Suggestions
Max Carter-Oberstone
Appellate Litigator l Police Commissioner
Max Carter-Oberstone is an experienced appellate litigator and police commissioner based in San Francisco, California. He currently serves as Of Counsel at Altshuler Berzon LLP, where he specializes in appellate litigation across various subject areas, with a particular focus on constitutional law.12
Professional Experience
Carter-Oberstone has an extensive legal background:
- He is currently a Commissioner and Vice-President of the San Francisco Police Commission, a position he has held since November 2021.1
- Prior to joining Altshuler Berzon, he worked at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP as a Senior Associate and Managing Associate in their Supreme Court & Appellate Group.1
- He served as an Associate Deputy Solicitor General at the California Department of Justice from 2016 to 2018.1
- His early career included clerkships at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.1
Education and Achievements
Carter-Oberstone's educational background includes:
- A J.D. from Stanford Law School, Class of 2014.1
- An AB in Finance and French from Georgetown University, completed in 2007.1
He has received several honors, including:
- National Black Lawyers Top 40 Under 40 (2023)1
- James Madison Freedom of Information Award (2023)1
- California Lawyer Attorney of the Year (CLAY) Award (2018)1
Language Skills
Carter-Oberstone is fluent in English and French, with limited working proficiency in Spanish.1
His diverse experience in appellate litigation, public service, and his work on constitutional law matters have established him as a respected figure in the legal community.
Highlights
I enjoyed this discussion with State Senator Steven Bradford about the policy and politics surrounding the pretext stop laws that each of us drafted. The conversation was moderated by Carl Tennenbaum, a 32 year veteran of SFPD.
Carl’s observations from his experience making countless pretext stops are consistent with what we all know from the data: Pretext stops are spectacularly ineffective at stopping and preventing crime, and are fundamentally inconsistent with our moral and constitutional obligation to accord every citizen equal treatment under the law, regardless of background.
I salute Carl for the humility and courage it takes to speak out with such clarity against a regime that he once helped perpetuate.
Thank you to Fatima (Fay) Dahir and Stanford Center for Racial Justice for publishing this excellent explainer piece on pretextual traffic stops that highlights the important work we are doing here in San Francisco. https://lnkd.in/g8AMBnYj #policereform
