John Diamond

Bio

Professor Diamond was raised in Chappaqua, New York and attended Yale College (B.A., Magna Cum Laude, Departmental Honors with Exceptional Distinction in Social Science 1972); Cambridge University (Diploma in Criminology 1973); and Columbia Law School (JD, Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar 1976). Before joining the UC Law SF faculty, Professor Diamond was associated with the law firm of Cravath, Swaine & Moore in New York, where he practiced in the litigation department. He previously served as law clerk to Judge Thomas P. Griesa of the United States District Court in New York.

Professor Diamond teaches and writes on torts, criminal and mass media law, and is author of a torts casebook, coauthor of a criminal law casebook and torts treatise. He is a recipient of the Northern California Association of Phi Beta Kappa Excellence in Teaching Award, the Rutter Outstanding Teaching Award, UC Law SF Associated Students and UC Law SF Alumni office Teaching Awards, and has had the honor to be elected by the graduating class to give the faculty commencement address on ten occasions.

Education

• Columbia Law School
  J.D., Harlan Fiske Scholar, Law 1976

• Emmanuel College, Cambridge University
  Diploma, Criminology 1973

• Yale College
  B.A., Magna cum Laude and Departmental Honors with Exceptional Distinction, Social Science 1972

Accomplishments

• Elected Faculty Commencement Speaker
  Elected by the UC Law SF graduating class in 2013, 2010, 2009, 2005, 2004, 2001, 2000, 1988, 1987, and 1985. 2013

• Outstanding Professor Award
  Awarded by the Hastings student government in 2011, 2010, 2008, 2004 and 1990. 2011

• Rutter Outstanding Teaching Award
  Awarded by UC Law SF College of the Law. 2001

• Excellence in Teaching Award
  Awarded by the Northern California Association of Phi Beta Kappa. 2001

• Outstanding Professor Award
  Presented by the Alumni Office of UC Law SF College of the Law. 1993

• Associate Academic Dean of UC Law SF College of the Law
  Served from 1987 to 1989. 1989

Selected Scholarship

• Measles in Minnesota: Can there be liability for Anti Vaccine Misinformation that Causes Bodily Harm? (with Dorit Rubinstein Reiss)
  Dorit Rubinstein Reiss and John L. Diamond, San Diego Law Review, Vol. 56, No. 3, 2019 2019

• Crisis in American Criminal Law - Reflections from a Comparative Perspective
  5 ArisAequi 2016

• Reviving Lenity and Honest Belief at the Boundaries of Criminal Law
  University of Michigan Journal of Law Reform 2010

• Rethinking Compensation for Mental Distress: A Critique of the Restatement
  Virginia Journal of Social Policy & the Law 2008

• An Ideological Approach to Excuse in Criminal Law
  New England Journal on Criminal & Civil Confinement 1999

• The Crisis in the Ideology of Crime
  Indiana Law Review 1998

• Rethinking Media Liability for Defamation of Public Figures
  Cornell Journal of Law and Public Policy 1996

• The Myth of Morality and Fault in Criminal Law Doctrine
  American Criminal Law Review 1996

• Assumption of Risk after Comparative Negligence: Integrating Contract Theory into Tort Doctrine
  Ohio State Law Journal 1991

• Rediscovering Traditional Tort Typologies to Determine Media Liability for Physical Injuries: From the Mickey Mouse Club to Hustler Magazine
  Hastings Communications & Entertainment Law Journal (Comm/Ent) 1988

• Philadelphia Newspapers v. Hepps: Unanswered Defamation Questions
  Hastings Communications & Entertainment Law Journal (Comm/Ent) 1987

• Kidnapping: A Modern Definition
  American Journal of Criminal Law 1985

• Dillon v. Legg Revisited: Towards a Unified Theory of Compensating Bystanders and Relatives for Intangible Injuries
  UC Law SF Journal 1983

• Eliminating the "Defect" in Design Strict Products Liability Theory
  UC Law SF Journal 1982