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Witkin Legal Institute

Advancing the understanding of California law
  1. Overview
  2. About B.E. Witkin
  3. Witkin Library
  4. Our staff
  5. Witkin Award

Our Mission

At the Witkin Legal Institute, our mission is to carry forward B.E. Witkin’s lifelong commitment to California law. 

We fulfill this by:

  • Maintaining and enhancing the quality of the treatises that comprise the Witkin Library
  • Developing educational programs that serve the needs of the California legal community
  • Supporting professional activities of local law libraries, bar associations, judicial organizations, and law schools

About B.E. Witkin

B.E. ("Bernie") Witkin was California's preeminent legal scholar. As author of the Witkin Library, the California Reporter of Decisions, teacher, and legal reform advocate, he sought to make the law understandable to all. Testifying to this vision, the California Supreme Court and Courts of Appeal have cited Bernie and the Witkin Library in over 14,000 decisions.

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The Witkin Library

The Witkin Library, which provides expert analysis on every important area of California law, is prepared by the Witkin Legal Institute and published by Thomson Reuters. The Institute's attorneys read and analyze every California statute and reported case.  They select for discussion in the Witkin Library those that are essential for understanding the law.
 

Witkin staff

In 1981, B.E. Witkin selected five attorneys from the staff of Bancroft Whitney and trained them in his methods. Today, our team of legal and publishing professionals work to advance his vision and serve the California legal community.
 

The Witkin Award

For nearly twenty years, the Witkin Legal Institute has recognized superior achievement in California law schools by presenting the Witkin Award for Academic Excellence to students designated by their schools as attaining the highest grade in qualifying courses.
 

The Witkin Foundation

The Bernard E. & Alba Witkin Charitable Foundation supports effective nonprofit​ organizations that assist children in Alameda​ and Contra Costa Counties,  especially those focusing on the period birth through age five. 

All or part of the content of this page is © Bernard E. & Alba Witkin Charitable Foundation 2019