Sanford Jay Rosen, who co-founded Rosen Bien Galvan & Grunfeld in 1991 with Michael W. Bien, has announced his retirement as a partner of the firm. Rosen will continue to practice law with RBGG and will remain available to the firm and its clients as Partner Emeritus.
Long regarded as one of the leading civil rights advocates in the nation, Rosen has presented oral argument in the U.S. Supreme Court in five cases, in the U.S. Courts of Appeals for ten of the Circuits on more than 30 occasions (more than half of which have been in the Ninth Circuit, including in September 2025), and before the Supreme Court and Courts of Appeal of California and appellate courts in other states at least 15 times. Four of Rosen’s U.S. Supreme Court arguments came in defense of the right to hold and profess dissenting political views in the face of government rules requiring loyalty oaths from employees and banning unpopular political parties from the ballot during the Cold War. Rosen prevailed in landmark decisions that stand to this day to block the government from interfering with individual freedom of thought and expression regardless of the prevailing political orthodoxy of the times.
Rosen’s trial and appellate experience includes a wide variety of civil work for both plaintiffs and defendants, including class actions, and appellate criminal defense work. He has secured and sustained on appeal numerous multiple million-dollar judgments and settlements. He has often served as an expert on the recovery of attorneys’ fees and costs, especially in civil rights litigation. Rosen is perhaps best known for his role representing the victims of the May 4, 1970 Kent State shootings by National Guard troops.
“Sandy has been a champion of civil rights and civil liberties for his entire career and an inspiration for all of us to take on the most challenging cases,” said co-founder Michael Bien. “From the very beginning of the firm, he has set an example of teamwork and mutual support, rather than competition, that has been the foundation of our success.”
“The relations I have formed at RBGG with my colleagues and others whom I have mentored, all of whom mentored me in return, are precious,” said Rosen. “I could not want for better partners and colleagues—past and present—who have continued to pursue civil rights and practice law at the highest level.”
“It’s been a privilege and an honor to work with Sandy for the last 20 years,” said Managing Partner Gay Grunfeld. “He has been a mentor and close friend and we are all better lawyers as a result. Sandy began his career as a law professor and has never stopped teaching. Civil rights advocates here in the Bay Area and across the country, myself included, have learned so much from Sandy. I am very pleased that he will continue to serve as a trusted advisor and mentor to RBGG.”