Partnership Establishes Research Fellowship at U.C. Berkeley School of Law as Tribute to Esteemed Firm Leader and Civil Rights Advocate

SAN FRANCISCO – William K. Coblentz, a founding partner at Coblentz, Patch, Duffy & Bass LLP, is among the nation's most distinguished lawyers with an extraordinary career spanning more than 50 years.  In his honor, Coblentz’s fellow firm partners recently established the William K. Coblentz Civil Rights Endowment Fund at the University of California, Berkeley, School of Law to fund research on civil rights issues. 

“The William K. Coblentz Civil Rights Endowment Fund was unanimously and enthusiastically supported by the firm’s partners as a gesture of respect and admiration for Bill and his lifelong work and passion for civil rights.  His personal influence in the civil rights area goes far beyond lawyering – his commitment to diversity and equality are paramount in his practice and his life.  We honor him for his work and intend for the Endowment to continue it for generations to come,” said Richard Patch, a name partner at Coblentz, Patch, Duffy & Bass LLP.  “U.C. Berkeley is near and dear to Bill’s heart, and he has been deeply involved with the institution throughout his adult life.  Berkeley Law is home to some of the brightest minds in the world, and we hope this fund will encourage those minds to follow Bill's example and make a difference in supporting civil rights for all."

“It is our great honor that Bill and his law firm have chosen to continue his longstanding, generous support of civil rights by establishing the Coblentz Fund,” said U.C. Berkeley School of Law Dean Christopher Edley.  “As one of the premier public law schools in the country, we are resolute in our commitment to advancing issues of racial justice and equality under the law through legal education and advocacy.  Endowments like the Coblentz Fund are critical to the important mission of preparing future generations of leaders who are passionate about civil rights.  We are both grateful and honored for this opportunity to continue Bill’s legacy at Berkeley Law.”

As a young attorney, Coblentz was a keen observer of the injustices and inequalities endured by minorities in his community.  He was deeply moved by the inadequate treatment he saw and heard about from some of his closest friends – Hon. Cecil Poole, who worked at Coblentz’s firm and later became a U.S. Attorney and U.S. Court of Appeals Judge; Jack Greenberg, executive director of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Legal Defense Fund; U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall; and U.S. District Judge Charles Renfrew.  Coblentz was instrumental in supporting the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, Inc. as a Board member and as an active supporter of the American Civil Liberties Union.  He also serves on the Honorary Committee for Human Rights Watch.

Coblentz has an outstanding record of service to the legal profession; the state of California, which he served as special counsel to Gov. Edmond G. ("Pat") Brown from 1959 to 1961; and the University of California, which he served as a member of the Board of Regents from 1964 to 1980, including a tenure as chairman from 1978 to 1980.  In 2002, Coblentz was elected Fellow to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences.  He currently serves on the boards of directors of McClatchy Newspapers, the Koret Foundation and the Public Policy Institute of California, among other civic involvements.  Coblentz was an adjunct professor at U.C. Berkeley Haas School of Business and a visiting fellow at Wolfson College, Oxford University.  He served on the San Francisco Airport Commission from 1970 to 1986 and worked as a consultant to the U.S. Secretary of State in 1962. 

Coblentz’s law practice encompasses general business and real estate counseling.  He received his LL.B. from Yale University (1947) and his A.B. from University of California, Berkeley (1943).  In addition, Coblentz received the Berkeley Citation, the highest honor awarded by his undergraduate alma mater.

Established more than 100 years ago, Coblentz, Patch, Duffy & Bass is a premier provider of innovative, results-oriented legal services.  The firm specializes in Corporate, Business and Intellectual Property Transactions; Civil Litigation; Estate Planning and Tax; Nonprofit Organizations, and Real Estate and Land Use.  The firm’s recent successes include the reopening of the new California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco, where it served as lead counsel, and real estate Partner Harry O'Brien’s recognition as Dealmaker of the Year for the Tejon Ranch Development agreement.  In 2008, Coblentz, Patch, Duffy & Bass was certified as a green business by the Bay Area Green Business Program. For more information: www.coblentzlaw.com