SAN FRANCISCO—On November 10, former NFL player, Martin Jenkins was confirmed to the California Supreme Court.
“As a critical member of my senior leadership team, I’ve seen firsthand that Justice Jenkins possesses brilliance and humility in equal measure,” California Governor Newsom said in a press release. “The people of California could not ask for a better jurist or kinder person to take on this important responsibility.”
Jenkins, 66, is a San Francisco native and former cornerback for the Seattle Seahawks. After his football stint, Jenkins enrolled in law school at the University of San Francisco (USF). In 1980, he graduated with honors and was awarded the Judge Harold J. Haley Award for exceptional distinction in scholarship, character and activities.
After law school, Jenkins worked at the Alameda County District Attorney’s Office as a civil rights lawyer. In 1986, he accepted employment as a trial attorney with the Pacific Bell Legal Department in San Francisco, handling a wide variety of civil litigation matters. In 1992, he was selected by Governor Pete Wilson to the Almeda County Superior Court and in 1995, become the Presiding Judge of the Juvenile Division.
Former President Bill Clinton appointed him to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in 1997.
While accomplishing many achievements in his professional career, Jenkins was also a humanitarian.
For nearly 30 years, he volunteered and mentored in youth organizations in San Francisco and Oakland. He also started “Fireside Chats” at USF, for law students from underserved communities. Jenkins helped students work through their psychological and emotional issues during their first year of law school.
