Kenneth Chike Odiwe

Kenneth C. Odiwe is a civil rights and trial attorney based in San Jose, California, and the founder and principal attorney of the Law Offices of Kenneth C. Odiwe. He represents individuals and families in civil rights, police misconduct, wrongful death, and personal and catastrophic injury cases. His matters involve law enforcement agencies, government entities, corporations, and security companies. His practice includes police shootings, excessive force, police K9 attacks, unlawful searches and seizures, jail misconduct, hate crimes, and premises liability.

Kenneth earned a B.A. in English from St. John’s University in 2011 and a Juris Doctor from Golden Gate University School of Law in 2016. During his first year of law school, he began working on police misconduct cases at the Law Offices of John L. Burris. That work included representing individuals and families in civil rights and personal injury matters and established the foundation for his subsequent practice addressing constitutional violations, serious injuries, and abuses of authority.

Kenneth handles complex and high-profile cases through every stage of litigation. His court admissions include all California state courts, the United States Supreme Court, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the federal district courts for California’s Northern, Eastern, Central, and Southern Districts. He serves as a contributing editor for the American Bar Association’s Litigation News Editorial Board and vice chair of its Section of Civil Rights and Social Justice. He also founded the Rising Voices Equity and Advocacy Initiative to advance civil rights, education, and advocacy.

Kenneth C. Odiwe holds Martindale-Hubbell’s AV Preeminent rating and has received the Daily Journal’s Top 100 Lawyers in California, Top Plaintiff Lawyer, and Top 40 Under 40 recognitions. His honors also include Northern California Super Lawyers Rising Stars selections from 2022 through 2026, Best Lawyers: Ones to Watch, and multiple Lawdragon 500 recognitions for litigation and plaintiffs’ advocacy. He is an American Bar Foundation Fellow and a Life Member of the Million-Dollar Advocates Forum, whose membership recognizes qualifying million-dollar and multimillion-dollar verdicts and settlements.

Law Office Affiliations

• Founder, Law Offices of Kenneth Chike Odiwe, PC
• Vice Chair, American Bar Association, Civil Rights & Social Justice Committee
• Life Member, Million-Dollar Advocates Forum
• Life Member, Multi-Million-Dollar Advocates Forum

Licensed State

• California

Education

• Golden Gate University School of Law
  Juris Doctor (JD)
• St. John’s University
  BA in English

Awards & Badges