Doris Cheng

Top rated Personal Injury attorney in San Francisco, California

Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger
Doris Cheng
Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger

Practice Areas: Personal Injury, Products Liability; view more

Licensed in California since: 1998

Education: University of San Francisco School of Law

Selected to Super Lawyers: 2010 - 2025

Walkup, Melodia, Kelly & Schoenberger

650 California Street
26th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94108 Visit website

Details

Widely recognized for her legal work, Doris Cheng has been ranked as one of the top 50 women lawyers and top 100 lawyers in Northern California. She is listed among the Best Lawyers of America®, LawDragon 500 Leading Lawyers, SuperLawyers® and San Francisco Best Lawyers. She has been chosen as Lawyer of the Year by Best Lawyers of America for 2017.

Ms. Cheng is a partner in the law firm of Walkup Melodia Kelly & Schoenberger in San Francisco.  She has obtained seven and eight figure settlements and verdicts on behalf of catastrophically injured plaintiffs.  She is the current President of the American Board of Trial Advocates (San Francisco Chapter). She is the Immediate Past President of the Bar Association of San Francisco and the Justice & Diversity Center.  She is a past President of the San Francisco Trial Lawyer Association.  She has been inducted into the International Academy of Trial Lawyers and American College of Trial Lawyers.  She serves as a member of the Kaiser Arbitration Oversight Board. 

As part of the Rule of Law Initiative, Ms. Cheng has conducted training programs for trial lawyers and judges in Mexico, Kosovo, and Macedonia.  She has led trial skills programs in Northern Ireland, Scotland, Singapore, Antigua, Bahamas, Trinidad, Guyana and other programs in the Caribbean Basin.  She is a member of the Board of Trustees of the National Institute for Trial Advocacy (NITA) and serves as the Program Director of the NITA Teacher Training Program.

She is an adjunct professor at the University of San Francisco School of Law.  She has taught trial advocacy at University of Notre Dame, Emory University and University of California, Berkeley School of Law.

Ms. Cheng is a co-author of the eminent treatise, The Rutter Group California Practice Guide on Personal Injury, and the trial practice guide, Mastering the Mechanics of Civil Jury Trials.

Practice areas

Personal Injury - General: Plaintiff, Personal Injury - Products: Plaintiff

Focus areas

Animal Bites, Brain Injury, Construction Accident, Dram Shop Laws, Medical Devices, Motor Vehicle Accidents, Motor Vehicle Defects, Personal Injury - Plaintiff, Premises Liability - Plaintiff, Sexual Abuse - Plaintiff, Slip and Fall, Wrongful Death

  • 50% Personal Injury - General: Plaintiff
  • 50% Personal Injury - Products: Plaintiff

