William Coblentz (attorney)
Encyclopedia
William Kraemer Coblentz [KAHB-lenz] (July 28, 1922 – September 13, 2010) was an American attorney and behind-the-scenes power broker who played an important role in California
politics in the years after World War II, serving as a Regent of the University of California
and legal representative for the rock bands Jefferson Airplane
and the Grateful Dead
, as well as for socialite, kidnapping victim and convicted bank robber Patty Hearst
.
, and attended San Francisco's Lowell High School
. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of California, Berkeley
where he majored in economics. He served with the United States Army Corps of Engineers
in the South
during World War II
and earned his law degree from Yale Law School
in 1947 after completing his military service. He returned to California to practice law and became involved in state and local politics as a Democrat
.
when he was California Attorney General
and moved up with him when Brown became Governor of California
. After an initial offer to serve as a judge, Coblentz accepted an offer from Brown in 1964 for a 16-year term on the University of California Board of Regents as Coblentz had requested, during which he served as the board's chairman fron 1978 to 1980. A member of San Francisco's Bohemian Club
, Coblentz was part of the group that supported Joseph Alioto
in 1967 in his successful run for mayor of San Francisco
. In his bid for Governor of California
, Ronald Reagan
used the University of California as a campaign issue, citing what he saw as a "spirit of permissiveness" that led to student disturbances. Coblentz defended the university's faculty, including such radicals as Eldridge Cleaver
and Angela Davis
, calling Reagan “a menopausal Cary Grant
".
As a regent, Coblentz played a key role in supporting efforts to pursue the case Regents of the University of California v. Bakke
to the Supreme Court of the United States
. The court ruled in 1978 in favor of Allan Bakke, a Caucasian student who had been bypassed for a spot at the UC Davis School of Medicine
, concluding that racial quotas were illegal but ruling that race could be used as part of the consideration process. Despite the mixed ruling, Coblentz insisted that the support for the case by the regents helped send a message that the University of California cared about providing educational opportunities for minority students. After Coblentz's term as regent ended in 1980, Reagan left a video message that said "let bygones be bygones. If you support me, I may make you the next ambassador to Afghanistan."
Through concert promoter Bill Graham
, Coblentz became the legal representative for Jefferson Airplane and the Grateful Dead. Coblents recalled being invited to a dinner hosted by members of Jefferson Airplane where two joints
were arranged next to each place setting. Coblentz managed the group's bank account, providing cash for Grace Slick
to buy a Mercedes Benz that she totalled two days later. After efforts were made to block performances by the Grateful Dead at Fillmore West
citing concerns that the auditorium posed a blight on a fine neighborhood, Coblentz arranged for a friend to observe a hotel across the street from the Fillmore used for prostitution and had photographs taken of police officers which were passed on to the Board of Permit Appeals, which decided in the end to approve the project.
After Patty Hearst
was kidnapped by the Symbionese Liberation Army
in 1974, Coblentz was hired by the Hearst family as an attorney, based on his relationship with fellow regent Catherine Hearst, Patty's mother. As part of one of the groups demands, Coblentz arranged for the distribution of $2 million in free food to be distributed to poor residents of San Francisco. Coblentz's legal services were offered to captured SLA members charged with murder, but was rejected when the radicals chose to be represented by public defenders, with Coblentz noting that "They didn't like us, we didn't like them, but they were entitled, as we say, to their day in court."
As an adviser to Dianne Feinstein
when she was mayor of San Francisco, He was appointed as a member of the San Francisco Airport Commission
for 16 years, where he advocated for the availability of free luggage carts and had a boarding area in the airport named in his honor. As an attorney, Coblentz was a land use lawyer who assisted in getting the necessary approvals for a new baseball stadium
for the San Francisco Giants
, as well as for Mission Bay
and Yerba Buena Gardens
. A longtime supporter of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund
, Coblentz's partners at the law firm of Coblentz, Patch, Duffy & Bass recognized him by endowing the Coblentz Fellowship for Civil Rights at the UC Berkeley School of Law
, which provides fellowships to students pursuing civil rights and racial justice.
He was elected in 2002 as a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
.
Coblentz died at age 88 on September 13, 2010. He was survived by his wife, the former Jean Berlin, as well as by a daughter, a son and four grandchildren.
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
politics in the years after World War II, serving as a Regent of the University of California
Regents of the University of California
The Regents of the University of California make up the governing board of the University of California. The Board has 26 full members:* The majority are appointed by the Governor of California for 12-year terms....
and legal representative for the rock bands Jefferson Airplane
Jefferson Airplane
Jefferson Airplane was an American rock band formed in San Francisco in 1965. A pioneer of the psychedelic rock movement, Jefferson Airplane was the first band from the San Francisco scene to achieve mainstream commercial and critical success....
and the Grateful Dead
Grateful Dead
The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The band was known for its unique and eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, reggae, country, improvisational jazz, psychedelia, and space rock, and for live performances of long...
, as well as for socialite, kidnapping victim and convicted bank robber Patty Hearst
Patty Hearst
Patricia Campbell Hearst , now known as Patricia Campbell Hearst Shaw, is an American newspaper heiress, socialite, actress, kidnap victim, and convicted bank robber....
