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Ronald C. Tyler

Ronald C. Tyler
Ronald C. Tyler
  • Professor of Law
  • Director, Criminal Defense Clinic
  • Room N122, Neukom Building

Expertise

  • Criminal Law
  • Criminal Procedure
  • Drug Policy
  • Policing & Gun Policy
  • Race & the Criminal Justice System
Criminal Defense Clinic - Ron Tyler with Students

Criminal Defense Clinic

Students in the Criminal Defense Clinic become immersed in the world of indigent defense. Each student represents members of our community accused of crimes in the courts of Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties. Our state misdemeanor cases encompass a wide range of charges, such as drug use and possession, resisting arrest, and theft. Other state case assignments include working for people’s pretrial release. Some quarters, our docket also includes federal cases in the Northern District of California.

Clinic students are their clients’ primary legal representatives in and out of court. Under the close supervision of Professor Ronald Tyler and Clinical Supervising Attorney Carlie Ware Horne, students undertake investigation, interview witnesses, engage in plea negotiations, draft motions, conduct evidentiary hearings, and make other court appearances. Persuasive writing with rigorous faculty edits is a major component of the clinic.

The Criminal Defense Clinic is an intensive, fast-paced, and demanding program of education and practical skills, taught through introductory training and ongoing workshops and skills practicums. The Clinic also addresses broader systemic issues such as implicit bias, immigration consequences, economic disparities, and addiction.

The goal of the Clinic is to train students how to defend a criminal case while engaging in thoughtful reflection and providing holistic representation. The Clinic’s broader goal is to provide lawyering skills and habits of mind transferrable to any student’s chosen field of practice. While the work is often challenging and sometimes heartbreaking, it offers students a unique opportunity to put their skills, intellect, and compassion to use by serving people in a moment of great need. The emotional challenges of the Clinic’s work are addressed through an integrated self-care curriculum.

View Criminal Defense Clinic

Speaking Engagements

September 2018

Prof. Tyler was Principal Speaker at the New Hampshire Public Defender Annual Training in Loon Mountain, NH. He presented "Effective Impeachment," and also facilitated small-group workshops.

2003 - Present

Prof. Tyler ran workshops: "Opening Statements," "Direct and Cross Examination," "Evidentiary Issues," "Closing Argument" at the National Criminal Defense College Summer Trial Practice Institute in Macon, GA.

July 2018

Prof. Tyler presented a lecture at the Federal Sentencing Advocacy Workshop in Kansas City, MO entitled: "Persuasive Writing for Sentencing." He also facilitated a multi-day sentencing advocacy workshop.

March 2018

Prof. Tyler presented a lecture at the Federal Sentencing Advocacy Workshop in San Francisco, CA entitled: "Persuasive Writing for Sentencing." He also facilitated a multi-day sentencing advocacy workshop.

February 2018

Prof. Tyler was Conference Co-Chair at the Northern California Clinician's Conference in San Francisco, CA. He also presented "Getting Proximate to Pain: Mindfulness Practices to Help Law Students Sit With Suffering."

February 2018

Prof. Tyler gave a guest lecture in Stanford Law School course "Myth, Law, and Practice" entitled "Wellness in the Study and Practice of Law."

January 2018

Prof. Tyler presented a short program entitled: "Cross Examination: Taking You to the Next Level! (Impeachment)" at the National Criminal Defense College in Atlanta, GA.

March 2017

Prof. Tyler was the keynote speaker for the 25th Anniversary Seminar Federal Defender of Southeastern Tennessee Knoxville, presenting: "Celebrating 25 Years of the Federal Defender of Southeastern Tennessee." He was also a panelist for "The Future of the Criminal Justice Act."

February 2017

Prof. Tyler was a co-presenter at the Northern California Clinician's Conference in San Francisco, CA for "Effective Teaching Through Practicums."

February 2017

Prof. Tyler presented a lecture at the Federal Sentencing Advocacy Workshop in Albuquerque, NM entitled: "Persuasive Writing for Sentencing." He also facilitated a multi-day sentencing advocacy workshop.

February 2017

Prof. Tyler gave a guest lecture in Stanford Law School course "Myth, Law, and Practice" entitled "Wellness in the Study and Practice of Law."

