Kenneth C. Odiwe is a prominent and nationally recognized civil rights and personal injury attorney and the founder and principal of the Law Offices of Kenneth C. Odiwe, PC. His practice is devoted to representing individuals and families in significant cases involving police misconduct, wrongful death, catastrophic injury, and violations of constitutional rights.
Born in the Bay Area and raised in Vallejo, California, Mr. Odiwe developed an early commitment to civil rights after witnessing the impact of police misconduct on individuals, families, and communities. During his first year of law school, he began working on police misconduct cases at the nationally renowned Law Offices of John L. Burris. There, he represented individuals and families in police brutality, wrongful death, and serious personal injury matters and developed substantial experience handling complex civil rights litigation.
Mr. Odiwe has since built a practice focused on holding powerful institutions accountable. He has extensive experience litigating high profile police misconduct and civil rights cases through all phases of litigation. His practice includes excessive force, officer involved shootings, police K9 attacks, custodial deaths, unlawful detention and arrest, false imprisonment, malicious prosecution, denial of medical care, and other violations of state and federal civil rights. He also represents individuals and families in wrongful death and serious personal injury matters.
Based in the Bay Area, the Law Offices of Kenneth C. Odiwe, PC represents clients throughout California in state and federal court. Mr. Odiwe has earned a reputation for taking on challenging cases against government entities, law enforcement agencies, corporations, private security companies, and other powerful institutions.
Mr. Odiwe's work has received significant recognition within the legal profession. Most recently, the Daily Journal named him one of the Top 100 Lawyers in California, recognizing him among a select group of attorneys statewide for the significance and impact of their legal work.
He has received Martindale Hubbell's highest peer review rating for legal ability and ethical standards and has been selected multiple times for inclusion in Best Lawyers in America and Northern California Super Lawyers. Lawdragon has recognized Mr. Odiwe among the nation's leading litigators, plaintiff consumer lawyers, and civil rights lawyers, as well as among attorneys expected to lead the next generation of the profession. He has also received recognition from National Trial Lawyers and National Black Lawyers and has been named a Top 40 Under 40 attorney by several prominent legal organizations.
Mr. Odiwe is a Life Member of the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, an organization whose membership is limited to attorneys who have achieved million and multimillion dollar verdicts and settlements for their clients.
His influence extends beyond the courtroom. The American Bar Association selected Mr. Odiwe to serve as Vice Chair of its Civil Rights & Social Justice Committee and as a Contributing Editor for its Litigation News Editorial Board. He has been invited to publish on civil rights and legal issues for sections of the American Bar Association and other respected legal publications. He is also a regular columnist for the Daily Journal, where he writes about civil rights, constitutional law, police accountability, and emerging legal issues.
Mr. Odiwe is also the founder of the Rising Voices and Equity and Advocacy Initiative, an organization dedicated to expanding advocacy, opportunity, and meaningful participation for communities and voices that have historically been underrepresented.
Through his litigation, writing, professional leadership, and advocacy, Mr. Odiwe has become a prominent voice in civil rights law. His work remains centered on a fundamental principle: individuals and families deserve powerful representation when government agencies, law enforcement, corporations, and other institutions violate their rights.
