Evelio Grillo Email & Phone Number

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.