Profile
Hon. Evelio M. Grillo (Ret.) is a native of the San Francisco Bay Area and a distinguished legal professional with extensive experience in public service and private practice. After earning a B.A. in political science and a Masters of Public Policy from the University of California at Berkeley, Judge Grillo served as Assistant to the Mayor under Lionel Wilson, Oakland’s first African-American mayor. Following this, he held executive roles at community-based organizations in Boston before obtaining his J.D. from Harvard Law School.
Upon returning to the Bay Area, Judge Grillo practiced transactional real estate and litigation at Pettit and Martin, later focusing on personal injury, business, and probate litigation before establishing his own practice, Grillo & Stevens LLP, in 1996, practicing in the areas of municipal liability, civil rights, business litigation, and personal injury until his appointment to the bench in November 2003.
As a Judge of the Alameda County Superior Court, Judge Grillo presided over more than 200 jury and court trials across civil, criminal, and family law. His civil trial experience spans personal injury, breach of contract, insurance coverage, products liability, real estate, elder abuse, governmental liability, class actions, PAGA, and asbestos cases. Notably, his work in the civil law & motion and civil trial departments resulted in over 50 published appellate decisions in both the Courts of Appeal and the California Supreme Court in such diverse areas as torts, land use, the California Public Records Act, CEQA attorneys’ fees, and arbitration.
Judge Grillo’s dedication to alternative dispute resolution predates his judicial assignment, with over a decade of experience as a court-appointed discovery referee and arbitrator prior to his judicial appointment. On the bench, he served as the Court’s primary settlement judge from 2012 to 2017. In 2017, he spearheaded the establishment of a dedicated settlement department, establishing protocols and serving as its first Supervising Judge of Settlement until 2019. Even during subsequent assignments, Judge Grillo continued to leverage his skills as a settlement judge, facilitating settlements in asbestos and complex cases.
As a mediator, arbitrator, and referee with ADR Services, Inc., Judge Grillo continues to serve as a trusted neutral party, drawing upon his deep understanding of legal complexities and nuanced negotiation techniques to foster constructive dialogue and guide parties towards mutually beneficial outcomes.
AREAS OF EXPERTISE:
- CEQA
- Civil Rights
- Class Actions
- Complex Litigation
- Elder Abuse
- Employment
- Fee Disputes
- Insurance/Bad Faith
- Land Use/Zoning
- Landlord/Tenant
- Maritime
- Partnership Dissolution
- Personal Injury
- Probate and Trust
- Products Liability
- Real Estate
- Religious Disputes
- Wage & Hour/PAGA
EDUCATION:
- Juris Doctor, Harvard Law School, 1985
- Masters of Public Policy, University of California, Berkeley, 1980
- Bachelor of Arts. Political Science, University of California, Berkeley, 1976
JUDICIAL EXPERIENCE:
Judge of the Superior Court, Alameda County Superior Court, 2003-2024
- Complex Litigation, 2021-2023
- Judicial Council assignment, Coordinating Trial Judge for JCCP cases filed in Northern California, 2021-2023
- Superior Court Appellate Panel, Supervising Judge, 2021
- Superior Court Appellate Panel, Member, 2019, 2020
- Civil Direct Calendar, 2018-2021
- Settlement Department, Supervising Judge, 2016-2017
- Civil Law & Motion and Writs & Receivers, 2012-2016
- Civil Direct Calendar, 2009-2011
- General Criminal Law, 2006-2008
- Family Law, 2003-2005
Judicial Committees and Activities
- Alameda County Superior Court, Executive Committee
- Alameda County Superior Court, Civil Committee
- Alameda County Superior Court, Personnel Committee
- Alameda County Superior Court, Self-Represented Litigants Sub-Committee
- Alameda County Superior Court, Access Committee
- Alameda County Superior Court, ADR Committee
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
Partner, Grillo & Stevens LLP, Oakland, CA, 1995-2003
- Represented municipalities, businesses and individuals at the trial and appellate levels with emphasis on civil rights and employment, and business torts. Served for eight years as court-appointed discovery referee and special master in commercial and business litigation, and as a court-appointed arbitrator in business and personal injury litigation.
Attorney, San Francisco, CA, 1985-1994
- Represented corporations and partnerships in complex commercial and business litigation, including real estate, labor, breach of contract, lender liability and fraud claims, and individuals in general civil and personal injury litigation while associated with Pettit & Martin, Levy, Samrick & Bernard, Inc., and Arnelle & Hastie.
AWARDS:
- Trial Judge of the Year, Alameda-Contra Costa Trial Lawyers Association (ACCTLA), 2021
- Trial Judge of the Year, Alameda-Contra Costa Trial Lawyers Association (ACCTLA), 2015
- Judicial Excellence Award, East Bay La Raza Lawyers Association
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS (PARTIAL):
- Alameda County Bar Association, Member, 1994-Present
- Alameda County Bar Association, Board of Directors, 1994-1997
- California Judges Association
- Complex Civil Litigation Judges’ Workshop, 2022-2024
TEACHING EXPERIENCE:
- Lecturer, Berkeley Law (formerly Boalt Hall), Civil Trial Practice, 2022, 2023, 2024
- Clinical Instructor, Stanford Law School Student Advocacy Workshop, 1995-1996, 1998, 2002-2010
- Instructor, Oakland College of Law, Civil Procedure, 1992-1993, 1994-1995, 1995-1996, 2000-2001, 2002-2003
PUBLICATIONS (PARTIAL):
- California Civil Discovery, Matthew Bender & Co. (2004-2020) (Co-Author and Editor).
- Pretrial Proceedings, California Forms of Pleading and Practice, Matthew Bender & Co. (1996).
- Impact of New Sanctions Statute on Litigation in California, California Forms of Pleading and Practice, Matthew Bender & Co., February 1995.
- Union Bank v. Superior Court: California’s Celotex, California Litigation, Fall 1995.
- Planning and Executing a Successful Motion for Summary Judgment, Los Angeles Daily Journal, November 15, 1994.
- More Thoughts on Summary Judgment, Los Angeles Daily Journal, November 16, 1994.
- Try Judicial Notice in Pre-Trial Process, Los Angeles Daily Journal, September 24, 1992.
HOBBIES:
Fly fishing, hiking, swimming, cooking (3x winner, Alan Broussard Memorial Gumbo Cook-Off), and reading.
