Skip to content

Kevin Rudich

Kevin Rudich headshot
Professor, De Anza College, Deputy Public Defender, Santa Clara County (retired) San Francisco, CA

Kevin Rudich worked as a Deputy Public Defender for 30 years in the Santa Clara County Public Defender/ Alternate Defender Office before retiring in 2020. Finding his passion working with kids in the Juvenile Justice System, Kevin spent one half of his legal career helping kids leave the Juvenile Justice System. As part of his work, he helped found the Juvenile Division of the Santa Clara County Alternate Defender’s Office. 

In addition to his legal work defending kids in the system, Kevin helped found the first juvenile mental health court in the United States, helping kids with mental health issues navigate the Juvenile Justice System. Kevin has served on numerous committees working on system change as it relates to youth affected by disproportionate minority confinement, LGBTQ issues, dually involved youth and the disparate treatment of girls in the Juvenile Justice System.

As part of his Juvenile Justice work, Kevin worked closely with community members and organizations including FLY, the Bill Wilson Center, Ujima and Unity Care, forging close relationships and friendships along the way. Kevin has also mentored a number of young people through the organization Volunteers in Parole. 

Kevin previously served on the Board of Directors of Friends Outside, working to provide resources to incarcerated men, women and their children.

For the past 25 years Kevin has helped deliver pizzas on Christmas Eve to incarcerated youth.

Kevin has received commendations from Congressman Mike Honda for his work with the Juvenile Drug Treatment Court, and from San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed for Kevin’s work with kids in Juvenile Hall.

Kevin is currently working as a professor teaching Youth Law and Criminal Procedure at De Anza College. He is also spearheading a project at De Anza College to bring college courses to incarcerated youth.

Kevin has a B. A. from UC Berkeley and a law degree from Golden Gate University. He currently lives in San Francisco with his partner Michael.