New York attorney record · Judicial Dept 3
William Bernstein
University Of San Francisco School Of Law alumna, admitted to the New York bar in 1985, registered office in San Francisco, CA. A half-lifetime's worth of status, address, and registration history on this record come straight from the NY Office of Court Administration.
- 1985
- Admitted
- 41
- Years in bar
- 2019982
- NY reg #
The record in one line
William Bernstein has spent 41 years on the register since admission in 1985, one of the longest-standing active practitioners the state bar carries at 86% tenure percentile.
- 41 yrs
- in active practice since admission
- Active
- current bar status: "Currently registered"
- #111 of 2,460
- by tenure in San Francisco office peers
- Law school
- University Of San Francisco School Of Law
Data updated August 2026
What this profile tells you
Bar status & tenure
William Bernstein has carried New York bar registration 2019982 for the better part of a career, still active and in good standing. Registration is recorded within Judicial Department 3, the appellate division overseeing this attorney's home district.
Practice context & education
Practice address is listed under Lieff, Cabraser, Heimann & Bernstein, located in San Francisco, CA, ZIP 94111. 2 other attorneys share this firm affiliation in the registry. Educational background: University of San Francisco School of Law (135 registered alumni).
State context & due diligence
Across a career spanning 41 years, William Bernstein has remained part of the New York bar's active cohort, a share of the register detailed further below.
Experience vs. the active New York bar
William Bernstein's 41 years since a 1985 admission places this record near the far edge of the statewide tenure curve below.
41 years on the New York bar
Years since admission, all currently-active NY attorneys
41 Top 14% higher than 86% of 290,787 active NY attorneys
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more active NY attorneys. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source NY Office of Court Administration, Attorney Registration · August 2026
Tenure among San Francisco, CA office peers
William Bernstein is earlier in the San Francisco, CA office cohort than most peers: local tenure rank #111 of 2,460 (4th percentile). See the San Francisco attorney directory .
- Local rank
- #111
- City cohort
- 2,460
- Local percentile
- 4th
- Admitted
- 1985
Nearest tenure peers in San Francisco
- Judith M. Anderson admitted 1985 · 41 yr
- Howard Allan Becker admitted 1985 · 41 yr
- Michael Berg admitted 1985 · 41 yr
- Laurie M. Berk admitted 1985 · 41 yr
How local rank is computed
Rank uses years since NY-bar admission among non-deceased registry rows that list the same office city and state, a local placement, not a statewide claim. Source: NY Office of Court Administration Attorney Registration · as of August 2026. Derived local rank, not published upstream.
How William compares to fellow University Of San Francisco School Of Law alumni
Among the 107 University Of San Francisco School Of Law graduates in the New York register, William Bernstein is longer-tenured than 99%.
41 years vs. University Of San Francisco School Of Law alumni
Years since admission - 107 NY-registered alumni of this school
41 Top 1% higher than 99% of 107 fellow alumni
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more fellow alumni. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source NY Office of Court Administration, Attorney Registration · August 2026
University Of San Francisco School Of Law's active-bar rate
Of University Of San Francisco School Of Law's 135 alumni in the New York register, 76.3% currently hold "Currently registered" status, above the statewide average.
The 1985 admission class today
Of the 6,046 attorneys admitted to the New York bar in 1985, 70.6% are still "Currently registered" today, above the statewide average across all admission years.
Professional Details
- Status
- Currently registered
- Registration Number
- 2019982
- Year Admitted
- 1985 (41 yrs · veteran)
- Judicial Department
- 3
- Next Registration
- Jul 2027
Location & Contact
- Company
- Lieff, Cabraser, Heimann & Bernstein
- City
- San Francisco, CA
- ZIP Code
- 94111
- Phone
- (415) 956-1000
Status Distribution Across the New York Bar
William Bernstein's current status, "Currently registered", places this attorney in the 67.2% of the 432,625-attorney New York register currently marked active.
Full statewide breakdown & source note
Source: NY Office of Court Administration, Attorney Registrations. Status counts reflect the latest reporting cycle. Bar status confirms registration only; it does not imply competence, specialty fit, or freedom from complaints.
Same firm affiliation: Lieff, Cabraser, Heimann & Bernstein
Other NY-registered attorneys who share this firm name on the OCA register (not a geographic peer set).
Near-tenure University Of San Francisco School Of Law alumni
Fellow alumni on the NY register whose admission year is closest to 1985 (excluding same-firm colleagues above).
Same admission year (1985), other cities
NY-registered attorneys admitted in 1985 whose listed office city differs from San Francisco, a vintage cohort, not a neighborhood list.
Nationwide attorneys with similar admission year or city registry density
Two non-geo peer axes for William Bernstein: closest NY bar admission year outside CA, and closest out-of-state office cities by how many NY-registered attorneys they list (~2,461 here). Distinct from same-firm, fellow-alumni, and same-year other-city strips above.
Similar admission year (~1985)
Counts come from the NY State Office of Court Administration registration extract; peers are not a competence or practice-area ranking.
Verify This Attorney
Verify on NY Courts Attorney SearchNearby Attorneys in San Francisco, CA
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Compare attorneys →Before you rely on this record
William Bernstein's "Currently registered" listing confirms bar standing only, it is a registration fact to verify, not a verdict on quality or competence.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is William Bernstein licensed?
William Bernstein is licensed to practice law in New York.
When was William Bernstein admitted to the bar?
William Bernstein's admission to the New York bar dates back to 1985.
Where did William Bernstein go to law school?
William Bernstein attended University of San Francisco School of Law.
What company does William Bernstein work for?
William Bernstein is associated with Lieff, Cabraser, Heimann & Bernstein in San Francisco, CA.
Is William Bernstein in good standing?
Yes, William Bernstein holds active bar status ("Currently registered").
Cite this page & disclosure
Sourced from the NY Office of Court Administration, informational only, not legal advice. Full disclosure.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.