For nearly three decades, Amanda Bevins has practiced juvenile and adult criminal law in counties throughout Northern California. Prior to opening BevinsLaw, Amanda worked for Dickenson, Peatman & Fogarty focusing on civil and criminal litigation. Before DP&F, Amanda was a partner at Gagen McCoy, a prominent East Bay business litigation and criminal firm, for 18 years.
Amanda handles all aspects and levels of criminal law and has substantial court and jury trial experience. She represents defendants, victims and witnesses. She also represents businesses and individuals accused of violating local building and environmental codes or facing civil or administrative penalties.
Amanda has a reputation as a zealous advocate who is fiercely loyal to her clients, their cases and their futures. She has long practiced a “holistic approach” to litigation; beyond fighting for the best outcome in every case, she does what it takes to ensure her clients are armed with the resources they need to make their legal experience as positive as possible.
Ms. Bevins believes that, by getting into a case early, she can position herself to accurately and effectively educate the other side about the objective facts. She has the insight to know when to take a collaborative rather than a combative approach. A skilled negotiator, she has had excellent results, often getting charges reduced and cases dropped. As Ms. Bevins says: “Sometimes the most satisfying victory is not in the courtroom. It’s keeping the case from getting there in the first place.”
Amanda is proud to have devoted a large part of her career to representing juveniles, requiring a unique combination of compassion, advocacy and knowledge of the resources available to put young people back on the right track. She remains involved in community juvenile justice programs, serving as a Commissioner and Chairperson of the Napa County Juvenile Justice Commission since 2011.
Education
Amanda Bevins began her studies at New York University and then graduated summa cum laude with departmental honors in philosophy from San Francisco State University in 1990. She received her law degree from Golden Gate University in 1993 and was admitted to the California State Bar the same year.
Writings And Presentations
“Supreme Court Justices Are People Too: A Review of Sonia Sotomayor’s “My Beloved World.””, Contra Costa Lawyer, August 2013
“Courthouse Step Dwellers: Violating Sherman’s Trust or Assisting Sallie Mae?”, Contra Costa Lawyer, May 2013
“From the Other Side Of The Jury Box”, Contra Costa Lawyer June 2008, Los Angeles Daily Journal, 2008
Amanda Rubin, “Prison Law – Before and After Wilson v. Seiter: Cases Challenging the Conditions of Confinement in the Ninth Circuit”, 22 Golden Gate U. L. Rev (1992)
Presenter, “Everything You Wanted To Know About Criminal Law But Were Afraid to Ask”, Criminal Primer for Civil Lawyers (Downey Brand, Sacramento California), Fall 2015
Associations
Napa County Juvenile Justice Commission – Commissioner, 2011-Present, Chairperson 2020-Present
Napa County Gang and Youth Violence Commission – Commissioner, 2011-2015
Napa County Peer Court – Coordinator, 2014-2016
California Attorneys for Criminal Justice – Member, 1994-Present
Napa County Bar Association – Member, 2014-Present
Contra Costa County Bar Association – Board of Directors, 2010-2015
Contra Costa County Criminal Conflict Panel – Board of Directors, 2012-2015
Contra Costa Bar Association Judicial Nomination Evaluation Committee – 2007-2010