.
Early life and education
Coblentz was born on July 28, 1922, in Santa Maria, CaliforniaSanta Maria, California
Santa Maria is a city in Santa Barbara County, on the Central Coast of California. The 2010 census population was 100,062, putting it ahead of Santa Barbara for the first time and making it the largest city in the county...
, and attended San Francisco's Lowell High School
Lowell High School (San Francisco)
Lowell High School is a public magnet school in San Francisco, California. The school opened in 1856 as the Union Grammar School and attained its current name in 1896. Lowell moved to its current location in the Merced Manor neighborhood in 1962....
. He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
where he majored in economics. He served with the United States Army Corps of Engineers
United States Army Corps of Engineers
The United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency...
in the South
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and earned his law degree from Yale Law School
Yale Law School
Yale Law School, or YLS, is the law school of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Established in 1824, it offers the J.D., LL.M., J.S.D. and M.S.L. degrees in law. It also hosts visiting scholars, visiting researchers and a number of legal research centers...
in 1947 after completing his military service. He returned to California to practice law and became involved in state and local politics as a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
.
Career in law and politics
Coblentz became an assistant to Pat BrownPat Brown
Edmund Gerald "Pat" Brown, Sr. was the 32nd Governor of California, serving from 1959 to 1967, and the father of current Governor of California Jerry Brown.-Background:...
when he was California Attorney General
California Attorney General
The California Attorney General is the State Attorney General of California. The officer's duty is to ensure that "the laws of the state are uniformly and adequately enforced" The Attorney General carries out the responsibilities of the office through the California Department of Justice.The...
and moved up with him when Brown became Governor of California
Governor of California
The Governor of California is the chief executive of the California state government, whose responsibilities include making annual State of the State addresses to the California State Legislature, submitting the budget, and ensuring that state laws are enforced...
. After an initial offer to serve as a judge, Coblentz accepted an offer from Brown in 1964 for a 16-year term on the University of California Board of Regents as Coblentz had requested, during which he served as the board's chairman fron 1978 to 1980. A member of San Francisco's Bohemian Club
Bohemian Club
The Bohemian Club is a private men's club in San Francisco, California, United States.Its clubhouse is located at 624 Taylor Street in San Francisco...
, Coblentz was part of the group that supported Joseph Alioto
Joseph Alioto
Joseph Lawrence Alioto was the 36th mayor of San Francisco, California, from 1968 to 1976.-Biography:...
in 1967 in his successful run for mayor of San Francisco
Mayor of San Francisco
The Mayor of the City and County of San Francisco is the head of the executive branch of San Francisco's city and county government. The mayor has the duty to enforce city laws, and the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, the legislative branch....
. In his bid for Governor of California
Governor of California
The Governor of California is the chief executive of the California state government, whose responsibilities include making annual State of the State addresses to the California State Legislature, submitting the budget, and ensuring that state laws are enforced...
, Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
used the University of California as a campaign issue, citing what he saw as a "spirit of permissiveness" that led to student disturbances. Coblentz defended the university's faculty, including such radicals as Eldridge Cleaver
Eldridge Cleaver
Leroy Eldridge Cleaver better known as Eldridge Cleaver, was a leading member of the Black Panther Party and a writer...
and Angela Davis
Angela Davis
Angela Davis is an American political activist, scholar, and author. Davis was most politically active during the late 1960s through the 1970s and was associated with the Communist Party USA, the Civil Rights Movement and the Black Panther Party...
, calling Reagan “a menopausal Cary Grant
Cary Grant
Archibald Alexander Leach , better known by his stage name Cary Grant, was an English actor who later took U.S. citizenship...
".
As a regent, Coblentz played a key role in supporting efforts to pursue the case Regents of the University of California v. Bakke
Regents of the University of California v. Bakke
Regents of the University of California v. Bakke, was a landmark decision of the Supreme Court of the United States that ruled unconstitutional the admission process of the Medical School at the University of California at Davis, which set aside 16 of the 100 seats for African American...
to the Supreme Court of the United States
Supreme Court of the United States
The Supreme Court of the United States is the highest court in the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all state and federal courts, and original jurisdiction over a small range of cases...
. The court ruled in 1978 in favor of Allan Bakke, a Caucasian student who had been bypassed for a spot at the UC Davis School of Medicine
UC Davis School of Medicine
The University of California Davis School of Medicine is one of five University of California medical schools in the state of California, associated with UC Davis.-History:...
, concluding that racial quotas were illegal but ruling that race could be used as part of the consideration process. Despite the mixed ruling, Coblentz insisted that the support for the case by the regents helped send a message that the University of California cared about providing educational opportunities for minority students. After Coblentz's term as regent ended in 1980, Reagan left a video message that said "let bygones be bygones. If you support me, I may make you the next ambassador to Afghanistan."
Through concert promoter Bill Graham
Bill Graham (promoter)
Bill Graham was an American impresario and rock concert promoter from the 1960s until his death.-Early life:...
