Prof. Joe Creitz Will Lead Legal Research, Writing & Moot Court at UC Law SF

Joseph Creitz ’92 has been named Director of Legal Research and Writing & Moot Court at UC Law San Francisco.

Joseph Creitz, a longtime adjunct professor in the UC Law SF legal writing program and an accomplished practitioner, was recently promoted to Professor of Practice and was named Director of Legal Research and Writing & Moot Court.

A 1992 graduate of UC law SF, Creitz has taught Legal Research & Writing (LRW) for nearly 30 years and has won multiple awards for his teaching. He plans to use that experience in his new role as he recruits, assists, and mentors the College’s team of LRW professors.

“I am excited for this opportunity to get more deeply involved in the recruitment and support of our adjunct faculty, to elevate and harmonize the level of instruction across the program,” he said.

All first-year J.D. students take two courses: LRW I and II, which teach them how to objectively analyze legal questions, write persuasive memos and briefs, and present oral arguments to a live panel of volunteer judges.

Creitz regards LRW as one of the most important classes law students take, because it sets a foundation for writing exams and bar essays, in addition to delivering the skills they need to succeed as legal professionals.

“I enjoy watching students learn and improve, find work, and thrive as attorneys, and it’s gratifying to imagine that I played some small role in that,” he said.

In this position, Creitz will also assist the law school’s competitive Moot Court teams, which have repeatedly ranked No. 1 nationally in recent years and which provide law students opportunities to sharpen their legal research, writing, and oral advocacy skills.

In a legal career spanning over three decades, Creitz has worked as a litigator representing labor unions, a General Counsel to a web design firm, and a Trial Attorney with the U.S. Department of Labor. He launched his own law practice in 2005 focusing on employee benefits, insurance bad faith, and nationwide class actions. He has represented clients in cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, and every U.S. District Court in California. He now serves as managing partner of the law firm he co-founded, Creitz & Serebin LLP.

In his new role at UC Law SF, Creitz will teach LRW and oversee the entire LRW and Moot Court programs, support LRW faculty and staff, and develop and improve course curricula. Additionally, he will recruit, train, and mentor LRW instructors. He will do the same for research assistants, teaching assistants, and volunteers that help with oral argument practices and classes. Beyond those duties, Creitz will chair the Legal Writing Curriculum Committee and collaborate with different faculty members and departments on strategies to further develop students’ legal writing skills.

Provost & Academic Dean Morris Ratner described Creitz as uniquely qualified to lead the law school’s LRW and Moot Court programs.

“Director Creitz brings a wealth of experience in practice and teaching to the Director role,” Provost Ratner said. “A skills program deserves a skillful leader, lawyer, and teacher to orient it toward the future.”

Professor of Practice and Senior Associate Dean Toni Young ’76, who oversees the Moot Court program, said Creitz has been an invaluable asset to the program over the years and she looks forward to working with him more closely.

“As an alum, experienced teacher, and dedicated volunteer, Joe is the perfect addition to the Moot Court and LRW Department,” Young said. “I am thrilled to welcome him as a full-time colleague, and I am immensely grateful for his partnership.”