing What We Preach: Current Issues in Information Management, Legal Practice and Legal Ethics," Practicing Law Institute (2008)
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