About Grace Calabrese
Grace Calabrese Tonner is a licensed attorney admitted to practice law in the State of California. She was admitted to the California State Bar in 1978 and holds bar number 83097. Her license is currently in active status. Ms. Tonner is a Distinguished Professor of Lawyering Skills at the University of California, Irvine School of Law, located in Irvine, California. She has been practicing law for over forty-seven years, serving clients throughout California.
Ms. Tonner earned her Juris Doctor degree from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles, where she graduated cum laude in 1978 with a special emphasis in Commercial Law. Prior to law school, she completed her undergraduate education at California State University, Long Beach, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science, magna cum laude, in 1975. During her time at Loyola, she was a member of the St. Thomas More Law Society and received the American Jurisprudence Award in Secured Transactions in Real Property.
Ms. Tonner concentrates her practice in the areas of lawyering skills, legal research, and writing. She has authored numerous articles on legal writing and frequently presents on the topic at conferences worldwide. Her work encompasses all stages of legal education, including curriculum development, teaching, and assessment. She has also been involved in various initiatives to enhance legal education and promote access to justice.
Throughout her career, Ms. Tonner has been admitted to practice before several courts, including the United States District Court for the Central District of California in 1979, the Northern, Southern, and Eastern Districts of California in 1989, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in 1979. She has also served as a judicial extern for the Honorable Robert L. Ordin, Bankruptcy Judge, and participated in the Small Business Administration Clinical Program.
Ms. Tonner is an active member of the State Bar of California and has been involved in various professional organizations related to legal education and writing. She has also been a member of the St. Thomas More Law Society and has received the American Jurisprudence Award in Secured Transactions in Real Property. She is fluent in English and has been involved in various initiatives to enhance legal education and promote access to justice.