, Coblentz became the legal representative for Jefferson Airplane and the Grateful Dead. Coblents recalled being invited to a dinner hosted by members of Jefferson Airplane where two joints
Joint (cannabis)
Joint is a slang term for a cigarette rolled using cannabis. Rolling papers are the most common rolling medium among industrialized countries, however brown paper, cigarettes with the tobacco removed, and newspaper are commonly used in developing countries. Modern papers are now made from a wide...
were arranged next to each place setting. Coblentz managed the group's bank account, providing cash for Grace Slick
Grace Slick
Grace Slick is an American singer and songwriter, who was one of the lead singers of the rock groups The Great Society, Jefferson Airplane, Jefferson Starship, and Starship, and was a solo artist, for nearly three decades, from the mid-1960s to the mid-1990s...
to buy a Mercedes Benz that she totalled two days later. After efforts were made to block performances by the Grateful Dead at Fillmore West
Fillmore West
The Fillmore West was an historic music venue in San Francisco, California made famous by concert promoter Bill Graham. Named after Graham's original "Fillmore" location at the intersection of Fillmore Street and Geary Boulevard, it stood at Market Street and South Van Ness Avenue and was formerly...
citing concerns that the auditorium posed a blight on a fine neighborhood, Coblentz arranged for a friend to observe a hotel across the street from the Fillmore used for prostitution and had photographs taken of police officers which were passed on to the Board of Permit Appeals, which decided in the end to approve the project.
After Patty Hearst
Patty Hearst
Patricia Campbell Hearst , now known as Patricia Campbell Hearst Shaw, is an American newspaper heiress, socialite, actress, kidnap victim, and convicted bank robber....
was kidnapped by the Symbionese Liberation Army
Symbionese Liberation Army
The Symbionese Liberation Army was an American self-styled left-wing urban militant group active between 1973 and 1975 that considered itself a revolutionary vanguard army...
in 1974, Coblentz was hired by the Hearst family as an attorney, based on his relationship with fellow regent Catherine Hearst, Patty's mother. As part of one of the groups demands, Coblentz arranged for the distribution of $2 million in free food to be distributed to poor residents of San Francisco. Coblentz's legal services were offered to captured SLA members charged with murder, but was rejected when the radicals chose to be represented by public defenders, with Coblentz noting that "They didn't like us, we didn't like them, but they were entitled, as we say, to their day in court."
As an adviser to Dianne Feinstein
Dianne Feinstein
Dianne Goldman Berman Feinstein is the senior U.S. Senator from California. A member of the Democratic Party, she has served in the Senate since 1992. She also served as 38th Mayor of San Francisco from 1978 to 1988....
when she was mayor of San Francisco, He was appointed as a member of the San Francisco Airport Commission
San Francisco International Airport
San Francisco International Airport is a major international airport located south of downtown San Francisco, California, United States, near the cities of Millbrae and San Bruno in unincorporated San Mateo County. It is often referred to as SFO...
for 16 years, where he advocated for the availability of free luggage carts and had a boarding area in the airport named in his honor. As an attorney, Coblentz was a land use lawyer who assisted in getting the necessary approvals for a new baseball stadium
AT&T Park
AT&T Park is a ballpark located in the South Beach neighborhood of San Francisco, California. Located at 24 Willie Mays Plaza, at the corner of Third and King Streets, it has served as the home of the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball since 2000....
for the San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....
, as well as for Mission Bay
Mission Bay, San Francisco, California
Mission Bay is a neighborhood in San Francisco, California.-Location:Mission Bay is roughly bounded by Townsend Street on the north, Third Street and San Francisco Bay on the east, Mariposa Street on the south, and 7th Street and Interstate 280 on the west.-History:It was created in 1998 by the...
and Yerba Buena Gardens
Yerba Buena Gardens
Yerba Buena Gardens is the name for two blocks of public parks located between Third and Fourth, Mission and Folsom Streets in downtown San Francisco, California. The first block bordered by Mission and Howard Streets was opened in 1993. The second block, between Howard and Folsom Streets was...
. A longtime supporter of the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund
NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund
The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. is a leading United States civil rights organization and law firm based in New York City....
, Coblentz's partners at the law firm of Coblentz, Patch, Duffy & Bass recognized him by endowing the Coblentz Fellowship for Civil Rights at the UC Berkeley School of Law
UC Berkeley School of Law
The University of California, Berkeley, School of Law, commonly referred to as Berkeley Law and Boalt Hall, is one of 14 schools and colleges at the University of California, Berkeley. Berkeley Law is consistently regarded as an elite and prestigious law school...
, which provides fellowships to students pursuing civil rights and racial justice.
He was elected in 2002 as a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences
American Academy of Arts and Sciences
The American Academy of Arts and Sciences is an independent policy research center that conducts multidisciplinary studies of complex and emerging problems. The Academy’s elected members are leaders in the academic disciplines, the arts, business, and public affairs.James Bowdoin, John Adams, and...
.
Coblentz died at age 88 on September 13, 2010. He was survived by his wife, the former Jean Berlin, as well as by a daughter, a son and four grandchildren.