Rikki Klieman
Encyclopedia
Rikki Klieman is an American criminal defense lawyer and TV personality for TruTV. A native of Chicago
, she worked in criminal defense in Boston
and taught at Columbia Law School
before moving to the entertainment field. Additionally, she is an author, actress, and is married to William Bratton, former chief of the Los Angeles Police Department
.
, where she danced, acted, and sang as a youth. Rikki Klieman attended Northwestern University
where she was a theater major and had plans of becoming an actress. However, she decided to attend law school. Klieman graduated from Boston University School of Law
in 1975 with her Juris Doctor
. During law school
she externed for U.S. District Court
judge Walter Jay Skinner
.
of Friedman & Atherton before starting her own private practice. Then in 1983 she was named by Time
magazine as one of the five best female attorneys in the United States. From 1996 to 2003 she was part of the faculty at Columbia’s law school
, while previously spending time on her alma mater
’s faculty at Boston University’s law school.
during the 2005-06 season. More recently, she has appeared on the TV show Shark
. She also wrote her autobiography with co-author Peter Knobler
, Fairy Tales Can Come True: How a Driven Woman Changed Her Destiny. She is currently the fourth wife of Los Angeles police chief William J. Bratton
.
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, she worked in criminal defense in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
and taught at Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School, founded in 1858, is one of the oldest and most prestigious law schools in the United States. A member of the Ivy League, Columbia Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Columbia University in New York City. It offers the J.D., LL.M., and J.S.D. degrees in...
before moving to the entertainment field. Additionally, she is an author, actress, and is married to William Bratton, former chief of the Los Angeles Police Department
Los Angeles Police Department
The Los Angeles Police Department is the police department of the city of Los Angeles, California. With just under 10,000 officers and more than 3,000 civilian staff, covering an area of with a population of more than 4.1 million people, it is the third largest local law enforcement agency in...
.
Early life
She was born to a Ukrainian Jewish immigrant family in ChicagoChicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, where she danced, acted, and sang as a youth. Rikki Klieman attended Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
where she was a theater major and had plans of becoming an actress. However, she decided to attend law school. Klieman graduated from Boston University School of Law
Boston University School of Law
Boston University School of Law is the law school affiliated with Boston University, and is ranked #22 among American law schools by US News and World Report magazine. It is the second-oldest law school in Massachusetts and one of the first law schools in the country to admit students regardless...
in 1975 with her Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
. During law school
Law school
A law school is an institution specializing in legal education.- Law degrees :- Canada :...
she externed for U.S. District Court
United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts
The United States District Court for the District of Massachusetts is the federal district court whose jurisdiction is the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, USA. The first court session was held in Boston in 1789. The second term was held in Salem in 1790 and until 1813 court session locations...
judge Walter Jay Skinner
Walter Jay Skinner
Walter Jay Skinner was a United States federal judge.Born in Washington, D.C., Skinner received an A.B. from Harvard University in 1948 and a J.D. from Harvard Law School in 1952...
.
Legal career
After law school she was an Assistant District Attorney for the Middlesex County District Attorney's Office, before she joined the Boston, Massachusetts, law firmLaw firm
A law firm is a business entity formed by one or more lawyers to engage in the practice of law. The primary service rendered by a law firm is to advise clients about their legal rights and responsibilities, and to represent clients in civil or criminal cases, business transactions, and other...
of Friedman & Atherton before starting her own private practice. Then in 1983 she was named by Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
magazine as one of the five best female attorneys in the United States. From 1996 to 2003 she was part of the faculty at Columbia’s law school
Columbia Law School
Columbia Law School, founded in 1858, is one of the oldest and most prestigious law schools in the United States. A member of the Ivy League, Columbia Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Columbia University in New York City. It offers the J.D., LL.M., and J.S.D. degrees in...
, while previously spending time on her alma mater
Alma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
’s faculty at Boston University’s law school.
Other
Klieman currently works for the TruTV television network, although she announced that her last day on the air with TruTV would be October 30, 2009. When she left the air, she did state, "I may not be leaving you forever," so her on-air status remains an unknown to the viewing public. She has also acted in the guest-recurring role of lawyer Kathy Berson on TV series Las VegasLas Vegas (TV series)
Las Vegas was an American television series broadcast by NBC from September 22, 2003 to February 15, 2008. The show focuses on a team of people working at the ficticional Montecito Resort & Casino dealing with issues that arise within the working environment, ranging from valet parking and...
during the 2005-06 season. More recently, she has appeared on the TV show Shark
Shark (TV series)
Shark is an American legal drama created by Ian Biederman that originally aired on CBS from September 21, 2006 to May 20, 2008. The series stars James Woods.-Synopsis:...
. She also wrote her autobiography with co-author Peter Knobler
Peter Knobler
Peter Knobler is an American writer living in New York City. He has collaborated on several national best sellers and was the editor-in-chief of Crawdaddy magazine from 1972 to 1979.- Writing :...
, Fairy Tales Can Come True: How a Driven Woman Changed Her Destiny. She is currently the fourth wife of Los Angeles police chief William J. Bratton
William J. Bratton
William Joseph "Bill" Bratton CBE is an American law enforcement officer who served as the chief of police of the Los Angeles Police Department , New York City Police Commissioner, and Boston Police Commissioner....
.