First Admitted: 1998, California

Professional Webpage: https://www.walkuplawoffice.com/attorneys/doris-cheng/

Bar/Professional Activity:
  • American College of Trial Lawyers, State Committee, 2015-2018, 2015
  • Cal-ABOTA Board of Directors, 2019 - 2020, 2019
  • American Board of Trial Advocates, National Executive Committee, 2019-2020, 2020
  • President, Justice & Diversity Center, 2019
  • President, Bar Association of San Francisco, 2019
  • President, San Francisco Chapter, American Board of Trial Advocates, 2020
  • Education Programs Chair, San Francisco Trial Lawyer Association, 2006
  • President, San Francisco Trial Lawyer Association, 2015
  • Mock Trial Committee, San Francisco Trial Lawyer Association, 2003
  • Executive Committee, American Inns of Court, USF Chapter, 1999
  • American Association of Justice
  • Board of Directors, Bar Association of San Francisco
  • Board of Directors, San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association, 2003
  • Women's Caucus Chair, San Francisco Trial Lawyer Association, 2004
  • Resource Committee, National Association of Women Judges, 2007
  • Consumer Attorneys of California
  • American Bar Association
  • Member, Judiciary Committee, Bar Association of San Francisco, 2006
  • Education Programs Chair, San Francisco Trial Lawyer Association, 2009
  • Oversight Committee Member, Office of Independent Administrator (Kaiser Foundation Health Plan Arbitration System) 2009 - present, 2009
  • Board of Governors, University of San Francisco, School of Law, 2003 - 2006
  • California State Bar Association
  • Chair, Judiciary Committee, Bar Association of San Francisco, 2008 - 2008
Honors/Awards:
  • Top 100 Lawyers, SuperLawyers, 2019
  • Professional Achievement Award, University of San Francisco, 2015
  • Top 50 Women Lawyers, SuperLawyers, 2020
  • Top 100 Lawyers, SuperLawyers, 2020
  • Top 100 Lawyers, SuperLawyers, 2017
  • Lawyer of the Year, Best Lawyers, 2017
  • The Robert E. Cartwright, Sr. Award is given in recognition of excellence in trial advocacy and dedication to teaching trial advocacy to fellow lawyers and to the public., Robert E. Cartwright Sr. Award, Consumer Attorneys of California, 2019
  • Best Lawyers in America, 2010
  • John Meehan Fellow (University of San Francisco School of Law Distinguished Alumnus), 2007
  • Extern Law Clerk, Hon. Saundra Brown Armstrong, U.S.D. Court Judge, University of San Francisco School of Law
  • Bar Association of San Francisco Merit Award, 2008
  • With Distinction, University of San Francisco School of Law
  • Recipient, John J. Meehan Alumni Fellow Award, USF School of Law, 2007
  • Finalist, "Trial Lawyer of the Year", San Francisco Trial Lawyer Association, 2008
Educational Background:
  • University of California
White Papers:
Scholarly Lectures/Writings:
  • Evidence and Theory Testing Lectures, NITA Northwest Regional Trial Skills Program, August 12, 2009
  • Lecturer, "Right to a Fair Jury Trial Despite the Media", USF Inn of Court, April 13, 2005
  • Voir Dire Lecture, NITA Western Regional Trial Skills Program, June 18, 2009
  • Presenter, Demonstration Automobile Accident Trial, San Francisco Trial Lawyer Association, April 12, 2005
  • Regional Trial Lawyer Conference, Strategic Deposition Techniques, Squaw Creek, Olympia, CA, June 13, 2009
  • Lecturer, Powerpoint for Trial Lawyers (San Francisco), April 5, 2005
  • Lecturer, "Closing Arguments", USF Intensive Advocacy Program, June 4, 2009 To June 4, 2009
  • Public Interest Lawyer Advocacy Training, Trainer (San Francisco), 2005
  • "Suing and Defending the Professional," (San Francisco), California Continuing Education of the Bar, Practising Law Institute, 2004
  • Chair & Panelist, "Evidence Advocacy", San Francisco Trial Lawyer Association, June 2, 2006 To June 2, 2009
  • Lecturer "Effective Cross Examination", University of San Francisco School of Law, Intensive Advocacy Program, 2004
  • Effective Physical Communication Strategies During Trial (Webinar Lecture - Seminar Web Live!), May 27, 2009
  • "Maximizing Damages with Medical Experts", San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association, 2004
  • "Impact Direct Examination", CAOC Tahoe Ski Seminar, March 21, 2009
  • Lecturer "Legal Ethics", NITA Advocacy Teacher Training, 2003
  • National Ethics Competition, Judge, Sacramento, CA, March 20, 2009
  • Lecturer "irect & Cross Examinations", University of San Francisco School of Law, Intensive Advocacy Program, 2003
  • Stanford Law School Mock Trial Invitational, Judge, January 24, 2009
  • Lecturer "Direct & Cross Examinations", University of San Francisco School of Law, Intensive Advocacy Program, 2003
  • Evaluating and Advocating Your Settlement, CAOC 47th Annual Conference, November 8, 2008
  • "Civil Litigation", National Business Institute, 2002
  • Chair & Panelist, SFTLA, Medicine for Jurors, October 14, 2008
  • Lecturer "Direct & Cross Examinations", University of San Francisco School of Law, Intensive Advocacy Program, 2002
  • "Direct & Cross of Expert Witnesses", Department of Homeland Security In-house Advocacy Training Program, Louisville, CO, 2008
  • Trial Skills Training Program, Pristina, Kosovo (U.S. Dept of Justice), 2009
  • Lectures: "Closing Argument" and "Direct & Cross of Experts", USF Intensive Advocacy Program, 2008
  • Solicitors Advocates Training Program, Belfast, United Kingdom, 2008
  • Panelist, "Women in the Law", USF Intensive Advocacy Program, May 21, 2008
  • "Cross Examination", CAOC 46th Annual Conference, November, 2007
  • Presenter, "Jury Selection", NITA Southern California Trial Skills Program, 2008
  • "Working with Economists on Personal Injury Damages", National Business Institute, November, 2007
  • Chair, SFTLA Roundtable on Arbitrations Issues, December 18, 2007
  • "Persuasive Speaking in the Courtroom", April, 2007
  • Chair & Panelist, "Tactical Containment of Experts", SFTLA, December 11, 2007
  • Faculty & Presenter, Juvenile Court Trial Skills Program, Bar Association of San Francisco, December 1, 2007 To December 3, 2007
  • Editor, California Uninsured Motorist Practice, Continuing Education of the Bar, 2005
  • Presenter, "Handling the Auto Case From Bumper to Bumper, Part I: Cross Examination", CAOC 46th Annual Conference, 2007
  • Presenter, "Direct & Cross of Expert Economist" (NITA National Session), Louisville, CO, 2007
  • "Practical Tips For Communicating With The Jury", SFTLA, April 10, 2007
  • "Settle or Serve", CAOC Tahoe Ski Seminar, March 24, 2007
  • Panelist, 32nd Annual National Trial Competition (American College of Trial Lawyers & Texas Young Lawyers Assocation), February 18, 2007
  • Co-Presenter: "Closing Argument: The Last Word", University of San Francisco School of Law, Intensive Advocacy Program, June 1, 2006
  • "Direct & Cross of Experts" University of San Francisco School of Law, Intensive Advocacy Program", May 29, 2006
  • Presenter: Gaining the Competitive Edge: Litigating to Win Through Advanced Trial Advocacy in California (San Francisco), April 27, 2006
  • Panelist, 6th Annual Bay Area Conference, Asian Pacific American Law Students Association, February 4, 2006
  • Lecturer, Handling Obstreperous Opposing Counsel (San Diego)
  • Lecturer, Powerpoint for Trial Lawyers (San Francisco), 2006
  • "Preparing Expert Witnesses", NITA National Session, 2005
  • "Direct & Cross of Experts", University of San Francisco School of Law, Intensive Advocacy Program, 2005
  • Guest Speaker, USF School of Law Asian Pacific American Law Students Association, April 17, 2005

Office location for Doris Cheng

650 California Street
26th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94108

Phone: 415-981-7210

Selections

16 Years Super Lawyers
  • Super Lawyers: 2010 - 2025

Top Lists

Top 50: Women Northern California Super Lawyers: 2011 - 2014, 2016 - 2025 Top 10: Northern California Super Lawyers: 2024 - 2025 Top 100: Northern California Super Lawyers: 2017 - 2025

Certificates and credentials

Attorney resources for Doris Cheng

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