January - February 2017

Prof. Tyler was a lecturer and facilitator for a six-week mindfulness workshop for the Santa Clara County Public Defender’s Office.

January 2017

Prof. Tyler presented a lecture at the Multi-Track Federal Criminal Defense Seminar in Long Beach, CA. His lecture was entitled: "Wellness in the Practice of Law: Attorney Self-Care."

August 2016

Prof. Tyler presented a lecture at the Multi-Track Federal Criminal Defense Seminar in New Orleans, LA. His lecture was entitled: "Wellness in the Practice of Law; Lecture: Client-Centered Representation Re-Imagined."

August 2016

Prof. Tyler was a lecturer and facilitator for multi-week mindfulness workshop for the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office.

April 2016

Prof. Tyler gave a lecture at an SLS Board of Visitors Meeting entitled: "Incorporating Self-Care into a Criminal Defense Clinic."

February 2016

Prof. Tyler gave a guest lecture in Stanford Law School course "Myth, Law, and Practice" entitled "Wellness in the Study and Practice of Law."

October 2015

Prof. Tyler was an issue expert for the James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award Selection. He evaluated San Jose State University's Record Clearance Project for a possible Irvine Foundation Leadership award.

July - September 2015

Prof. Tyler was a lecturer and facilitator for single-session introductory mindfulness workshops for judges, public defenders, and district attorneys in Santa Clara County.

August 1, 2015

Prof. Tyler was a moderator at the Southeastern Association of Law Schools 2015 Conference in Boca Raton, Florida. The workshop on criminal law and criminal procedure was entitled: “Keeping the Conversation Going: Intractable Problems in the U.S. Criminal Justice System.” The discussion benefitted from the scholarship, clinical projects, litigation and other means by which the panelists sought to address the issues raised in Michelle Alexander's book, “The New Jim Crow.”

February 23, 2015

Prof. Tyler was the keynote speaker at the annual BLSA Black History Month Gala: “Voting Rights: Our Nation, Our Voices.”

February 2014

Prof. Tyler moderated "Discussion with Dawn Porter, director of documentary film, Gideon's Army" at screening of "Gideon's Army" at Stanford, CA.

June 2014

Prof. Tyler conducted a plenary at the AALS Workshop for New Law School Teachers in Washington, DC: "Managing Student Challenges in the Classroom and Beyond" (with Josephine Ross and Gemma Solimene).

June 2014

Prof. Tyler lead a plenary with Mark Niles and Anita G. Ramasastry at AALS Workshop for Pretenured People of Color Law Teachers in Washington, DC: "Lessons Learned"

July 2014

Prof. Tyler gave a lecture entitled "Client-Centered Representation" at the California Public Defender Association Basic Trial Skills Institute in San Diego, CA.

August 2014

Prof. Tyler presented a full Day Seminar: "The Heart of the Matter: Zealous Advocacy Through Storytelling" at the Puerto Rico Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers Seminar in San Juan, PR.

August 2014

Prof. Tyler conducted plenary session "Cross-Examination" at Criminal Advocacy Workshop in St. Thomas, VI.

August 2014

Prof. Tyler gave a lecture at the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers Annual Meeting Washington, DC: "Clear as a Bell? Zealous Advocacy and the Limits of Ethical Defense."

November 2014

Prof. Tyler presented a lecture entitled "Wellness in the Practice of Law" at the California Public Defender Association Annual Felony Defense Practice Seminar in Yosemite, CA.

October 2013

Prof. Tyler gave a lecture entitled "Walking the Fine Line: Zealous, Ethical Defense in Sex Cases" in Savannah, GA.

August 2013

Prof. Tyler gave a lecture: "The Role of the Supreme Court in American History. The Warren Court: Mapp, Gideon and Miranda" at Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History Menlo Park, CA.

July 2013

Prof. Tyler gave a lecture at the California Public Defender Association Basic Trial Skills Institute, San Diego, CA entitled "Client-Centered Representation."

AALS Workshop for New Law Teachers Washington, DC, June 2013

Lecture: Managing and Building Institutional Relationships: The "Shadow Work" of Being a Law Professor (with Barbara Bintliff); Small group leader.
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